Summer Holiday

Homework
2025
 Table of Contents
TENSES EXERCISES............................................................................................................. 3
VOCAB EXERCISES.............................................................................................................19
1. Living in a new country.................................................................................................19
2. The Giant Panda.......................................................................................................... 20
3. Daily Routine of a Footballer........................................................................................ 22
4. Passive Smoking Kills 600,000 Every Year..................................................................23
5. Mobile Phone Ban in French Schools.......................................................................... 24
6. Country Profile: India....................................................................................................25
7. Road To The White House........................................................................................... 27
8. The Super Bowl............................................................................................................28
9. The Truman Show........................................................................................................ 30
10. Video Games..............................................................................................................31
READING EXERCISES......................................................................................................... 32
1. Nonfiction Reading: Google......................................................................................... 32
2. Nonfiction Reading: Trampolines................................................................................. 35
3. Nonfiction Reading: Koko.............................................................................................37
4. Nonfiction Reading: Tigers........................................................................................... 40
5. Nonfiction Reading: Garbage....................................................................................... 44
6. Nonfiction Reading: Honey Badgers............................................................................ 46
WRITING EXERCISES.......................................................................................................... 49
1. A Surprising Find..........................................................................................................50
2. Reality Shows Are A Waste Of Time............................................................................51
3. Are Facebook Friends Real Friends?...........................................................................52
4. Coping With Stress.......................................................................................................53
5. Coping With Stress (Part 2)..........................................................................................54
6. Summer Camp Volunteers........................................................................................... 55
7. Supporting Line............................................................................................................ 56

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TENSES EXERCISES

1.​ Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. Last night, when I ___________________ dinner, my mom ___________________. I

totally ___________________ about the roast in the oven, and I ___________________
everything. (MAKE, CALL, FORGET, BURN)

2. Most police officers ___________________ uniforms to work. Only detectives in higher

positions ___________________ their street clothes. (WEAR, WEAR)

3. His family ___________________ to Singapore when he was three, then they

___________________ back again when he started high school. (MOVE, MOVE)

4. Your car is fine now. There was a problem with the gears, but we ___________________
it. (FIX)

5. After Claire ___________________ for half an hour, she suddenly

___________________ to check her watch. (RUN, STOP)

6. I ___________________ smoking three years ago. Before that, I

______________________ for over a decade. (STOP, SMOKE)

7. Look, Mary ___________________ the windows. Nobody ___________________ them

for over a month. (CLEAN, CLEAN)

8. Tina ______________________ her emails for the last two hours. (CHECK)

9. Living in a foreign country was strange at first, but we ___________________ used to it.
(GET)

10.I ___________________ I want any dessert. I ___________________ too much to eat

already. (NOT THINK, HAVE)

11.In our history lesson yesterday my friend and I ___________________ to each other and
we ___________________ attention. Suddenly, our history teacher ___________________
right next to us. (TALK, NOT PAY, STAND).

12.Wendy ___________________ her boyfriend every afternoon. (PHONE)

13.I saw him sitting on the sofa. He ___________________ very tired because he
_______________________ too much. (BE, WORK)

14.John ___________________ our flight this morning, but he ___________________ hotel

arrangements yet. (BOOK, NOT MAKE)

15.I _______________________ the cup finals when you arrived. (WATCH)

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16.We normally ___________________ together every second Sunday, but this month
everyone ___________________ on holiday, so we ___________________ any meetings.
(GET, BE, NOT HAVE)

2.​ Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. _______________________ the latest news? – The president

___________________________ that he _____________________ to resign next summer.
– That's not new. I _____________________ that for ages! (YOU HEAR, JUST
ANNOUNCE, PLAN, KNOW)

2. When she came home her two boys _____________________ football in the backyard.
(PLAY)

3. He _____________________ in hospital for a few days and the doctor said he

_____________________ come home on Monday. (BE, BE ABLE TO)

4. The whole family _____________________ a few days ago and

_____________________ with us until next Monday. (ARRIVE, STAY)

5. I _____________________ to call you all morning. Where _____________________?

(TRY, YOU BE)

6. We _____________________ enough money if everyone gives us €5. (HAVE)

7. There _________________ a very good documentary on TV last night. –

_____________________ it? No, I _____________________ for my exam all night. (BE,
YOU SEE, STUDY)

8. When I came back to the office, I saw that someone _________________________

through my belongings. (SEARCH)

9. I'm so sorry that I _____________________ to leave your party so early because I

_____________________ myself. (HAVE, REALLY ENJOY)

10.You're finally here. I ________________________ in your office for over 15 minutes.

(WAIT)

11.We _____________________ in Spain while our friends _____________________

across Europe. (BACKPACK, CYCLE)

12.John Grisham is a famous author who _____________________ several thrillers. His

latest book _____________________ out a few months ago. (WRITE, COME)

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13.After she _____________________ holiday impressions of Scotland, she
_____________________ to go there immediately. (SEE, WANT)

14.At the moment she _____________________ a hard time dealing with the children. They
_____________________ so difficult to handle recently. (HAVE, BECOME)

15.You look worried. _____________________________? (ANYTHING HAPPEN)

16.Do you realise that you _____________________ on my toe. It hurts. (STAND)

3.​ Write sentences, using the tense given. Add any words you need.

1. We – have – accident (past perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

2. My parents – wait – for me – over an hour (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

3. When – we – get – married? (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

4. What – you – think? (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

5. I – take – children – zoo (conditional 1)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

6. Next week – I – climb – mountains – Switzerland (future progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

7. Howard – not able to – play hockey – after the accident (past simple)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

8. The children – run – down – street (past progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

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9. They – can – not see – far – because – fog (past simple)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

10.I – read – a book (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

11.Joseph – not be – to a party – Easter (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

12.My sister – go -dentist – next Monday (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

13.She – ever be – cruise ship? (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

14.My friend and I – learn – whole night (past perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

15.When – you – be – at home? (future simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

16.The building – catch – fire (conditional 2)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

17.Dad – not feel well – yesterday (past progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

18.My team – not win – a competition – for five years (present perfect simple)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

4.​ Put each verb into their correct past form.

Last summer I __________________ (CYCLE) in the rain along a country road in France
with my best friend Tom. We __________________ (DECIDE) to go on a cycling holiday in
northern France. Neither of us __________________ (BE) to France before, but we
__________________ (LEARN) a little bit of French at school and we

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__________________ (MANAGE) to brush up on the basics. Now we
__________________ (WONDER) if we __________________ (MAKE) the right decision.
We __________________ (PLAN) our route carefully for months, but we
__________________ (FORGET) one important factor: the weather.
It __________________ (RAIN) heavily since our arrival and that night we
__________________ (END UP) sleeping in the waiting room at a railway station. When
we __________________ (RIDE) down a steep hill the next morning my bike
__________________ (SKID) on the wet road and I __________________ (FALL) off.
I __________________ (REALISE) immediately that I __________________ (BREAK) my
left arm and after a visit to the hospital I __________________ (CATCH) the next train to
Calais for the ferry home. Unfortunately, my parents _______________________ (NOT
EXPECT) me home for a fortnight, and __________________ (GO) away on holiday. So, I
__________________ (SPEND) a miserable couple of weeks alone, reading books about
cycling in bad weather.

5.​ Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. After Maria __________________ her studies, she plans to work in her father's firm
(FINISH).

2. By the time I go to bed I _____________________ the work for the day. (COMPLETE)

3. When Jane saw the snake at her feet she __________________. (SCREAM)

4. I __________________ to the library four times this month, but I __________________ a

single book. (BE, NOT BORROW)

5. While I __________________ in class yesterday I got the hiccups. (SIT)

6. Before I started the car, all passengers __________________ their seatbelts. (FASTEN)

7. After they __________________ the race they started to celebrate. (WIN)

8. A small stone struck the window while we __________________ down the road. (DRIVE)

9. I ____________________ all the questions since the officers started their interrogation.
(ANSWER)

10.My grandfather ____________________ in such an airplane before. (NEVER FLY)

11.Jane isn’t here yet. I ______________________ for her since noon but she
__________________. (WAIT, NOT COME)

12.At the moment we __________________ an extreme heat wave. The temperatures

______________________ up for over a week. (HAVE, GO)

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13.At 3 o’clock yesterday, Jessica __________________ in bed. She __________________
a book when suddenly the wind __________________ to blow. (LIE, READ, BEGIN)

14.The weather __________________ terrible lately. (BE)

15.Next week there __________________ a full moon. (BE)

16.The phone _______________________ constantly since Jack announced that he was

running for mayor. (RING)

17.On July 20th 1969 Neil Armstrong __________________ his foot on the moon . Nobody
__________________ that before. (SET, EVER DO)

18.My high school _____________________ the championship before. It’s about time they
did. (NEVER WIN)

19.May I speak to the doctor? - I’m sorry. He __________________ a patient at the moment.
(SEE)

20.Normally people __________________ around about 20 to 30 times every night. (TURN)

6.​ Write sentences, using the tense given. Add any words you need.

