EXERCISES

I. Fill in the blank with a suitable word to complete the following passage.
Freddy liked to go to the countryside to draw animals and plants. One day, while (1) .................... across
a field, looking for rabbits to draw, he was so lost in thought that he did not (2) .................... a bull running
towards him. About a hundred meters (3) .................... was a tree which he usually sat to draw. Suddenly, he
heard a (4) .................... noise behind him. It was the bull! He knew that a bull could run much
(5) .................... than a man, but he also knew that a bull could not see very (6) .................... and noticed only
shape and movement. To distract the bull, he threw his bag away (7) ....................him. The bull saw the
sudden movement and headed for the bag. (9) ....................the bull was satisfied and had gone away, he got
down from the tree and ran (10) .................... fast as he could. Everything in the bag was completely ruined.

II. Find two words that don’t belong to the root in capitals.
Ex: SCHOOL: A. pupil B. farm C. doctor D. teacher
Answer: B, C.

1. COUNTRYSIDE: A. field B. mountain C. university D. street

2. CITY: A. cow B. supermarket C. university D. crop
3. VILLAGE: A. airport B. bamboo C. theatre D. pond
4. CATTLE: A. bull B. pig C. buffalo D. chicken
5. PLANT: A. maize B. hamburger C. forest D. rice

III. Combine the sentences below, using the words in brackets.

1. The movie was boring. We went home before it finished. (so)
........................................................................................................................................................................
2. Mai opened the door. Mai greeted the guests.
(and) .......................................................................................................................................................................
.
3. We started the trip very early. We reached the village before noon. (so that)
........................................................................................................................................................................
4. Liz saw some wild ducks. Liz was resting under a tree.
(while) ....................................................................................................................................................................
....
5. Hoa is very sick. She can’t sit up.
(so...that) ................................................................................................................................................................
........
6. Ba felt tired and hungry. Lan felt tired and hungry.
(so) ........................................................................................................................................................................
7. We enjoyed the fresh air in the countryside. We enjoyed the food there.
(both) ......................................................................................................................................................................
..
8. The water is very cold. We can’t swim in it.
(too) ........................................................................................................................................................................
9. Peter didn’t have money to buy a bus ticket. He had to walk home.
(so) ........................................................................................................................................................................
10. Mr. Parker feeds the chickens. He collects their eggs. (not only...but
also) ........................................................................................................................................................................

IV. Complete the sentences below. Use the prepositions in the box.
 after at between by during
for in on since until

1. Mr.Thanh isn’t here at the moment. He’ll be back ..................... a few minutes.
2. We were at the seaside ..................... two weeks.
3. I haven’t seen Liz ..................... Monday.
4. Mrs. Nhung has gone away. She’s been away ..................... Friday.
5. Where’s Trang? She should be here..................... now.
6. There are usually a lot of parties .....................New Year’s Eve.
7. Can I meet you ..................... 8am and 9 am?
8. We met a lot of people ..................... our holiday.
9. Ten o’clock is a bit early. We should come ..................... that.
10. They don’t like traveling ..................... night.

V. Write sentences with “wish”

Ex: I’m not at home now.
I wish I were at home now.
1. Our classroom doesn’t have any windows.
........................................................................................................................................................................
2. The sun isn’t shining right now.
........................................................................................................................................................................
3. The teacher is going to give us an exam tomorrow.
........................................................................................................................................................................
4. Lan doesn’t know how to make a cake.
........................................................................................................................................................................
5. We live in a small flat in the city.
........................................................................................................................................................................
6. Please don’t say things like
that. ........................................................................................................................................................................
7. I can’t go with you to the countryside next
weekend. ................................................................................................................................................................
........
8. Nam is too young to ride a
motorbike. ..............................................................................................................................................................
..........
9. My aunt and her children are not coming to dinner with us
tonight. ...................................................................................................................................................................
.....
10. You are always forgetting your homework.
........................................................................................................................................................................

VI. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
The tiny village of Frinley is said to possess a “cursed tree”. Because the tree was mentioned in a
newspaper, the number of visitors to Frinley has now increased. The tree was planted near a church fifty years
ago, but it is only in recent years that it has gained an evil reputation. It is said that if anyone touched the tree,
he will have bad luck; if he picks a leaf, he will die. Many villagers believe that the tree has already claimed a
number of victims. The vicar has been asked to have the tree cut down, but so far he has refused. He has
pointed down that the tree is a useful source of income as tourists have come from all parts of the country to
see it. In spite of all that has been said, the tourists have picked leaves and cut their names on the tree-trunk.
So far, not one of them has been truck down by sudden death!
1. Where and when was the tree planted?
........................................................................................................................................................................
2. What has the tree got in recent years?
........................................................................................................................................................................
3. What will happen to a man if he touches the tree?
........................................................................................................................................................................
4. Why is the tree a useful source of income?
........................................................................................................................................................................
5. Are the visitors afraid of what has been said about the tree?
........................................................................................................................................................................\
VII. Choose the best answer for each of the following sentences.
1. We .............. the nearest village before sunset.
A . came B. arrived C. went D. reached
2. If only I .............. in the countryside right now.
A. were B. am C. can be D. would be
3. He used to .............. his living by delivering vegetables to city hotels.
A. earn B. gain C. get D. make
4. I knew him .............. I was a child.
A. until B. when C. as D. during
5. We’ll play tennis and .............. we’ll have lunch.
A. so B. so that C. then D. after

VIII. Match each question in column A with its correct answer in column B.

Column A Column B
1. How far is it from here to your home village? a. Plant rice and rise cattle.
2. How do you get home? b. Twelve kilometers.
3. How often do you get home? c. To the north of the capital.
4. Where is your home village? d. Pottery and some kinds of cakes.
5. How long does it take to get there? e. Very friendly and hospitable.
6. How long is it since you last return to your village? f. I cycle.
7. When did you last come back to your village? g. About two weeks.
8. What’s your home village famous for? h. At least twice a month.
9. What do people there do for living? i. Two weeks ago.
10. How are the people in your village? j. Nearly an hour by bike.

