Lesson 7

Grammar Errors

The following text has ONE error of grammar. There are no punctuation mistakes. Find the mistake
on each numbered line and write the correct answer in the space provided.

My boyfriend's name is Francis. He's 22 years old but he's

1 quite mature by his age. He works in a bank for 3 years.

2 Our relationship has begun two years ago and now I know

3 him very well, but I must be frank, at first, I am only

4 interested in his looked. He has short black hair and brown

5 eyes. He isn't very tall but he is more tall than me. I don't

6 think he was particularly good-looking, but he has something

7 that make him a special person to me.

8 He had a very complex character. He is kind and always listens

9 to my problems but he gets angry very quickly, especially in

10 his parents. This is because he has a stressing job and he is

11 always tired. He’s generous to everyone he know but sometime

12 he’s too generous and his friends takes advantage of him.

13 The worse thing about Francis is his jealousy. If I look at

14 another man he goes mad. He would like to marry me but I

15 say to him that I’ll only marry he if he learns to trust me.

Reading comprehension

David Blaine White was born on 4th April, 1973. He has grown to become an American
illusionist, endurance artist and extreme performer. He is best known for his high-profile feats of
endurance. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Blaine’s lifelong interest in magic was sparked at
the age of four when he saw a magician performing magic in the subway. When he performs, he has
made a slight change in the way magic is shown on television. What he has done is giving the focus
onto the reactions of the spectators instead of the performer. He would try new feats to be screened
live in front of his audiences as to provide them unforgettable experience that can be both shocking
and fascinating.

Blaine’s first television special, David Blaine: Street Magic was aired on May 19, 1997 on NBC.
He might have started the magic with performing cards but later, appeared with the death defying
acts in his shows. His first stunt was “Buried Alive,” where he was entombed in a plastic box placed
underground, beneath a three-ton water tank for seven days with no food or little water. Blaine has
performed many other stunts and series of jaw-dropping magic effects. Among which are stunts
called, Frozen in Time, Vertigo, Dive of Death and Drowned Alive.

David began on his first Live tour, travelling and entertaining unsuspecting pedestrians
throughout the country. In one of the shows, “Beyond Magic,” telecast on a TV channel, David Blaine
could be seen on video nearly killing himself as he shoots a bullet into his own throat during a stunt
that has gone wrong. Despite the incident, Blaine said that he has been performing that trick since
2010.

Blaine may not be the richest magician in the world but he has his share in contributing to
charity. For example, at one of his shows for charity on January 15, 2020, Blaine performed “Magic
for Haiti”, a performance lasting 72 hours which raised almost USD100,000. The fund was meant for
Haiti earthquake relief centre. He also donated two $1 Million Tesla Coils for charity after performing
a massive electricity stunt.

Ever wonder how Blaine is able to perform all those stunts? Most probably there will be no one
who are willing to do them except for Blaine himself.

Answer the questions that follow.

1 What kind of feats that David Blaine performs?

2 When did Blaine begin to have interest in magic?

3 How is his magic different from other performers?

4 Where was he placed in the performance “Buried Alive”?

5 In which stunt did Blaine’s performance go awry?

6 Why does he perform “Magic for Haiti”?

7 Do you think you can be a magician? Give a reason.

Complete the table below with a word from the text.

Meaning Word
8 Extreme or very strange and therefore impossible to believe

9 To bury someone or something

10 A person who performs tricks that deceive the eye

Vocabulary
Match the words to the correct prefixes.
specific arrange heat engage

fiction understand interpret gain

appropriate match continue comfort

lodge build believer stick

dis- re- mis- non-

The following verbs can be paired with the different prepositions given. Complete the table.
listen recover object rescue

believe protect depend prevent

apologise congratulate confide concentrate

specialise refer involve base

in on to from

4
Writing

You received a letter from your friend who was once your neighbour, inviting you to her brother’s
wedding. Write a reply of acceptance or refusal to her invitation.

Hello Kelly,

It’s been some time since we wrote to each other. How are things? I’m well and so is my family.
Mother sends her love.

It’s a great relief that the final exam was just over last week. I had a hectic schedule
before the exam because I had to practice for the district chess competition and also doing my
revisions. I also missed a number of classes when I went out for the competition at the school
level. Although I did not win, I gained experience as well as making some new friends from other
schools.

Anyway, I’m writing to invite you to my house during the December school holidays.
Remember, Alif, my elder brother? He’s getting married to a girl from Melaka. The ceremony at
the bride’s house will be on 2nd December, whereas ours will be held on the 9th. If you can
come a week earlier, you can join us to go to Melaka. I’m sure you and I will have a great time
together. Your family is also invited as Mother will send the invitation card soon.

I think I’ll stop writing for now. Just hope that you can have the time to attend the wedding
so we can meet again. Looking forward to hearing from you, soon. Goodbye.

Your friend,

Azura