1. She – often – shop – at Macy's (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

2. We – watch TV – when – we – hear – bad news (past)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

3. I – not go – out - in the rain (conditional 2)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

4. I – find – my briefcase – this morning (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

5. My sister – get married – next Sunday (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

6. I – never – think – about it – before (past perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

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7. I – prepare – for the test – since Monday (present perfect progressive)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

8. You – ride – a camel – in Egypt? (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

9. I – think – I – stay – at home. (future)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

10.I – not apologise – to him (conditional 1)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

11.After – I – hear – noise – I – go – out (past simple, past perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

12.Where – he – go? (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

13.I – cannot – visit you – last week (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

14.How often – you go – to the dentist – last year? (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

15.Breakfast – not serve – after 11 o'clock (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

16.She – play – this game – over an hour (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

17.You – know – where – my shoes – be? (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

18.I – work - in the garden – whole afternoon (past progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

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 7.​ Write sentences, using the tense given. Add any words you need.

1. The boys – can – climb – the mountain (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

2. You – ever – visit – your cousin – in Scotland? (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

3. I – go – doctor – if -I – be – you (conditional 1)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

4. She – learn – English – two years (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

5. What – you – think – of the weather – in Spain? (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

6. What – he – do – now? (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

7. We walk – down the street – when – police car – pass – by (past)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

8. We – talk – a lot (past perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

9. We – never – read – any books – by this author (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

10.He – be – interesting man – when – he – be – young (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

11.I – think – I – have – a drink (future)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

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12.The shop – open – at 9 a.m. – next Monday (present progressive)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

13.America – discover – by Columbus (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

14.I – go – to – the dentist (conditional 2)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

15.We – discuss – topic – for many hours. (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

16.I – work – for 12 hours – when – I – finally – go – home (past perfect progressive, past
simple)
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

17.You – go – France – next year? (going to future)

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________

18.They – finish – their homework – when – I- come (past)

_________________________________________________________________________
____________

8.​ Write sentences, using the tense given.

1. I – read – book (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

2. I – go – the doctor – next Monday (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

3. They – have – an accident (past perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

4. We – can – climb – top of the mountain (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

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5. What – you – think – of England? (present simple)
_________________________________________________________________________
___________

6. We – study- the whole evening (present perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

7. I- walk – down – street (past progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

8. My sister – never – read – books (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

9. We – wander – two hours (past perfect progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

10.When – she – get – married? (present progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

11.Jane – cannot – walk – after the accident (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

12.I – never – be – to India (present perfect simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

13.I – think -I – go to bed – now (future)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

14.He – not feel – well – yesterday (past simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

15.My dad – work – as an accountant (present simple)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

16.We – play – basketball – yesterday afternoon (past progressive)

_________________________________________________________________________
___________

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 9.​ Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. After Howard ___________________ his studies he intends to work in his father's

company. (FINISH)

2. I ____________________ the instructions on the test sheet when the headmaster came
in and wished all of us good luck. (READ)

3. By the time I finish my thesis I ________________________ on it for over three years.

(WORK)

4. Ancient Greek athletes received a wreath of olives after they ___________________ a

race. (WIN)

5. The last time I went to the library I _________________ three books on painting.
(BORROW)

6. I ___________________ when I looked down and saw a snake at my feet. (SCREAM)

7. By the time I get to bed I ________________________ for 8 hours. (WORK)

8. Jane _______________________ yet. I _______________________ since noon, but

there's no sign of her. (NOT ARRIVE, WAIT)

9. Yesterday, while I ___________________ in class, I had nosebleed. The boy who

___________________ next to me gave me a paper handkerchief. (SIT, SIT)

10.All the passengers ______________________ their seat belts by the time the pilot made
his announcement. (FASTEN)

11.I'll return his wallet the next time I ___________________ him. (SEE)

12.A small stone struck the windshield while we _______________________ down the
gravel road. (DRIVE)

13.My grandfather ________________________ in an airplane before and he doesn't plan

to do so. (NEVER FLY)

14. At the moment we _____________________ a long spell of rain. It

______________________ constantly for the last three days. (HAVE, RAIN)

15.When I got to the party last night, the other guests _______________________.
(ALREADY ARRIVE)

16.We ________________________ to go on vacation next week. First, we

___________________ to New York for a few days, then we _____________________ at
the Super Bowl finals in Washington. (PLAN, GO, BE)

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 10.​Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. Mario can’t answer the door because he _________________ his hair (WASH).

2. I _____________ to the park yesterday, but I _________________ there today. (GO, NOT
BE)

3. He _____________________ when we arrived at 8. (ALREADY SHOWER)

4. I _____________________ anyone interesting since I moved into this apartment. (NOT

MEET)

5. I ______________________ on this island for two years now. (LIVE)

6. Peter ______________________ the gym when I got there (ALREADY LEAVE).

7. Paul usually _________________ his meals in the firm's canteen but today he
_________________ out with his sister. (HAVE, GO)

8. Jeff is a basketball player, but he ____________________ right now because it’s

off-season. (NOT PLAY)

9. The weather was perfect for our picnic yesterday. The sun _________________ and the
birds _________________. (SHINE, SING)

10. Yesterday, I _________________ into an old high school friend whom I

_________________ for ages. (RUN, NOT SEE)

11. My dad _________________ to many conferences since the end of the month. (BE)

12.While dad _________________ him good night stories, he _________________ asleep

and _________________ up until three hours later. (TELL, FALL, NOT WAKE)

13. I _________________ such a violent storm in my whole life (NEVER SEE)

14. The new shop around the corner _________________ next Wednesday (OPEN).

15.When David _________________ on the couch, he suddenly _________________ an

explosion outside. (SLEEP, HEAR)

16. I _________________ a few days off next week. I think I _________________ a few
days in Berlin. (TAKE, SPEND)

17. The city council ___________________ a new shopping centre in town next year.
(BUILD)

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18. I _________________ in Cyprus at the moment. I _________________ a great time.
The weather _________________ great and the food _________________ delicious here.
(BE, HAVE, BE, BE)

19.Ben is a very quick writer. He ___________________ his third book. (JUST FINISH)

20. The last time I _________________ to Brighton was in August. (GO)

11.​Complete the narrative below using the correct tense.

Mary was one of 185 passengers on a British Airways flight to Warsaw. She
_____________________ (FEEL) very excited when she _____________________ (GET)
on the plane at Gatwick Airport. She _____________________ (WAIT) a long time for this
day. She _____________________ (FINALLY LEAVE) England to start her new job in the
eastern European capital. Mary was an experienced traveller. When she was younger,
she _____________________ (FLY) around a lot. In those days her father
_____________________ (BE) a diplomat and every few years the whole family
_____________________ (HAVE TO) move to a different country. Not long after the plane
_____________________ (TAKE) off the captain _____________________ (TELL) the
passengers that they _____________________ (HAVE) to return to the airport. For the first
time Mary _____________________ (START) to worry. A few minutes later she
_____________________ (SEE) the lights of the airport and _____________________
(WONDER) why there were fire engines and ambulances standing nearby. At that time, she
_____________________ (NOT KNOW) that the plane's front wheel
_____________________ (FALL) off during take-off. Suddenly, Mary
_____________________ (FEEL) a strange bump and when the plane
_____________________ (COME) to a stop some passengers _____________________
(CRY). Fortunately, the pilot _____________________ (MAKE) a perfect landing and
nobody _____________________ (BE) injured. Mary was a little shaken but she still
_____________________ (HOPE) she would be able to catch the next flight to Warsaw.

12.​Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. Jeff ____________ our bank manager at the moment. He _________________ here for
three years. (BE, BE)

2. I ____________________ when the alarm ____________________ off at 5.30 this

morning. (STILL SLEEP, GO)

3. If everyone donates $5, we ____________________ enough to buy a new machine.

(HAVE)

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4. There ______________ a great documentary on TV yesterday evening.
____________________ it? – No, I didn't. I ______________ to take my television set back
to the store to have it repaired. (BE, YOU SEE, HAVE)

5. When I ____________________ to the car park I didn't know where I

____________________ my car. (RETURN, PARK)

6. My uncle ____________________ the same pullover the whole winter. I guess he

____________ it. (WEAR, LOVE)

7. Mum ____________________ dinner when the doctor __________________.

(PREPARE, ARRIVE)

8. He ____________________ around with a limp since he ____________________ his

accident a few weeks ago. (WALK, HAVE)

9. You look pretty worried. – What ____________________? (HAPPEN)

10.When we ____________________ at the theatre the play ______________________.

