UNIT 2: PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

VOCABULARY:
1. affect (v) /əˈfekt/: produce a change in sb/sth
→ …………………… (a)
→ …………………… (n)
2. appreciate (v) /əˈpriːʃieɪt/: recognize the good qualities of sb; be grateful for sth that sb has
done
→ …………………… (a) (of sth)
→ …………………… (n)
3. embarrass (v) /ɪmˈbærəs/: make sb feel shy, uncomfortable or ashamed, especially in a
social situation
→ …………………… (n)
→ …………………… (a); …………………… (a)
→ …………………… (adv)
4. embrace (v) /ɪmˈbreɪs/ = hug (v)
→ …………………… (n)
5. floppy (a) /ˈflɒpi/: not hard and stiff
E.g.: a floppy cotton hat
6. glance at (v) /ɡlɑːns/: look quickly at sth/sb
→ …………………… (n)
7. make a fuss /meɪk ə fʌs/: show anger, worry and excitement unneccessarily
E.g.: If the food doesn't come soon, I'm going to make a fuss.
8. memorable (a) /ˈmemərəbl/: worth remembering or easy to remember = ……………… (a)
→ …………………… (n)
→ …………………… (v)
→ …………………… (adv)
9. outlook (n) /ˈaʊtlʊk/: the attitude to life
E.g.: He had a practical outlook on life.
10. protect (v) /prəˈtekt/: make sure that sb/sth is not harmed, injured, damaged, etc.
→ …………………… (n)
→ …………………… (a)
→ …………………… (adv)
11. scream (v) /skriːm/: give a loud, high shout, because you are hurt, frightened, excited, etc.
→ …………………… (n)
12. sneaky (a) /ˈsniːki/: behaving in a secret and sometimes dishonest or unpleasant way
→ …………………… (adv)

Exercise: Give the correct word forms.

affective
1. He has a very ___________ style of writing. (affect)
2. I think I'm suffering from the ___________
effects of too little sleep. (affect)
appreciation of/for what their parents do for them. (appreciate)
3. Children rarely show any ___________
embarrassing having to sing in public.
4. It was so ___________ (embarrass)
embarrassment
5. I nearly died of ___________ when he said that. (embarrass)

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memorable moments.
6. The holiday provided many ___________ (memory)
7. When I was at school, we were required to memorize
___________ a poem every week. (memory)
protection
8. Always wear goggles as a ___________ for your eyes when using the machines. (protect)
protective
9. It's easy to be too ___________ towards/of your children. (protect)
sneakily
10. I ___________ looked in her diary when she was out last night. (sneaky)

GRAMMAR:
1. Present simple indicating past time:
a. Headlines
In news headlines, the present simple tense refers to past time:
WAR CRIMINAL ESCAPES FROM COURTROOM
(A war criminal has escaped from a courtroom.)
REAL MADRID WINS AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED
(Real Madrid won against Manchester United yesterday.)
b. Plot summary (real stories, books, films etc.)
The present simple tense is used in narratives for purposes of dramatization to express past
events.
Ex: So I walk into this shop, and I see this man with a gun in his hand. And like...
everybody's looking at him. Then he says...
At the end of the story, Luke becomes a Jedi and defeats Darth Vader.
In such narratives, we use the present simple for main events and the present continuous for
background events.

2. Tense revision: the past simple, the past progressive and the past perfect
a. The past simple:
Form: V-ed / V2 (irregular verbs)
Use: Actions completed in the past; used with yesterday, last and ago.
Ex: We went swimming yesterday.
b. The past progressive:
Form: was / were + V-ing
Uses: - a past action that was interrupted by another action
Ex: I was trying to sleep when I heard a knock at my door.
- a past action that took place in a specific time period
Ex: At 11pm, I was still working on my homework.
c. The past perfect:
Form: had + past participle
Uses: - a completed action before something else in the past
Ex: When we arrived, the film had started.
- something that started in the past and continued up to another action in the past
(stative verbs only)
Ex: When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

EXERCISE 1. Complete the sentences with the past progressive, the past perfect or the past
perfect progressive.
had been writing
1. I was exhausted at the end of the exam. I ……………………. (write) for over two hours.

