An interview with Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is an English teacher. She (1)________ (work) in a language school in London. She (2)_________ (teach) English since she (3)________(leave) university five years ago. I asked her first if she (4)______ (enjoy) teaching English.

‘Yes, I do,’ she replied. 'It's hard work, but it's very rewarding.'

‘(5)______ you ever _______ (work) abroad?'

‘Yes,’ replied Sarah, 'I (6)_______ (spend) two years in Madrid. But the school soon closed and I (7)_____ (make) redundant. Luckily, some of my students asked me if I (8)_______ (continue) to teach them privately, so I stayed in Madrid.

‘And how long (9)________ you _______ (teach) in London?' I asked.

‘Since I came back from Madrid, three years ago.’

I then asked Sarah what the most memorable moment of her career was.

‘Well, a funny thing (10)______(happen) while I (11)_____(work) at the school in Madrid. I had a student called Gloria. On some days she was the best student in the class. But on other days she performed really badly. I tried very hard (12)_______ (help) her, but things got worse. Then, one day, I met Gloria in street and asked her about her boyfriend.

(The day before she (13)_______ (tell) me a sad story about him.) She looked surprised and told me that her name (14)_______ (be) Victoria, not Gloria.

She continued, "My twin sister and I (15)_______ (alternate) in your classes since September – two for the price of one!" After that it was much easier to teach them. At the beginning of each class I simply asked, “Are you Gloria or Victoria today?”

Finally I asked Sarah about her plans for the future. Well, I'm very interested in teaching young children, so next September I (16)________ (do) a special training course.'

'And are you going to stay in Britain, or would you like to work abroad again?'

'I (17)________ (promote) recently. I'm now Director of Studies. So I think I (18)_____ (stay) here for a few more years. Of course, if someone (19)_______ (offer) me a well-paid job in Italy or Greece, I (20)_________

(take) it, but that's not very likely!'

 

Exercise 2 Conditionals (6 points)

Using the prompts, write a sentence in either the first or the second conditional.

1 'Are you coming to town with me this afternoon?'

'Perhaps. If I / finish / decorating the living room, I / come / with you.'

 

2 'I haven't got any money. If I / have / some money, I / buy / you a drink.'

 

3 'I always go to Italy for my holidays. If the weather in Britain / be / better, I / take / my holidays / there.'

 

4 'I've got so much work to do!'

'I'm sorry. I have a lot of work, too. If I / have / more time, I / help / you.'

 

5 'I'm a teacher. If I / be / the Minister for Education, I / spend / more money on schools.'

 

6 'I've lost my address book.' 'If I / find it, I / bring it to you.'

 

Exercise 3 Passives (10 points)

Make these active sentences passive.

1 Do they still build ships in Scotland?

Are ___________________?

2 Do you think aliens will ever visit Earth?

Do you think Earth______________________

3 The Chinese invented printing.

Printing _____________

4 You mustn't take photographs in the museum. Photographs____________________

5 They have recently discovered oil near the Falkland Islands.

Oil________________________

6 They're planning a big celebration to mark the start of the Olympics.

A big celebration _________________

7 The police think that someone might have murdered him.

The police think he ________________

8 They didn't know the bones were human until they had carried out a number of tests.

They didn't know the bones were human until a number of tests __________________

9 In some countries they are going to make soft drugs legal.

In some countries soft drugs __________

10 If the car is fitted with an alarm, they can't steal it.

If the car is fitted with an alarm, it ________

 

Exercise 4 Modals (7 points)

Finish each sentence (b) so that it means the same as sentence (a).

Example

(a) I'm sure he's not Swedish. He has black hair and brown eyes.

(b) He can't be Swedish. He has black hair and brown eyes.

1 (a) The dog's barking. I'm sure he's hungry.

(b) The dog's barking. He must ___________

2 (a) There's no food in his bowl. I'm certain he hasn't eaten anything since this morning.

(b) There's no food in his bowl. He can't _______

3 (a) Sally hasn't got in touch with me. Perhaps she phoned while I was out.

(b) Sally hasn't got in touch with me. She could _________

4 (a) Ah, the phone's ringing. Perhaps it's Sally.

(b) Ah, the phone's ringing. It could _____

5 (a) Why did the car crash? Perhaps the driver didn't see the red light.

(b) Why did the car crash? The driver might ____

6 (a) I'm sure it was Tom I saw at the theatre last night.