(ARRIVE, ALREADY START)

11.When she ________________ home, she ________________ that her husband

____________________ for some time. (COME, SEE, DRINK)

12. ____________________ the good news? – Stan and Margie ____________________

married! – That's not new. – I ____________________ about it for a few weeks. (YOU
HEAR, GET, KNOW)

13.I ____________________ to call you the whole week! – Where

______________________? (TRY, YOU BE)

14.The manager ____________________ to an important customer at the moment, but he

____________________ you in a few minutes. (SPEAK, SEE)

15.Do you realize that you ____________________ on my toes? – It hurts! (STAND)

16.I think I ____________________ a break. I surely deserve one. (TAKE)

17.I wonder if he ____________________ my number. I ______________________ for him

to call for the last two hours. (FORGET, EXPECT)

18.The novel is about a man who ____________________ home from the war and
____________________ a new life. (COME, START)

19.When I ____________________ for my passport a few days ago, I

____________________ across this old photo of our family reunion. (LOOK, COME)

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20.I am sorry that I ____________________ to leave your party so early last night. I
____________________ myself. (HAVE, REALLY ENJOY)

13.​Fill in the correct form of the verb given.

1. After we ___________________ dinner we went to bed. (EAT)

2. I ___________________ several matches this season, but I ___________________ to a

single game last season. (SEE, NOT GO)

3. What ___________________ when the headmaster ___________________ the

classroom yesterday? (YOU DO, ENTER)

4. My granddad doesn't ___________________ well so he always ___________________

up the volume on the radio. (NOT HEAR, TURN)

5. We ___________________ hard since 7 o'clock in the morning. (WORK)

6. She ___________________ in such cold water before. (NEVER SWIM)

7. When we ___________________ at the stadium thousands of spectators

___________________ in front of the gates. (ARRIVE, WAIT)

8. We ______________________ for over an hour when we found out that we were in the
wrong village. (TRAVEL)

9. The district attorney's office ___________________ before next Monday. (NOT OPEN)

10.Here are your shoes Jimmy. I ___________________ them (JUST CLEAN).

11.She ___________________ well yesterday because she ___________________ too

much. (NOT FEEL, EAT)

12. Look at those fans! They're so excited because their team _____________________ the
winning goal. (JUST SCORE)

13. Last Saturday Susan ______________ an accident. She _______________ off the
ladder and ___________________ her knee while she ___________________ to pick some
apples. (HAVE, FALL, CUT, TRY)

14.We ___________________ to Chris's party next Tuesday because nobody

___________________ us. (NOT GO, INVITE)

15.Whenever Kevin is in England, he ___________________ to his parents back in

Australia every weekend. (WRITE)

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16.When I was at school, I often ___________________ adventure stories written by Jack
London (READ). – ___________________ any of his books yet? (YOU READ)

17.Who ___________________ that terrible noise outside? – It's a group of hooligans. They
______________________ around with flags in their hands. (CAUSE, WANDER)

18.How _______________________ to school, Marvin? – I ___________________ the bus

but today my dad ___________________ me a lift. (YOU USUALLY GET, USUALLY TAKE,
GIVE)

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VOCAB EXERCISES

1.​ Living in a new country

Read the text about living in a new country and choose the correct word in the table
below to fill in the blank.

Decide which of the four words best fits each space. Although living in another country can
be an (1) ___________________ adventure, it is sometimes proves (2)
___________________ a difficult experience. Many things are new and different – not only
the language and culture but also (3) ___________________ things like where to buy
stamps or when banks are open. For a person who is used (4) ___________________ in
control of their world these new experiences can make them feel helpless, (5)
___________________ and frustrated. Many of those who start a life somewhere else often
go through certain (6) ________________ before they feel at home in their new (7)
___________________. The first few weeks after arrival in another country is full of positive
feelings and excitement. Then (8) _______________ sets in and can make you feel angry
and impatient. Some people (9) ___________________ their new home for such feelings.
Eventually, however, most newcomers settle (10) _________ and begin to adapt. However,
when a person returns to their own culture, they may (11) ___________________ the same
things in reverse. It takes them (12) ___________________ time to get back to their former
life in their home country.

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 2.​ The Giant Panda

Choose the correct word or phrase for each blank.

The giant panda is a bear that lives in central China. It is special because of its black and
white fur. Pandas belong to the most (1) ____________________ species of our world.
About 2000 pandas live in the wilderness and 300 live in (2) __________________ zoos
around the world. Recently, there have been (3) _______________ in many countries to
save the giant panda. The animal has been driven away from its natural habitat because of
deforestation, intensive farming and the creation of new (4) ____________________. The
giant panda can reach a height of up to 1.5 metres and weigh up to 150 kg. Pandas have
bodies like bears, but scientists do not know why they grow a thick black and white (5)
____________________. It keeps them warm during the cold winter months and the white
colour protects them from possible enemies in the snow-covered mountains in which they
live. Pandas have large teeth, which they need to eat bamboo, their (6)
____________________ food. Because it is low in nutritional value it does not give pandas
much energy to move around for longer periods of time. Giant pandas can live up to 20
years in the wilderness and 30 years in zoos. They start (7) ____________________
between 4 and 8 years of age. When panda cubs are born, they are very tiny, only about a
thousandth the size of the mother, and blind. Like all mammals, they get their food from their
mother, whom they stay with for up to three years before being able to (8)
____________________ alone. Pandas have been an important (9)
____________________ throughout history. They first became known in the western world
during the middle of the 19th century. In the 1960s, the Chinese government (10)
____________________ it had to do something to protect the giant pandas from becoming
(11) ____________________. Since then they have set up 40 reserves in which the animals
are protected. In the 1970s, pandas played a role in the opening of Communist China to the
west. They were sold to zoos in other countries. Today, about 45 pandas live in zoos outside
China. Zoologists are putting millions of dollars into (12) ____________________ the
animals in captivity. When they get older, they are released again into their natural habitat.

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 3.​ Daily Routine of a Footballer

Read the text about the daily routine of an English footballer. Some of the lines are
correct. Some have a word that shouldn’t be there. Write this word in the box next to
the line. If the line is correct, put a tick (✓) in the box. The first two lines have been
done for you.

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 4.​ Passive Smoking Kills 600,000 Every Year

Complete the text on passive smoking by choosing a word from the box for each
blank. There are THREE words you will not need.

According to a study carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO)

passive smoking kills over 600,000 people a year, a (1)
_____________________ of them children. The report says that there are
1.2 (2) _____________________ smokers worldwide. They are not only
risking their own lives but the lives of non-smokers as well. Both (3)
_____________________ and passive smoking kill almost 6 million people
a year. In the year the study took place passive smoking led to almost four
hundred thousand deaths from heart diseases, 150000 from respiratory
infections and thousands from asthma and lung (4)
_____________________. Children are the group that is hardest hit by
passive smoking. But while in Europe only 71 died because of second-hand
smoke, over 40,000 were killed in Africa. A few months ago, a report
released in the US showed that more than half of American children
between the ages of 3 and 11 had (5) _____________________ in their
blood that came from passive smoking. Most (6) _____________________
who smoke do so at home and in front of their children. Children whose
parents smoke also have a higher risk of infections and other diseases like
(7) _____________________ and bronchitis. About a third of all adults and
40% of all children worldwide are (8) _____________________ to passive
smoking on a regular basis. Experts say that (9) _____________________
smoking in public places can help (10) _____________________ health
care costs and lower the number of people who die through passive
smoking. Studies show that (11) _____________________ anti-smoking
laws in bars and restaurants can massively lower the number of people
who smoke. Such laws can also help people quit smoking. The report
comes to the (12) _____________________ that more needs to be done to
(13) _____________________ non-smokers at their place of work and on
(14) _____________________ transport. Right now only 7% of the world’s
population lives in areas with strict anti-smoking (15)
_____________________.

23
 5.​ Mobile Phone Ban in French Schools

Read the text about a new law that bans the use of mobile phones in French schools.
Some of the lines are correct. Some have a word that shouldn’t be there. Write this
word in the box next to the line. If the line is correct, put a tick (✓) in the box. The first
two lines have been done for you.

24
 6.​ Country Profile: India

Complete the text on India. Fill in the blanks from the word list on the right. There are
three words you will not need.