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had had
2. When the thieves stole my favorite leather jacket, I was really upset. I …………………….
(have) it for over ten years.
were driving
3. Please step out of the car, Mr. Jones. Do you realize you ……………………. (drive) at over
90mph?
had already seen
4. We didn't really want to go and see the musical again. We ……………………. (already see)
it twice - so we said "no" and we went to a restaurant instead!
was working
5. I arrived over an hour late to the office and everyone ……………………. (work). Actually,
had been working (work) for over two hours on the new project and I felt really
they …………………….
guilty.
6. The kitchen was full of steam when we arrived. Joan was in the kitchen and she
was cooking
……………………. (cook) a huge meal for everyone at the party.
7. It was a bit embarrassing to arrive at their house and find Mary looking so sad. I think she
had been crying
……………………. (cry) before we got there.
were all watching (all watch) the big game on
8. No-one even noticed when I got home. They …………………….
TV.
9. Sue wasn't in the sales department when I started working here. She …………………….had been working
(work) in accounting for over five years but wanted a change.
had already arrived (already arrive) and the twins
10. You got to the airport too late! The plane …………………….
were waiting
……………………. (wait) for you! How embarrassing!

EXERCISE 2. Complete the sentences for situations in the past. Decide which tense you need
to use.
came
1. A plumber (come) ……………………. to our house yesterday.
wanted
2. He (want) ……………………. to repair our washing machine that (break)
had broken
……………………. a few days before.
rang
3. Before he (ring) ……………………. had been looking for a parking
at my door, he (look) …………………….
space for about ten minutes.
4. While the plumber (repair) was …………………….
repairing the washing machine, I (watch)
was watching
……………………. the news.
realized
5. Suddenly, I (realize) …………………. were showing
that they (show) …………………… our street on
TV.
said
6. The reporter (say) ……………………. had crashed
that a car (crash) ……………………. into a stop sign
just before reaching the crossroads.
7. While I (listen) was listening
……………………. had happened
carefully to what (happen) …………………….,
someone (knock) …………………….
knocked at my door.
8. I (open) opened
……………………. the door and (see) ……………………. saw a police officer standing
there.
9. He (ask) …………………….
asked for the plumber.
turned
10. As it (turn) ……………………. out, it (be) ……………………. was our plumber’s car that (roll)
had rolled
……………………. down the street.
had forgotten
11. In his haste, the plumber (forget) ……………………. to put the handbrake on.

PRACTICE TEST

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the others.

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1. A. hand B. bank C. sand D. many
2. A. money B. month C. monkey D. monitor
3. A. change B. hungry C. hamburger D. single
4. A. question B. mutual C. situation D. action
5. A. honest B. honor C. honey D. doctor

Choose the word which has the different stress pattern from that of the others.
6. A. experience B. embarrass C. floppy D. embrace
7. A. idol B. video C. birthday D. imagine
8. A. cotton B. happen C. extreme D. quickly
9. A. sneaky B. protect C. outlook D. simple
10. A. attitude B. confidence C. delicious D. memory

Choose the best answers.

