Name/ class: Number 1

Progress check
When I set off for work this morning, my car broke down, so I ended up taking the bus. As soon as I got off, I bumped
into an old schoolmate, Mark. While we were talking, be brought up something I has already found out from some mutual
friends- that he’d come into some money and had set up his own business. He got to the point and told me that there was a
lot to sort out, and offered to take me on, but I turned him down straight away.
When I clocked in, my boss was very angry, I caught her talking about me behind my back, then she started to talk
down to me in front of everyone, she was very rude. When I got over the initial shock, after she spoke her mind, I told her
I’d make up for being late, but it turned out that she had blown up over a deal that had fallen through, after a client of
mine had pulled out of a contract. She told me that I wouldn’t get away with it, that I’d let everyone down, and just went
on and on... Eventually she lost her voice and I ran out of patience and answered back- I said I wasn’t going to put up with
it anymore, and if she wanted to lay me off, she should go ahead. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I stormed out, phoned
Mark’s secretary, who put me through to him. I told Mark I’d like to take him up on his offer. So, in the end, everything’s
worked out perfectly.
John Smith
I. A. Put the events from the story in the chronological order:
My boss was unable to speak.
My friend told me about Mark’s new business.
I could not accept his offer.
The engine didn’t start.
My client decided to step back from our firm.
“Hello? Yes, I’d like to speak with Mark please, thank you”.

B. Match the characters to the questions. (Mark, John, The secretary, The boss, Mutual friends)
- Who seems very decided at the beginning of the story but ends up in doing the opposite thing?
- Who is rich at the moment?
- Who knows more about Mark’s life?
- Who makes John feel stupid?
C. The text hides many phrasal verbs. You have to identify and match ten (1-10) of them with their correct
definition.
a. to take the place of something lost or damaged or to b. to say exactly what you think:
compensate for something bad with something good:

c. to become unable to speak: d. to accept or continue to accept an unpleasant situation or

experience, to tolerate:

e. to escape punishment: f. to come to the important part of what you’re saying:

g. to say negative things about someone when they’re not there: h. to start on a trip:

i. to talk to someone in a way that shows they think you are less j. to happen or develop in a particular way:
important or less intelligent than them:

II. A. Complete the sentence using the correct form of 'used to' and one of these verbs: do - sit – go - play - speak -
smoke - buy – have - get. Some verb can be used twice.
1. He lived in Brazil until he was seven. He ________________ Portuguese, but he's forgotten a lot of it now.
2. We ________________ smartphones, or even internet in our houses. To go online you had to go to an internet café or
library or something.
3. She ________________ but she's given up now. She's really healthy these days.
4. We ________________ together when we were children, but I don't see them much anymore.
5. You used to live on the same road as me! ________________ sweets in that shop on the corner?
B. Complete these sentences with a relative pronoun and the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Example: My brother …who is working .. (work) in Paris at the moment, is coming to visit me next week.
1. At ten to nine, …………………………………… (be) just before the exam begins, please make sure you assemble
outside the hall.
2. Shared Planet, ……………………………………. (start) in 1996 as a travel company organizing working holidays,
closed down at the beginning of January.
3. Brian and Mark, ………………………………………….. (live) opposite me, are having a big party next week.
4. I’m working here until Saturday, ……………….. I ……………….. (leave) to start a new job in Brussels.
5. The island of Barbados, ………………. my parents …………………. (spend) their honeymoon in the 1980s, is a
popular tourist destination.
C. Correct the incorrect word form in each sentence.
1. In spite of her age, Suzanne is light taller than her two older sisters.
2. I was looking through some old boxes in the garage when I made a remarkable discover that changed my life!
3. There is no scientist evidence that fast food is bad for you, and of course it tastes delicious too!
4. I’ve spent a consider amount of time on this project.
5. Employer is at all-time low. There are a lot of people without jobs at the moment.
D. Choose the best alternative to complete these sentences.
1. She’s very high/ tall for ten years old.
2. Are you really going out wearing that thin/ narrow shirt? You’ll freeze to death!
3. The ceiling in my living room is so low/ short that I can’t stand up properly in it.
4. What’s the height/ length of Mount Everest?
5. He’s an extremely deep/ shallow person. He has no strength of character, and he never has an opinion on
anything.
III. Michael has a problem. He is bullied at school. Write him back by giving him advice or criticism,
using should, shouldn’t, ought to, really must or it’s a good idea.
“Dear friend,
I am writing to you regarding this problem. I'm constantly bullied at school by one of my colleagues. What should I do?
Can you give me a piece of advice?”