India is the most important country in southern Asia. With a

_________________ of 3.2 million square kilometres it is the
seventhlargest country in the world. It is made up of the Indian
_________________ and parts of the Asian mainland. 1.3 billion people
live in India, making it the second most _____________________
country in the world after China. The capital is New Delhi but the largest
city in India is Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Other big cities are Calcutta,
Madras and Bangalore. India was a ___________________ British
colony, which became independent in 1947. Since then it has been a
federal republic consisting of 28 states.

Landscapes and Climate

India consists of four major geographical regions:

1. The Eastern and Western Ghats are mountain ranges that rise up to a
___________________ of 1,500 metres and extend along the Arabian
Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
2. Between these two mountain ranges lies the Deccan Plateau.
3. The great river ___________________ of the Ganges and Indus are
among the most _________________ populated part of the country.
4. To the north India borders on the highest mountain range in the world
– the Himalayas .

India’s climate is dominated by the monsoon – winds that blow from the
Indian Ocean to the subcontinent and bring a lot of rain from May to
September.

Population

Although population ________________ has been slowing, about 15

million Indians are still born every year. Life
_______________________ is about 68 years. 70 per cent of India ’s population lives in
_____________ areas. Though living conditions in many areas have improved, many people
are still poor. One third of the country’s population lives on or below the
____________________ line.

Religion

The main religions in India are Hindu (80 %), Muslim (13.4 %) , Christian (2.3 %) and Sikh
(1.8 %). English is the most important language for communication, but the

25
_________________ language is Hindi. There are 14 other languages. 40 % of the
population are ________________- they can’t read or write.
Economy

India is the world’s fifth largest economy. More than half of the land is used for
_________________. More than two thirds of India’s population depend on the land to make
a living. The most important _________________ are rice, wheat, sugar cane, tea, cotton,
and jute. India also produces other raw ___________________ like coal, iron ore and
bauxite. ________________________ is currently at about 6%. India’s
_______________________ is the rupee, which is worth about one cent.

7.​ Road To The White House

Complete the text with a word from the box. There are TWO words you will not need.

There are many people who would like to become President. From
January to June of the election year, the two big parties, Republicans
and Democrats, hold (1) _____________________ in many states. In
these, people (2) _____________________ who should become the
party’s candidate for the (3) _____________________ election in
November.

At the end of the primaries, each party organises a big party called a
(4) _____________________. Thousands of party (5)
_____________________ meet and select the candidate who was the
best in the primaries. At this gathering, the candidate also tells the
people who will become (6) _____________________ if he gets
elected.

From August to November the (7) _____________________ of each

party travel all over the country, hold (8) _____________________
and try to get the people to (9) _____________________ for them. On
the first Tuesday in November the American people vote for one of the
presidential candidates.

In most cases, there are only two candidates, a Republican and a

Democrat, but in the last elections (10) _____________________ from
other parties have also taken part.

Americans do not vote for the President directly. They select electors
who (11) _____________________ them in the Electoral College.
Each state has a certain number of electors. Big states with a large
population, like California have many electors (54) and small states,

26
like Hawaii only have a few (12) _____________________. All together there are 538
electors who meet in the Electoral College.

In December all the electors meet and elect a president. Most of the time they (13)
_____________________ for the candidate who has won in their state. The candidate who
has 270 or more electoral votes becomes President.

Candidates often (14) _____________________ on the big states with lots of electors. They
know that if they win in states like California, New York or Texas they have a good (15)
_____________________ of becoming President.

On January 20th of the (16) _____________________ year the new President and his Vice
President begin the new (17) _____________________. They put their left hand on a Bible
and take the (18) _____________________ of office.

8.​ The Super Bowl

Choose the correct word or phrase for each blank.

The Super Bowl is the final game of the American football season in which the two best
teams of the National Football League (NFL) play (1) ____________________ each other.
The football season starts in August. Each team has 16 games in the regular season. Then
the best teams (2) ______________________ in a series of playoffs (3)
____________________ finally leads to the last game of the season, the Super Bowl.
Today, the Super Bowl takes (4) _________ on the first Sunday in February. It (5)
__________________ the most-watched TV broadcast in recent history with over a hundred
million people in the USA watching it. (6) ______________________ so many people watch
the Super Bowl it has become the most expensive time for (7) ______________________.
Many companies produce their best commercials for this event and want to get on TV when
almost half of America is watching. (8) ______________________, many famous pop
singers and (9) ______________________ want to perform before the game and during half
time. The Super Bowl is marked with Roman numerals instead of years. For example, Super
Bowl XXV was the 25th Super Bowl game in the (10) ______________________ of the
series, which started in 1967. The game (11) ______________________ in a city that is
selected a few years (12) ______________. New Orleans, Miami and Los Angeles have
become (13) ______________________ hosts of the game. No team has ever played in
their home stadium. In most cases Super Bowl games are given to cities with warmer
climates and higher than (14) ______________________ temperatures.

27
28
 9.​ The Truman Show

Complete the text with a word from the box. There are TWO words you will not need.

Truman Burbank is a 29-year-old (1) __________________ salesman who

lives in a comfortable town called Seahaven, which is (2) ______________
on an island, probably off the coast of Florida. Truman is a sincere and very
nice person who begins to (3) ___________________ that there is
something very strange going on his life, and little by little, he learns the (4)
________________. Ever since he was born, Truman has been filmed for a
live television show that is (5) ____________________ 24 hours a day to the
rest of the world, and thus, everything and everyone that he thinks he knows
is, in (6) ________________, part of a giant television studio designed to (7)
________________ his life.

Truman begins to discover the (8) _________________ of his world when the
television producers of "The Truman Show" begin to make silly (9)
__________________ that give Truman an idea of what is really happening.
After listening to a radio broadcast that seems to be broadcasting everything
he is doing, and then seeing workers who look like they're fixing his own (10)
_________________ building as if it were part of a movie set (which it is!),
Truman (11) __________________ he needs to get away from Seahaven.
He tells his wife and best friend that he wants to go to the island of Fiji, where
the family of a girl he once liked very much had apparently moved.

Thus, the (12) __________________ of the show must think of every

possible way to (13) _________________ Truman that it would really be
much better if he stayed home in Seahaven, without of course, (14)
____________________ to him that his whole world is actually a giant TV
studio. Eventually though, Truman becomes determined to leave the island
that he has never left before, (15) ___________________ his horrible fear of
water (which began as a child when he thought he saw his father (16)
____________________ in a storm). As each way off the island is
mysteriously blocked---from car to bus to boat--- Truman comes increasingly
closer to finding out the true (17) _______________ of the world around him.

29
 10.​Video Games

Read the text about how video games affect the lives of young people. Some of the
lines are correct. Some have a word that shouldn’t be there. Write this word in the box
next to the line. If the line is correct, put a tick (✓) in the box. The first two lines have
been done for you.

30
READING EXERCISES

1.​ Nonfiction Reading: Google

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

You know that you're doing something big when your company name becomes a verb. Ask
Xerox. In 1959 they created the first plain paper copy machine. It was one of the most
successful products ever. The company name Xerox grew into a verb that means "to copy,"
as in "Bob, can you Xerox this for me?" Around 50 years later, the same thing happened to
Google. Their company name grew into a verb that means "to do an internet search." Now
everyone and their grandma knows what it means to Google it.

Unlike Xerox, Google wasn't the first company to invent their product, not by a long shot.
Lycos released their search engine in 1993. Yahoo! came out in 1994. AltaVista began
serving results in 1995. Google did not come out until years later, in 1998. Though a few
years difference may not seem like much, this is a major head start in the fast moving world
of tech. So how did Google do it? How did they overtake their competitors who had such
huge leads in time and money? Maybe one good idea made all the difference.

There are millions and millions of sites on the internet. How does a search engine know
which ones are relevant to your search? This is a question that great minds have been
working on for decades. To understand how Google changed the game, you need to know
how search engines worked in 1998. Back then most websites looked at the words in your
query. They counted how many times those words appeared on each page. Then they might
return pages where the words in your query appeared the most. This system did not work
well and people often had to click through pages and pages of results to find what they
wanted.

Google was the first search engine that began considering links. Links are those blue
underlined words that take you to other pages when you click on them. Larry Page,
cofounder of Google, believed that meaningful data could be drawn from how those links
connect. Page figured that websites with many links pointing at them were more important
than those that had few. He was right. Google's search results were much better than their
rivals. They would soon become the world's most used search engine.