11. The plane __________ at New York three hours late.
A. has arrived B. was arriving C. have arrived D. arrived
12. I can't go home until I _________ this job.
A. have finished B. was finishing C. had finished D. finished
13. I _________ in London since I was a little child.
A. lived B. was living C. have lived D. had lived
14. As soon as I saw the man, I realized that we _________ before, in Caracas.
A. met B. were meeting C. have met D. had met
15. After leaving London, we __________ on to Birmingham without stopping.
A. drove B. were driving C. have driven D. had driven
16. She ran away with her lover, while her husband __________ in Australia.
A. worked B. was working C. has worked D. had worked
17. Where can he be? I can only imagine that he __________ an accident somewhere.
A. had B. was having C. has had D. had had
18. He had worked in the company for 15 years before he ________ promoted.
A. got B. was getting C. has got D. had got
19. I ________ the office after everyone else.
A. left B. was leaving C. have left D. had left
20. Hi, I'm really pleased to see you again, but I'm afraid I _________ your name.
A. forgot B. was forgetting C. have forgotten D. had forgotten
21. Andrew _________ the test before so he __________ it very easy.
A. did/ had found B. had done/ found C. was doing/ found D. did/ was founding
22. You _________ your new hat when I __________ you yesterday.
A. were wearing/ had met B. wore/ had met
C. wore/ was meeting D. were wearing/ met
23. As I _________ the glass, it suddenly __________ into two pieces.
A. cut/ broke B. was cutting/ broke
C. cut/ was breaking D. was cutting/ had broken
24. A burglar _________ into the house while we __________ television.
A. broke/ were watching B. broke/ watched
C. had broken/ watched D. broke/ had watched

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25. When I __________ home, I __________ a phone call.
A. got/ received B. was getting/ was receiving
C. got/ had received D. had got/ had received
26. They __________ small cups of coffee after they __________ dinner.
A. had drunk/ finished B. drank/ finished
C. were drinking/ finished D. drank/ had finished
27. It was midnight. Outside it ___________ very hard.
A. rains B. rained C. had rained D. was raining
28. When he __________ at the station, his train __________ already.
A. arrived/ left B. arrived/ had left C. had arrived/ left D. had arrived/ left
29. He pulled a(n) __________ of 10 pounds notes out of his pocket.
A. sum B. amount C. piece D. wad
30. I’ve never fallen in such a(n) __________ situation before.
A. embarrassed B. embarrassing C. embarrassingly D. embarrassment
31. The children were __________ about opening their presents.
A. interested B. fond C. keen D. excited
32. I know from personal __________ that he’ll arrive late.
A. knowledge B. experience C. understanding D. reality
33. She __________ shyly at him and then lowered her eyes.
A. looked B. stared C. glanced D. sighted
34. This __________ girl was disliked by the rest of the class.
A. helpful B. sneaky C. unselfish D. generous
35. I decided not to make a fuss and take my money back from the schoolboy’s bag, saying
nothing about it.
A. to pay a lot of attention B. to leave right away
C. to make noise D. to give
36. Thanks to your company, I’ve had a memorable time here.
A. regrettable B. unforgettable C. reliable D. forgettable
37. The accident happened at 4 o’clock yesterday morning.
A. took place B. came C. arrived D. appeared
38. I don’t like that man. He looks sneaky.
A. selfish B. dishonest C. loyal D. faithful

Choose the word or phrase that needs correcting.

39. The inspector asked seeing my ticket and when I wasn’t able to find it, he made me buy
A B C
another.
D
40. According to a research, many traumatic experiences has been traced to events during
A B C D
childhood.
41. While I did my homework, I had a good idea.
A B C D
42. Don’t make so much fusses over the children.
A B C D

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43. After she has bought herself a new motorbike, she sold her bicycle.
A B C D

Read the passage and decide whether the statements are true or false or impossible to know.

An embarrassing experience
When I was a student, I had a summer job in an expensive restaurant in Glasgow. One day we were
expecting forty members of a football team for lunch. I was given the job of peeling potatoes. I
thought I was managing quite well with my small knife until the owner appeared to see how I was
getting on. She was amazed that I was using a knife and asked why I wasn’t using the potato peeler.
I had no idea what a potato peeler was so she led me into a small room behind the main kitchen.
There, on the table, was a small machine like the rubbish bins some people have in their bathrooms.
She explained as if to a small child that I had to put the potatoes in, close the lid and press the
button. When she came back ten minutes later, I told her I thought it was quicker to do it by hand.
She asked what I meant. “Well, they aren’t ready yet,” I replied. You can imagine how I felt when
she lifted the lid and took out the potatoes the size of peas. The potato peeler was not automatic.