(b) It must ________________________

7 (a) Why is that man standing at the side of the road? Perhaps he's trying to hitch a lift.

(b) Why is that man standing at the side of the road? He might _____________

 

Exercise 5 Time expressions (10 points)

Complete the sentences with in, at, on, ago, for, since, or nothing.

1 I left college ___1982.

2 What are you doing ___ next Thursday?

3 I like to relax ___ weekends.

4 He came to live here four years ___.

5 He'd been painting ___ many years before he sold his first picture.

6 Shakespeare was born ___ 23 April, 1564.

7 Spring begins ___ March.

8 We always eat turkey ___ Christmas.

9 ___ you left, there have been many changes.

10 I started my new job ___ last Monday.

 

Exercise 6 Reported statements and questions (5 points)

Put the direct speech into reported speech.

1 'I always play football on Saturdays.' he said.

2 'We've been waiting since six o'clock.' she said.

3 'Where did you go last night?' she asked me.

4 'Will you stay in a hotel?' I asked him.

5 'I'm looking forward to the holiday,' he said.

 

 

Exercise7 Reported commands (5 points)

Use the verbs to put the direct speech into reported speech. Not all the verbs are used.

ask beg refuse offer remind advise order invite

 

1 "Don't forget to take all your belongings with you,' said the driver to the passengers as they left the coach.

As the passengers left the coach, the driver _____________________________

2 If I were you. I wouldn't visit the Bronx,' said the travel agent to the young couple.

The travel agent ___________________________________________________

3 'Would you like to stay at my house?' said Peter to James.

Peter ________________________________________________

4 'I won't eat my vegetables!' said Timmy.

Timmy __________________________________________________________

5 I’ll give you a lift into town,' said Ray to Mary.

Ray ____________________________________________________________

 

Exercise 8 Correct these sentences (10 points)

There is one mistake in each of the following sentences. Find it and write the corrected sentence below.

1. How long do you live in London?
2. Yesterday evening I have seen a really good film.
3. I'll phone you as soon as I'll arrive.
4. If I won a million pounds, I'll buy a Rolls Royce.
5. 1 work in this office since 1992.
6. 'I went to Canada last year.' 'So have I.'
7. If you have a headache you ought take an aspirin.

8 'What's the matter?' 'I've just been seeing a road accident.'

9 Could you tell me how much does this cost?

10 She said me that she was hungry.

 

Exercise 9 Everyday English (12 points)

What would you say in these situations?

1. Somebody telephones your house and wants to speak to your son, but he isn't at home. Tell the caller where your son is and offer to take a message.

 

2. You phone the travel agent to inquire about flights to the USA. The office is closed so you leave a message on the answer phone. Introduce yourself, say why you are phoning, ask the travel agent to call you back, leave your number, and end the call.

 

3. Your friend says she has a headache. Make helpful suggestions.

 

4. Your brother rings you and says he's just won £100,000 on the National Lottery. Suggest things he could do with the money.

 

5. You have arranged to go to the cinema with your friend. But on that day your sister has an accident and is taken to hospital. You want to visit her in the evening and have to cancel the appointment with your friend. What will you say to him?

 

6. Your friend tells you he has just failed to get a place at university, and that he has to stay at school for another year.

 

Exercise 10 Phrasal verbs (5 points)

Match a verb from A with an adverb/preposition from B to complete the sentences. Put the verbs in the correct form.

 

A	turn look bring take get
B	over up on after off

 

1. Quick! _______ the television – the film's about to start.

2. We _______ from Heathrow Airport at 1 pm and landed in Paris an hour later.

3. My grandparents were very poor. I don't know how they managed to _______ six children.

4 He found it very difficult to _______ his mother's death.

5 We can get a baby-sitter to _______ the children while we're out.

 

Exercise 11 Adjectives (5 points)

Use un-, in-, or im- to make these adjectives negative

1. tidy ______________

2. possible ______________

3. sensitive ______________

4. patient ______________

5. sociable ______________

 

Exercise 12 Compound nouns (5points)

Complete the sentences with a compound noun formed with either traffic, motor or driving.

1 Sorry I'm late. I got stuck in a _______ in the town centre for half an hour.

2 A new _______ has just been built between London and Birmingham.

3 The policewoman stopped the car and asked the driver to show her his _______.

4 Are you going to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix on television?'

'No. I don't like ______.'

5 'Why are you angry?'

'I parked outside the bank. A ______ saw me and gave me a parking ticket! I have to pay a £32 fine!'