It wasn't just the great search results that led to Google becoming so well liked. It also had to
do with the way that they presented their product. Most of the other search engines were
cluttered. Their home pages were filled with everything from news stories to stock quotes.
But Google's homepage was, and still is, clean. There's nothing on it but the logo, the search
box, and a few links. It almost appears empty. In fact, when they were first testing it, users
would wait at the home page and not do anything. When asked why, they said that they
were, "waiting for the rest of the page to load." People couldn't imagine such a clean and
open page as being complete. But the fresh design grew on people once they got used to it.

31
These days Google has its hands in everything from self-driving cars to helping humans live
longer. Though they have many other popular products, they will always be best known for
their search engine. The Google search engine has changed our lives and our language. Not
only is it a fantastic product, it is a standing example that one good idea (and a lot of hard
work) can change the world.

1. Which event happened last?

a. Lycos released their search engine.
b. Yahoo! released their search engine.
c. Google released their search engine.
d. Xerox released their copy machine.

2. Which statement would the author of this text most likely disagree with?
a. Part of Google's success is due to the design of their homepage.
b. Google succeeded by following examples of others in their field.
c. Google wasn't the first search engine, but it was the best.
d. Google's success may not have been possible without Larry Page.

3. Which best expresses the main idea of the third paragraph?

a. There are lots and lots of websites connected to the internet.
b. Google created a better way to organize search results.
c. Many smart people have worked on search engines over the years.
d. Older search engines used unreliable methods to order results.

4. What is the author's main purpose in writing this article?

a. To explain how Google overtook its rivals
b. To compare and contrast Google and Xerox
c. To persuade readers to use Google for internet searches
d. To discuss how companies can influence language over time

5. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. Google became successful because its founders were well-connected.
b. Google was the world's first and best search engine.
c. Google changed the world by solving an old problem in a new way.
d. Google's other products are now more important to its success than search.

6. Which best expresses the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

a. Links allow people to surf from one website to the next.
b. Larry Page's ideas about links helped Google get to the top.
c. Larry Page contributed to the internet by inventing the link.
d. Google is a website that serves important links to users.

7. Which best explains why the author discusses Xerox in this text?
a. He is discussing big companies that came before Google.
b. He is explaining how companies must change with the times.
c. He is showing how companies can affect our language.
d. He is comparing and contrasting Google and Xerox.

32
8. How did Google improve search quality in 1998?
a. They counted how many times queries appeared on each page.
b. They looked more closely at the words in search queries.
c. They linked to more pages.
d. They studied the relationships of links.

9. Which was cited as a reason why Google became so popular?

a. Google's homepage was clean.
b. Google provided catchy news stories on their homepage.
c. Google homepage loaded quickly.
d. Google provided useful stock quotes on their homepage.

10. Which title best expresses the author's main purpose in writing this text?
a. Xerox Vs. Google: Battle of the Titans
b. Search Engines: How They Work and Why They're Important
c. A Better Way: How Google Rose to the Top
d. Search Engines: A Short History of Important Tools

Long Response Questions

1. What can readers learn about Google's approach to doing business based on reading this
article? Use information from the text to support your response.

2. Explain how Google was able to overcome its competitors. Cite information from the text
to support your response.

3. What do Google and Xerox have in common? Support your answer with information from
the text.

33
 2.​ Nonfiction Reading: Trampolines

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

What's more fun than standing still? Jumping up and down on a springy piece of fabric! This
activity is known as trampolining and it's sweeping the nation.

The idea of trampolining is ancient. Eskimos have been tossing each other in the air using
walrus skin for thousands of years. Firemen began using a life net to catch people jumping
from buildings in 1887. And in the early 1900s, circus performers began bouncing off of
netting to amuse audiences. These weren't the same as today's trampolines, but they show
that the idea has been bouncing around for a long time.

A tumbler named George Nissan and his coach Larry Griswold made the first modern
trampoline in 1936. They got the idea by watching trapeze artists bouncing off of a tight net
at the circus. The two men experimented with different fabrics and designs. They found a
winner when they stretched a piece of canvas across a steel frame and held it in place with
springs. They named their device after the Spanish word trampolín, which means diving
board.

At first Nissan and Griswold used their device to train tumblers. The piece of training
equipment was a lot of fun. They realized that everyone could enjoy their trampoline, not just
tumblers. The men wanted to share their idea with the whole world. In 1942 they began
making trampolines to sell to the public.

Trampolines may be fun, but they can also be dangerous. Experts estimate that more than
100,000 people hurt themselves while using one each year. Clubs and gyms use large
safety nets and rubber padding to make it safer. Most trampoline injuries happen at home.
Since trampolines are more affordable than ever, injuries are even more common.

These injuries happen for many reasons. People may bounce too high and land off of the
trampoline or onto the springs. From the peak of the bounce, this can be a fall of 13 feet or
more. Ouch. Injuries also happen when many people are jumping at the same time. Jumpers
may collide and cause one another to land in strange ways. Lots of people have broken
bones in this way. Perhaps the worst injuries happen when untrained people try to do flips.
Landing on your neck or head can paralyze or even kill you.

But don't let all that bad news keep you down. There are many things that you can do to
practice safe trampolining. You can cover the springs with special pads so that people's
limbs are less likely to get stuck in them. You can surround your trampoline with a net so that
people don't fall off of it. You can limit bouncers to one at a time. This will prevent collision
injuries. Perhaps most importantly, you should never flip on a trampoline without professional
guidance. You are much less likely to get hurt on a trampoline if you do these things.

Trampolines have been around for a while now. They have brought a lot of joy to many
people. There is no feeling quite like soaring up in the air and then free-falling. Trampolines

34
can also be a good source of exercise and activity. They can help people improve their
balance and aerial moves. But they can also be deadly. Be sure that you are practicing
safety while having a good time. Happy bouncing!

1. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?

a. The basic idea of a trampoline has been around for a long time.
b. Nissan and Griswold owe much of their success to circus performers.
c. Most club and gym trampolines are safer than most home trampolines.
. Trampolines are dangerous and not much can be done to make them safer.

2. Which best describes the main idea in the second paragraph?

a. It explains how Eskimo have used walrus skins like trampolines for a long time.
b. It describes activities similar to trampolining that came first.
c. It compares and contrasts how different groups have used trampolines.
d. It discusses how trampolining is ancient.

3. Which of the following events happened first?

a. Firemen begin using life nets to catch people jumping from buildings.
b. Nissan and Griswold begin selling trampolines to the public.
c. Circus performers begin using netting to perform tricks.
d. Nissan and Griswold invent the modern trampoline.

4. Which is not cited as a cause of trampoline related injuries?

a. Colliding with other bouncers
b. Bouncing into low hanging objects
c. Jumping off of the trampoline
d. Landing a flip incorrectly

5. Which best explains why trampoline injuries are more likely to happen at home?
a. Home trampolines get rained on and become very slippery.
b. Home trampolines are cheaply made and fall apart during use.
c. Home trampolines often lack proper safety equipment.
d. Most people are on their best behavior when they leave the home.

6. Which best describes the structure of the text in the sixth paragraph?
a. Cause and effect
b. Compare and contrast
c. Chronological order
d. Descriptive writing

7. How does the purpose of the text switch after the fourth paragraph?
a. It goes from describing the uses of a trampoline to the dangers.
b. It shifts from explaining the history of the trampoline to health benefits.
c. It moves from Nissan and Griswold's life story to how trampolines are used today.
d. It changes from discussing the origins of the trampoline to the risks.

8. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. Trampolines are extremely dangerous and should be banned.

35
b. Nissan and Griswold stole the idea for the trampoline from the eskimos.
c. You should take turns when jumping on a trampoline with friends.
d. You'll never learn to flip if you don't start practicing by yourself.

9. Which best expresses the author's purpose in writing the seventh paragraph?
a. He is persuading readers to stay off of trampolines.
b. He is telling readers how to prevent trampoline injuries.
c. He is describing what a modern trampoline looks like.
d. He is informing readers about the risks of trampolining.

10. Which of the following is not a main idea in this text?

a. Trampoline-like activities have been around for a long time.
b. Trampolining can be dangerous if practiced unsafely.
c. Trampolining is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety.
d. Modern trampolines were invented by Nissan and Griswold.

Long Response Questions

1. If you were buying a new trampoline, what advice do you believe that the author would
give you? Refer to the text to support your response.

2. Should George Nissan and Larry Griswold be credited as the inventors of the trampoline?
Why or why not? Use evidence from the text to support your position.

3. Your school is considering building a large trampoline and using it during gym class. Are
you for this initiative or against it? Clearly state your position and argue it in two or three
paragraphs. Cite text from the passage to support your response.