IX. Use the words given and other words to complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first. Do not change the word given. (Use 2 – 5 words in total).
Ex: Whose bag is this?
belong Who does this bag belong to?
1. I’m sorry I can’t speak English perfectly.
wish I ........................................................................English perfectly.
2. Walking among the green trees gave Liz pleasure.
enjoyed Liz ................................................................green trees.
3. Peter is fourteen years old. Van is fourteen years old.
age Peter ...........................................................Van.
4. Mai began singing when she was eleven.
able Mai has ..........................................................she was eleven.
5. It’s a pity the weather isn’t better today.
ony If ................................................................better today.

X. Put the words in order to make meaningful sentences.

1. wanted/ clearly/ the front line/ the President/ we/so/ to see/stood/ in/ we.
........................................................................................................................................................................
2. holiday/ she/ in/ wishes/ Nha Trang/ spend/ next summer/ her/ Liz/ could.
........................................................................................................................................................................
3. return/ twice/ they/ home/ least/ a month/ town/ to/ usually/ at/ their.
........................................................................................................................................................................
4. started/ after/ pleasant/ the countryside/ home/ day/ a/ to go/ in/ they/ having.
........................................................................................................................................................................
5. people/ mountain resorts/ some rest/ hard-working/ many/ go to/ to have/ a/ after/ week.
........................................................................................................................................................................
6. the capital/ 80 kilometers/ home village/ about/ the north-east/ is/ of/ to/ my.
........................................................................................................................................................................
7. hours/ boat/ got/ main/ after/ traveling/ to/ island/ there/ by/ the/ we.
........................................................................................................................................................................
8. some minutes/ a tree/ tired/ the man/ and/ he/ and/ for/ felt/ hungry/ so/ slept/ under/ sat down.
........................................................................................................................................................................
9. stay/ until/ September/ uncle/ with/ the end/ my/ will/ of/ us.
........................................................................................................................................................................
10. learned/ a lot/ people/ arrived/ Tom/ about/ since/ Vietnamese/ has/ he/ here.
........................................................................................................................................................................

ANSWER KEY
I. Fill in the blank with a suitable word to complete the following passage.
1. walking; 2. see; 3. away; 4. loud; 5. faster; 6. well; 7. from; 8. up; 9. When; 10.as

II. Find two words that don’t belong to the root in capitals.
1. C,D; 2. A,D; 3. A, C; 4. B, D; 5. B, C

III. Combine the sentences below, using the words in brackets.

1. The movie was boring, so we went home before it finished.
2. Mai opened the door and greeted the guests.
3. We started the trip very early so that we reached/could reach the village before noon.
4. Liz saw some wild ducks while she was resting under a tree.
5. Hoa is so sick that she can’t sit up.
6. Ba felt tired and hungry, and so did Lan.
7. We enjoyed both the fresh air and the food in the country.
8. The water is too cold for us to swim in.
9. Peter didn’t have money to buy a bus ticket, so he had to walk home.
10. Mr. Parker not only feeds the chickens but also collects their eggs.

IV. Complete the sentences below. Use the prepositions in the box.
1. in; 2. for; 3. since; 4. until; 5.by; 6. on; 7. between; 8. during; 9. after; 10. at.

V. Write sentences with “wish”

1. I wish our classroom had some windows.
2. I wish the sun were shining right now.
3. I wish the teacher weren’t going to give us an exam tomorrow.
4. Lan wishes she knew how to make a cake.
5. I wish we didn’t live in a small flat in the city./ I wish I lived in a big house in the city (in the countryside).
6. I wish you didn’t say things like that.
7. I wish I could go with you to the countryside next weekend.
8. Nam wishes he were old enough to ride a motorbike.
9. I wish my aunt and her children were coming to dinner with us tonight.
10. I wish you would remember your homework./ I wish you weren’t always forgetting your homework.

VI. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. It was planted near a church fifty years ago.
2. It has got and evil reputation.
3. He will have bad luck.
4. Because tourists have come from all parts of the country to see it.
5. No, they aren’t. They have picked leaves and cut their names on the tree-trunk.

VII. Choose the best answer for each of the following sentences.
1. D; 2. A; 3. A; 4. B; 5. C

VIII. Match each question in column A with its correct answer in column B.
1 – b; 2 – f; 3 – h; 4 – c; 5 – j; 6 – g; 7 – i; 8 – d; 9 – a; 10 – e.

IX. Use the words given and other words to complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first. Do not change the word given. (Use 2 – 5 words in total).
1. I wish I could speak English perfectly.
2. Liz enjoyed walking among the green trees.
3. Peter is the same age as Van.
4. Mai has been able sing since she was eleven.
5. If only the weather were better today.

X. Put the words in order to make meaningful sentences.

1. We wanted to see the President clearly, so we stood in the front line.
2. Liz wishes she could spend her holiday in Nha Trang next summer.
3. They usually return to their home town at least twice a month.
4. They started to go home after having a pleasant day in the countryside.
5. Many people go to the mountain resorts to have some rest after a hard-working week.
6. My home village is about 80 kilometers to the north-east of the capital.
7. After three hours traveling by boat, we got to the main island. (We got to the main island after three hours
traveling by boat.)
8. The man felt tired and hungry, so he sat down under a tree and slept for some minutes.
9. My uncle will stay with us until the end of September.
10. Tom has learned a lot about Vietnamese people since he arrived here.