44. The story happened in summer.

45. On that day the restaurant had forty guests.
46. The football team members would have potato for lunch.
47. At first, the author peeled potatoes with a knife.
48. The potato peeler was a rubbish bin.
49. The owner of the restaurant explained how to use the potato peeler very carefully.
50. The potato peeler could stop when the potatoes were ready.

Read the passage and choose the best answers.

Choosing clothes can be difficult. Some people want to be (51) _________, but they don't want to
look exactly (52) _________ everybody else. Not all clothes are (53) _________ for work or
school, perhaps because they are not (54) _________ enough, or simply not (55) _________. It is
easy to buy the (56) _________ size and find that your trousers are too (57) _________, especially
if you are a little bit (58) _________. Very loose clothes make you feel slim, but when they have
shrunk in the washing machine, then you have the same problem! If you buy light (59) _________
clothes, then they might not be (60) _________ enough for winter.

51. A. of fashion B. fashioned C. fashionable D. fashion

52. A. alike B. like C. similar D. same
53. A. fitted B. suitable C. comfort D. equal
54. A. formal B. strict C. uniform D. suited
55. A. comforting B. comfort C. comforted D. comfortable
56. A. false B. mistake C. wrong D. error
57. A. straight B. close C. stiff D. tight
58. A. slim B. overweight C. thin D. enormous
59. A. of cotton B. in cotton C. cotton D. cottoned
60. A. warm B. cold C. hot D. cool

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Complete the sentences with the correct prepositions.
1. My son is very interested ___________ watching cartoons on Disney Channel.
2. The boy glanced __________ the girl and turned away.
3. I don’t have enough money to pay ____________ the meal.
4. She wants me to be there ___________ once.
5. He always complains noisily ___________ anything he doesn’t like.
6. Work __________ the catering industry is hard and involves long hours.
7. Mark Twain grew ____________ on the banks of Mississippi river.
8. Success depends ____________ luck as well as talent.
9. He’s still close ___________ his parents and childhood friends.
10. The policeman didn’t pay any attention ___________ my explanation.

Transformation:
1. Paul knows a lot more about it than John does.
John doesn’t know ……………………………………………
2. I prefer playing basketball to volleyball.
I’d rather ……………………………………………………….
3. My car needs to be washed.
I need …………………………………………………………..
4. The disabled find travelling by bus difficult.
It is difficult …………………………………………………….
5. Vegetables can’t possibly grow in such dry ground.
It is impossible ………………………………………………..
6. This cake is so stale we can’t eat it.
This cake is not ……………………………….………………
7. I think you ought to work harder if you want to pass the exam.
You’d better ……………………………………………………
8. David ought to have a holiday.
It’s about time …………………………………………………
9. It’s a three-hour flight from Rome to London.
It takes …………………………………………………………
10. I’ve never seen a film as sad as this one.
This is the ……………………………………………………..

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CROSSWORD

1 N
2 L
3 R
4 G
5 L
6 R
7 I
8 E
9 T
10 P
11 N
12 C

1. My dad works in a factory where he produces cars and tractors. He’s an __________.
2. An __________ is something that protects you from rain or sun.
3. He saved 5 people in the fire. He’s such a _________ person.
4. We have a big __________ for our cars and a lovely garden at home.
5. This is a beautiful song. I like both the music and the __________.
6. Tran Hung Dao is a national __________. He saved the Vietnamese people from Chinese
invaders.
7. He won several chess championships at a young age. Actually, he was the country’s youngest
________.
8. In her glorious singing career Celine Dion has earned various music awards. She is the most
_______ Canadian singer.
9. Only a little boy saw the car hit and run. He was the only ________ of the accident.
10. Washington DC is the _________ city of the United States.
11. My flat is quite __________: it’s located right in Hoan Kiem District, the city centre.
12. My mother always __________ me to go ahead and realize my dreams.

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