3.​ Nonfiction Reading: Koko

36
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

Did you know that humans aren't the only species that use language? Bees communicate by
dancing. Whales talk to each other by singing. And some apes talk to humans by using
American Sign Language.

Meet Koko: a female gorilla born at the San Francisco Zoo on July 4th, 1971. Koko learned
sign language from her trainer, Dr. Penny Patterson. Patterson began teaching sign
language to Koko in 1972, when Koko was one year old. Koko must have been a good
student, because two years later she moved onto the Stanford University campus with Dr.
Patterson. Koko continued to learn on the campus until 1976. That's when she began living
full-time with Patterson's group, the Gorilla Foundation. Patterson and Koko's relationship
has blossomed ever since.

Dr. Patterson says that Koko has mastered sign language. She says that Koko knows over
1,000 words, and that Koko makes up new words. For example, Koko didn't know the sign
for the ring, so she signed the words finger and bracelet. Dr. Patterson thinks that this shows
meaningful and constructive use of language.

Not everyone agrees with Dr. Patterson. Some argue that apes like Koko do not understand
the meaning of what they are doing. Skeptics say that these apes are just performing
complex tricks. For example, if Koko points to an apple and signs red or apple, Dr. Patterson
will give her an apple. They argue that Koko does not really know what the sign apple
means. She only knows that if she makes the right motion, one which Dr. Patterson has
shown her, then she gets an apple. The debate is unresolved, but one thing is for certain:
Koko is an extraordinary ape.

Sign language isn't the only unusual thing about Koko. She's also been a pet-owner. In
1983, at the age of 12, researchers said that Koko asked for a cat for Christmas. They gave
Koko a stuffed cat. Koko was not happy. She did not play with it, and she continued to sign
sad. So for her birthday in 1984, they let her pick a cat out of an abandoned liter. Koko
picked a gray cat and named him "All Ball." Dr. Patterson said that Koko loved and nurtured
All Ball as though he were a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball got out of Koko's cage and was hit
by a car. Patterson reported that Koko signed "Bad, sad, bad" and "Frown, cry, frown, sad"
when she broke the news to her.

It seems like Patterson and Koko have a good relationship, but not everyone agrees with it.
Some critics believe that Patterson is humanizing the ape. They believe that apes should be
left in the most natural state possible. Even Dr. Patterson struggles with these feelings.
When asked if her findings could be duplicated by another group of scientists, she said, "We
don't think that it would be ethical to do it again." She went on to argue that animals should
not be kept in such unnatural circumstances. Nonetheless, Koko lives in her foundation
today.

As for the future, Dr. Patterson and the Gorilla Foundation would love to get Koko to an ape
preserve in Maui, but they are having trouble securing the land. So unless you have a few
million dollars to spare, Koko's going to be spending her time in Woodland, California with

37
Dr. Patterson. Koko probably doesn't mind that. If she moved to Hawaii, she'd have to give
up her Facebook page and Twitter feed, and she's got like 50 thousand "likes." Some may
deny that she knows sign language, but nobody says that she doesn't know social
networking.

1. Which best expresses the main idea of this article?

a. Bees, whales, and apes like Koko all use language to communicate.
b. Koko uses sign language but some think it's just a trick.
c. It is natural for gorillas and house cats to live together.
d. If you want a lot of "likes" on Facebook, get a talking gorilla.

2. Which best describes how the second paragraph is organized?

a. Chronological order
b. Cause and effect
c. Compare and contrast
d. Problem and solution

3. Which best expresses the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. The author is describing the environment in which Koko lives.
b. The author is informing readers how Dr. Patterson developed her skills.
c. The author is persuading readers that Koko should be freed.
d. The author is telling readers about Koko and Dr. Patterson's background.

4. Which happened last?

a. Koko got a stuffed cat for Christmas.
b. Koko lost All Ball.
c. Koko began living with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Dr. Patterson began teaching Koko to sign.

5. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. Koko has mastered sign language without a doubt.
b. Everybody likes how Dr. Patterson has raised Koko.
c. Koko doesn't really know sign language.
d. Some people are troubled by how Koko was raised.

6. Which best defines the word duplicated as it is used in the sixth paragraph?
a. To dispute a fact or disagree with someone
b. To lie to someone or to fool them
c. To copy or recreate something
d. To be disproven through debate

7. Which event happened first?

a. Koko moved onto the Stanford University campus.
b. Koko picked All Ball out for her birthday.
c. Koko began living with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Koko got a stuffed cat for Christmas.

38
8. Which best describes the main idea of the sixth paragraph?
a. Dr. Patterson has treated Koko very cruelly.
b. Dr. Patterson and Koko have a beautiful, pure, and unconflicted relationship.
c. Some people think that Koko should not have been treated like a human.
d. Some people are working very hard to prove that Dr. Patterson is wrong.

9. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?

a. Dr. Patterson has worked hard to teach Koko sign language.
b. Some people think that Koko only signs to get food.
c. The Gorilla Foundation would like to move Koko to an ape preserve.
d. Dr. Patterson has no regrets about working with Koko.

10. If a book were being written about Koko and All Ball, which title would best
summarize their story?
a. Long Wanted, Short Lived: A Tale of Strong Loves Lost
b. Happy Ending: The Gorilla Who Got What She Wanted
c. A Tale of Two Kitties: A Stuffed Cat Versus a Real One
d. Plushy Love: How A Gorilla Fell in Love with a Stuffed Cat

Long Response Questions

1. Does Koko really understand sign language? Support your position with quotes from the
text. Explain your quotes clearly. Argue your point thoroughly.

2. What lesson can readers learn from this text? Use evidence from the text to support your
position. Explain what your evidence shows.

3. Make an inference. Describe how Dr. Patterson feels about her relationship with Koko.
Use evidence from the text to support your response. Explain your evidence clearly.

4.​ Nonfiction Reading: Tigers

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

39
Who would win in a fight, a lion or a tiger? Well, if size has anything to do with the matter, the
tiger would win. That’s because tigers are the largest of all cat species. They grow up to
eleven feet long and weigh as much as 670 lbs. This makes tigers the third largest land
carnivore. The only larger land carnivores are polar bears and brown bears. Tigers are not
only large, they are also fast. They can sprint as fast as 40 miles per hour for short distances
and leap as far as 30 feet horizontally. This makes for an extremely dangerous pounce. You
might not think that such large, fast, and ferocious creatures need help to survive, but they
do. The tiger is an endangered species.

Despite all of the tiger’s strengths, the future of the species is uncertain. Tigers face a very
high risk of extinction. It is estimated that at the start of the 20th century, there were over
100,000 tigers living in the wild. By the turn of the century, the number of tigers outside of
captivity dwindled to just over 3,000. Interestingly, the most serious threats that tigers face
come from a much smaller species, one with an average weight of around 140 lbs. That
species is Homo sapiens, better known as humans. Humans threaten tigers in primarily two
ways: hunting and destroying habitat.

Tigers are hunted for many reasons. People have long valued the famous striped skins.
Though trading tiger skins is now illegal in most parts of the world, tiger pelts are worth
around $10,000 on the black-market. Though the fur would be incentive enough for most
poachers, other parts of the tiger can also fetch a pretty penny. Some people in China and
other Asian cultures believe that various tiger parts have healing properties. Traditional
Chinese medicine calls for the use of tiger bones, amongst other parts, in some
prescriptions.

Tigers have also been hunted as game. In other words people hunted tigers solely for the
thrill and achievement of killing them. Such killings took place in large scale during the 19th
and early 20th centuries, when a single maharaja or English hunter might claim to kill over a
hundred tigers in their hunting career. Though this practice is much less popular today than it
was in the past, it has not ceased entirely.

Though the tiger population faces many threats and obstacles to recovery, there have been
some successes in conservation and preservation efforts. For example, Save China’s Tigers,
an organization working to restore the wild tiger population, successfully rewilded a small
number of South China tigers. These tigers were born into concrete cages from parents who
were also captive and unable to sustain in the wild.

Humans have done considerable damage to the world’s tiger population through hunting, but
perhaps more damage has been caused through the destruction of habitat. Tigers once
ranged widely across Asia, all the way from Turkey to the eastern coast of Russia. But over
the past 100 years, tigers have lost 93% of their historic range. Instead of spanning all the
way across Asia, the tiger population is now isolated in small pockets in south and
southeastern Asia. This is because humans have drastically changed the environment.
Humans have built towns and cities. Road and transit systems were created to connect
these towns and cities. To feed the people living in these areas, forests and fields have been
cleared to create farmland. Large tracts of land have been stripmined to yield metals and

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other materials used in manufacturing. All of these activities have consumed habitats that at
one time supported tigers.

A major obstacle to preserving tigers is the enormous amount of territory that each tiger
requires. Each wild tiger demands between 200 and 300 square miles. Tigers are also both
territorial and solitary animals. This means that they are protective of the areas that they
claim and they generally do not share with other tigers. Because tigers need so much
territory, it is difficult for conservationists to acquire land enough to support a large population
of tigers. Even when such considerable spaces are allocated, it is even more difficult to
patrol such large areas to prevent poaching. There is no easy way to preserve the wild tiger
population without making large sacrifices.

This organization brought these tigers to South Africa and helped them learn the necessary
skills for a predator to survive in the wild. Current evidence indicates that the project was
been successful. While this is just a small step, it shows that restoring the world’s tiger
population is possible.

1. Which of the following is not a reason in the article explaining why tigers are
hunted?
a. Because tiger skins are worth a lot of money
b. Because tiger parts are used as medicines in some cultures
c. Because some tigers attack local villages
d. Because tigers are hunted for enjoyment by some people

2. Which animal does not grow larger than the tiger?

a. Brown bear
b. Lion
c. Polar bear
d. All of these animals grow larger than a tiger

3. Which number is closest to the estimation of the wild Tiger population in 2003?
a. 3,000
b. 100,000
c. 140
d. 30,000

4. Which of the following best describes the author’s main purpose in writing this
article?
a. To provide readers with interesting information about the lifestyles of tigers
b. To persuade readers to help the world’s tiger population and to offer ways to help
c. To entertain readers with stories about how tigers hunt and are hunted
d. To explain to readers why the world’s tiger population is endangered

5. Information in the third paragraph is mainly organized using which text structure?
a. Cause and effect
b. Compare and contrast

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c. Chronological order
d. Spatial order

6. Which best explains why tigers have lost so much of their habitat according to the
text?
a. Because humans are afraid of tigers
b. Because tiger skins are extremely valuable
c. Because humans have changed the land
d. Because tigers need so much space to survive

7. Based on information in the text, which best explains why tigers are poached?
a. Poachers hunt tigers to protect their families from dangerous animals.
b. Poachers hunt tigers for medicine to cure sick family members.
c. Poachers hunt tigers because they enjoy killing dangerous animals.
d. Poachers hunt tigers to earn large amounts of money.

8. Which best explains why it is so difficult to preserve the wild tiger population?
a. Tigers do not get along with most other animals.
b. Tigers must make their homes close to rivers and the world’s rivers are evaporating.
c. Tigers require a lot of space.
d. Tigers hunt in large packs and there are too few tigers left to make these packs.

9. Which of the following is an opinion?

a. Tigers can grow up to eleven feet long.
b. Saving the wild tiger population is important.
c. South China tigers were brought to live in South Africa.
d. Humans have endangered the world’s wild tiger population.

10. Based on context, which best defines the term “rewilded” as used in the last
paragraph?
a. To preserve animals by keeping them in zoos
b. To teach animals to coexist with humans
c. To teach humans to coexist with animals
d. To bring animals born in zoos back to nature

11. What does this idiom mean: “other parts of the tiger can also fetch a pretty
penny”?
a. The fur is the only valuable part of the tiger.
b. Other parts of the tiger are worth a lot of money.
c. The tiger is a very beautiful animal.
d. Tigers can be trained to do tricks like in the circus.

12. Which of the following could be best supported by information from the text?
a. Efforts to save tigers have had some success, but there are many obstacles to recovery.
b. Efforts to save tigers have failed in the past, but there is reason to continue trying.

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c. Efforts to save tigers have been so successful that they saved tigers from endangerment.
d. Efforts to save tigers have failed completely.

5.​ Nonfiction Reading: Garbage

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

Garbage cans are not magical portals. Trash does not disappear when you toss it in a can.
Yet, the average American throws away an estimated 1,600 pounds of waste each year. If
there are no magic garbage fairies, where does all that trash go? There are four methods to
managing waste: recycling, landfilling, composting, and incinerating. Each method has its
strengths and weaknesses. Let's take a quick look at each.

Recycling is the process of turning waste into new materials. For example, used paper can
be turned into paperboard, which can be used to make book covers. Recycling can reduce
pollution, save materials, and lower energy use. Yet, some argue that recycling wastes
energy. They believe that collecting, processing, and converting waste uses more energy
than it saves. Still, most people agree that recycling is better for the planet than landfilling.

Landfilling is the oldest method of managing waste. In its simplest form, landfilling is when
people bury garbage in a hole. Over time the practice of landfilling has advanced. Garbage
is compacted before it is thrown into the hole. In this way more garbage can fit in each
landfill. Large liners are placed in the bottom of landfills so that toxic garbage juice doesn't
get into the ground water. Sadly, these liners don't always work. Landfills may pollute the
local water supply. Not to mention that all of that garbage stinks. Nobody wants to live next
to a landfill. This makes it hard to find new locations for landfills.

As landfill space increases, interest in composting grows. Compositing is when people pile
up organic matter, such as food waste, and allow it to decompose. The product of this
decomposition is compost. Compost can be added to the soil to make the soil richer and
better for growing crops. While composting is easy to do onsite somewhere, like home or
school, it's hard to do after the garbage gets all mixed up. This is because plastic and other
inorganic materials must be removed from the compost pile or they will pollute the soil.
There's a lot of plastic in garbage, which makes it hard to compost on a large scale.

One thing that is easier to do is burning garbage. There are two main ways to incinerate
waste. The first is to create or harvest a fuel from the waste, such as methane gas, and burn
the fuel. The second is to burn the waste directly. The heat from the incineration process can
boil water, which can power steam generators. Unfortunately, burning garbage pollutes the
air. Also, some critics worry that incinerators destroy valuable resources that could be
recycled.

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Usually, the community in which you live manages waste. Once you put your garbage in that
can, what happens to it is beyond your control. But you can make choices while it is still in
your possession. You can choose to recycle, you can choose to compost, or you can choose
to let someone else deal with it. The choice is yours.

1. Which best explains why the author begins the text by talking about magical
garbage fairies?
a. He is putting a common misconception to rest.
b. He is trying to get the reader's attention.
c. He is addressing his concern in a serious way.
d. He is supporting his argument with evidence.

2. Which best defines the meaning of incineration as it is used in the text?

a. To bury waste materials in a large hole
b. To allow waste products to decompose and become fertilizer
c. To burn waste materials and harvest the energy
d. To turn waste materials into products like book covers

3. Which was not cited in the third paragraph as an issue with landfilling?
a. Landfills are smelly.
b. Usable materials are wasted in landfills.
c. Landfills may pollute the water supply.
d. It is difficult to find locations for landfills.

4. Which conclusion could best be supported with text from the passage?
a. Each method of waste management has its drawbacks.
b. Recycling is without a doubt the best way to handle waste.
c. Incineration is the best way to process waste.
d. All large cities should create massive compost piles.

5. Which best expresses the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

a. Landfills take up a lot of space.
b. Composting is good for the soil but it can be hard to do.
c. The process of composting is very complicated and scientific.
d. There is a lot of plastic garbage in landfills.

6. Which best expresses the meaning of the word compacted as it is used in the third
paragraph?
a. Garbage is burned before it is thrown in a hole.
b. Garbage is put in trucks before it is thrown in a hole.
c. Garbage is crushed smaller before it is thrown in a hole.
d. Garbage is put in a can before it is thrown in a hole.

7. Which best expresses the author's main purpose in writing this?

a. To convince readers to recycle and compost
b. To persuade readers that recycling is a waste of resources

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c. To compare and contrast recycling and landfilling
d. To inform readers of methods of waste management

8. Which is not included in this text?

a. A description of how trash is collected
b. A description of the uses of compost
c. A description of the two methods of incinerating trash
d. A description of how landfills have advanced over time

9. Which best explains why composting is not feasible on a large scale?

a. People wouldn't want to touch all of that gross rotting food.
b. It would smell too bad in densely populated cities.
c. It would attract rodents that would spread disease.
d. Plastic would get into the compost and turn it into a pollutant.

10. Which title best expresses the main idea of this text?
a. The Magic of Recycling: Bringing Back What Was Once Lost
b. Methods of Waste Management: Pros and Cons
c. Recycling, Landfilling, or Composting: Which is Best For You?
d. Do Your Part: How to Save the Earth by Recycling and Composting

Long Response Questions

1. Which two methods of waste management do you believe are best for society? Support
your argument with text.

2. Which two methods of waste management do you believe are worst for society? Refer to
the text in your argument.

3. Summarize the article. Be sure to cover the pros and cons of the four methods of waste
management.

6.​ Nonfiction Reading: Honey Badgers

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to
check your answers when appropriate.

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What's fiercer than a lion but smaller than a beagle? The honey badger, one of the toughest
mammals in Africa and western Asia. Honey badgers stand less than a foot high. They are
only a couple feet long. They weigh just over 20 pounds. Yet they have a reputation for
toughness that is far greater than their size. Some honey badgers will chase away lions and
take their kills. I guess that goes to show you that size isn't the only thing that matters in a
fight.

So what makes the honey badger so tough? They have speed, stamina, and agility, but so
do many animals. They aren't stronger than lions, so how do they stop them? The thing that
sets the honey badger apart is their skin. Their skin is thick and tough. Arrows, spears, and
bites from other animals can rarely pierce it. Small bullets can't even penetrate it. Not only is
their skin thick and tough, it is also loose. This allows them to twist and turn to attack while
another animal is gripping them. The only safe grip one can get on a honey badger is on the
back of their necks.

Honey badgers have long, sharp claws. These claws are good for attacking and even better
for digging. Honey badgers are some of nature's most skilled diggers. They can dig a
nine-foot tunnel into hard ground in about 10 minutes. They love to catch a meal by digging
up the burrows of frogs, rodents, and cobras. They also use their digging skills to create their
homes. They live in small chambers in the ground and defend them fiercely. They will attack
horses, cows, and even water buffalo if they are foolish enough to poke around a honey
badger's den.

You don't get a reputation like the honey badger by running from danger. The honey badger
is fearless and a tireless fighter. They will attack any creature that threatens them, man
included. Because of the honey badger's reputation, most predators avoid them. Some
animals use the honey badger's rep to their advantage. Adult cheetahs have spotted coats,
but their kittens have silver manes and look like honey badgers. Some scientists believe that
their coloring tricks predators into avoiding them. Wouldn't you walk the other way if you saw
a honey badger?

You might be wondering: "If honey badgers are so tough, how did they get a name that
makes them sound like a piece of candy?" The answer makes sense. Since honey badgers
have such thick skin, bee stings rarely harm them. So honey badgers love to raid beehives. I
can't blame them. Who doesn't like free honey? Honey badgers chase after honey
aggressively. So much so that beekeepers in Africa have to use electric fencing to hold them
back. There's nothing sweet about that.

Beekeepers aren't the only people who have grown to hate honey badgers. Honey badgers
may be fun to read about, but they are nasty neighbors. They attack chickens, livestock, and
some say children, though they usually leave people alone. But if a honey badger moves in
your backyard, there's not a whole lot that you can do about it. I mean, are you going to go
and tangle with an animal that eats the bones of its prey? An animal with teeth strong
enough to crunch through turtle shells? An animal that never tires, gives up, or backs down?
Yeah, I wouldn't either...

1. Which best expresses the main idea of the third paragraph?

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a. Honey badgers have sharp claws that they use for fighting.
b. Honey badgers digging skills assist them in many ways.
c. Honey badgers use their claws to defend their homes.
d. Honey badgers will defend their homes to the death against any animal.

2. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. What makes the honey badger so tough is their speed and strength.
b. Honey badgers are large in size and tireless in fighting spirit.
c. What makes honey badgers so tough is their thick, loose skin.
d. Honey badgers got their name from the sweet taste of their meat.

3. Which best defines the meaning of the word burrows as it is used in the third
paragraph?
a. Lily pads or other seaweeds in which animals hide
b. Holes or tunnels in which animals live
c. A nest or animal dwelling in a tree or bush
d. A water supply where small animals come to drink

4. Which best expresses the main idea of the last paragraph?

a. Honey badgers are a nuisance to the neighborhood.
b. Beekeepers and honey badgers do not get along well.
c. Honey badgers have very strong jaws and teeth.
d. Honey badgers eat chicken and livestock.

5. Which best describes one of the author's main purposes in writing this text?
a. To persuade readers to join the efforts to protect honey badgers
b. To compare and contrast honey badgers with beagles and lions
c. To describe how honey badgers select their partners
d. To explain why honey badgers are so tough

6. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?

a. Honey badgers like to raid beehives to eat honey.
b. Honey badgers are not the biggest animals, but they may be the toughest.
c. Honey badgers disguise their young to look like cheetah kittens.
d. Honey badgers are not afraid to fight with humans.

7. Which person is most likely to be disturbed by a honey badger moving in next

door?
a. A beekeeper
b. A biologist
c. A bus driver
d. A salesman

8. Which animal is the honey badger afraid to attack?

a. Lion
b. Water buffalo
c. Poisonous snake
d. None of these

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9. Which is not one of the honey badger's strengths?
a. Thick skin
b. Powerful jaws and strong teeth
c. Poisonous claws
d. Tireless fighting spirit

10. Which title best expresses the main idea of this text?
a. Battle on the Savannah: Honey Badgers Vs. Lions
b. Little Badger, Big Fight: One of Nature's Toughest Scrappers
c. Ace in the Hole: How Honey Badgers Build and Protect Their Homes
d. Little Game: Interesting Animals That Live in Africa

Long Response Questions

1. How do cheetah kittens' silver manes help them to survive? Quote evidence from the text
to support your response and explain your answer completely.

2. What would be the safest thing to do if you encountered a honey badger? Cite evidence
from the text to support your argument.

3. What is the honey badger's greatest asset or quality? Quote evidence from the text to
support your response and explain what the text that you are quoting shows.

WRITING EXERCISES

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 1.​ A Surprising Find

Write a short story of about 150 – 200 words beginning with the following sentence:

While I was walking down along the road the other day, I happened to notice a small brown
leather purse on the pavement.

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 2.​ Reality Shows Are A Waste Of Time

You have just seen this posting on an online forum.

I cannot think of a better way to waste one's time than watching a reality show! Being glued
to the TV for hours watching other people’s lives makes me sick. I would rather do
something else, like read a good book or watch a movie. I’m not interested in what other
people are doing all day long!

You have decided to write your own posting of about 150 words. Include the following
points:
• characteristics of reality shows
• reasons why they are popular among viewers
• reasons why you like / don't like to watch them

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 3.​ Are Facebook Friends Real Friends?

You have just seen this posting on an online forum.

Everyone brags about how many friends they have on Facebook. But they don't realize that
these are not real friends.
How many people can you really stay in touch with? – 10? – 100? – 500? Some people say
they have 1,000 friends! – They can't be serious …

You have decided to write a comment of about 150 words. Include the following
points:
• the differences between "real friends" and friends on Facebook
• the number of people you would consider as friends

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 4.​ Coping With Stress

You have just read this blog post about stress.

Dealing with Stress

March 3, 2020
by JLoe25

Our national health organisation has just released a report that I found rather shocking. It
stated that over 65% of all teenagers in this country experience some form of stress. The
report also gave reasons for the high stress level and made a few suggestions on how to
manage stress. How do you feel about it? I would be grateful to hear your views.

You have decided to comment on the blog post (about 250 words). In your comment
you should
• write about the different types of stress that teenagers of your age might experience.
• describe the positive and negative effects of stress on young people.
• suggest ways of coping with stress.

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 5.​ Coping With Stress (Part 2)

This is part of an email from Alex, an English friend of yours:

Please help me !
I'm finding life really stressful at the moment . Schoolwork , friends, family – everything is
stressing me out.
Have you got any advice?

Write back to Alex. In your email (about 200 words) you should • describe a time when
you felt really stressed
• say what you did to make things less stressful
• offer Alex some advice

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 6.​ Summer Camp Volunteers

You have just seen the following advertisement on a website for teenage volunteers.

Summer Camp Volunteers

We are looking for young, enthusiastic volunteers to look after children from poor families in
the summer holidays. You do not need any special skills, but you must be hard working and
speak good English. You should enjoy sports, outdoor activities like hiking, or swimming, or
indoor activities such as board games, music and reading stories. If you are interested
please apply to office@uksummercamps.org .

You decide to apply for the job. Write an email of about 150 – 200 words saying
• why you want the job
• what special qualities make you the right person for the job
• what you expect to profit for your future

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 7.​ Supporting Line

You are a staff in a supporting line who gives advice to problems young people have.

Last year my mum and dad divorced, and now she's seeing another man. Whenever he's at
our house they don't take notice of me at all. Sometimes I get the feeling that mum doesn't
care about me anymore.

When we all go for a walk together, they always walk in front with their arms around each
other and never look back to me.

I feel so alone and left out. What can I do?

Read Brianna's email and write back giving advice on what she should do.

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