PRACTICE READING SKILL

C. S. Lewis Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge David Cameron Gordon Brown J. R. R. Tolkien Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Tony Blair The United Kingdom London Birmingham Cardiff Coventry English Language God Save The Queen Hadrian's Wall Lake District Liverpool Manchester Peak District Sheffield Stonehenge Westminster Abbey Coat of Arms England National Football Team Fish and chips John Bull Pillar box Pound Sterling University of Cambridge University of Oxford Valentine's Day

Cities Now Home to More Than Half of All People

The Importance of a Simple Water Pump

Higher Education in US: What Does It Cost?

Historic Route 66: The Story of America's 'Mother Road'

READING PRE-INTERMEDIATE

Task 0

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

1. A person whose legs don’t work uses a _____________.
2. A ____________ is a piece of paper to show you have completed a course successfully.
3. If something is done by people in authority (e.g. The Police), it is _______.
4. If someone is _________, it means they don’t have much money.
5. If someone gives you something, you __________ it.
6. _________ is another word for tradition.
7. If you ____________, it means you do something fun to show that an occasion is special (e.g. a birthday).
8. _______________ can be used to describe two people who are married or involved in a romantic relationship with each other.
9. If you do everyday work around the house, it is known as _____ _______ .
10. ____________ are people who are in your family.

 Task 1

Look at the text and find the information as quickly as possible.

1. How long have the couple been married?
2. How old is Yang Wan?
3. How long were the American couple married for?
4. When did they get married?
5. Which day were they given the certificate?
6. Which town were the American couple from?
7. What was the colour of Mr Liu’s suit?
8. When did Mr Liu stop working on the farm?
9. How old was Yang Wan when she went to work on the farm?
10. Who gave the Taiwanese couple the certificate?

Task 2

Find the word in the text, then write the following word next to it.

Example: Custom  among

1. Longest _______
2. Poor _______
3. Future _______
4. Sang _______
5. Held _______
6. Officially _______
7. Difficulty _______
8. Late _______
9. Household _______
10. Satin _______

Task 3

According to the text are these statements true (T) or false (F)?

• Mr & Mrs Liu are Taiwan’s longest married couple.
• Yang Wan is older than her husband.
• The Taiwanese couple married when they were teenagers.
• The couple celebrated by singing.
• Yang Wan was standing next to her husband.

Answers:

Task 1

wheelchair, 2. certificate, 3. official, 4. poor, 5. receive, 6.custom, 7. celebrate, 8. couple, 9. chores, 10. relatives

1. 85 years, 2. 102 years old, 3. 83 years, 4. April 1917, 5.Monday, 6. Lexington, Kentucky, 7. Brown, 8. 20 years ago, 9. 5 years old, 10. The Guinness Book of Records

Task 2

1. Longest married, 2. Poor Taiwanese, 3. Future husband’s, 4. Sang folk, 5. Held hands, 6. Officially out-done, 7. Difficulty hearing, 8. Late teens, 9. Household chores, 10. Satin gown

Task 3

1. F – The world’s longest married couple. 2. F – She is 1 year younger. 3. T, 4. T, 5. F – She was sitting in a wheelchair.

READING PRE-INTERMEDIATE

Airport jobs

At Heathrow airport, there are hundreds of interesting jobs people can do. We spoke to three people who work there.

James Green, 26, security officer

‘After I left college, I worked for a security company abroad. I wanted to come back to the UK so I applied for a job as a security officer at Heathrow. It’s our job to keep passengers and staff safe at all times. I meet passengers from all over the world every day and help them with their problems. People are usually friendly, but sometimes they get angry, especially if there are long queues or delays.’

Teresa Jones, 30, service manager

‘My job is to help passengers have a good journey through the airport terminal, from Arrivals to Departures. I talk to people all day and I’m tired in the evening. But it’s also very exciting, because it changes all the time. One minute you are making new travel arrangements for passengers, and the next minute you are dealing with a problem at passport control. The only bad thing about my job is getting up very early.’

Husain Khaled, 35, terminal controller

‘My first job at the airport was as a security officer. After that, I did a lot of different jobs here. When I saw a job for a terminal controller, I decided to apply. I like doing this work because there are all kinds of things to deal with – security, communication, safety, and so on. It can be very busy and I spend a lot of time talking to people on my mobile, but it’s always interesting.’

Example: James meets passengers from all over _____.

A  the UK     

B  the world   

C Asia  

1   James helps passengers with their _____.

     A  problems 

    B  tickets  

   C  baggage  

2   James says that people are usually _____.

     A  hungry 

   B  friendly  

   C  angry 

3   In her job, Teresa _____ all day.

     A  worries about people 

    B  agrees with people  

   C  talks to people 

4   Teresa thinks her job is _____.

     A  difficult 

    B  exciting 

   C  boring 

5   Husain doesn’t talk about _____.

     A  communication

    B  delays 

  C  security 

6   Husain enjoys working as a terminal controller because _____.

     A  he does lots of things

    B  the people are friendly 

 C  he likes airports 

1   A

2   B

3   C

4   B

5   B

6   A

ELEMENTARY READINGS

Grandpa's Farm I like to go to my Grandpa's farm. He has many animals. There are nine black and white cows. They are very big and give us milk to drink. Grandpa has seven brown chickens too! The chickens give us eggs to eat. I like to play with the pigs on Grandpa's farm. They like to roll in the mud. I do too! It is fun to go to Grandpa's farm. I always have a fun time!

Answer "Yes" or "No"

Grandpa has a farm.

Grandpa has only two animals on his farm.

Grandpa has nine brown and white cows on his farm.

Grandpa has three brown chickens that lay eggs.

Pigs like to roll in the mud.

It is fun to visit Grandpa's farm.

This is a happy story.

Cats as Pets   Cats make great pets.  Many people love them.  They are easy to take care of.  They are also very helpful.  On farms they keep away mice and rats.   Cats are very friendly and bring happiness to their owners.  They are very playful and smart too!  Cats always know what they want.  They are usually not mean.   There are 63 million cats in America today.  This means there are more people who own cats than who own dogs.

Answer the questions below.

You have just read about cats as .

Cats keep mice and away on farms.

There are million cats in America today.

Cats are to take care of.

Cats are usually not .

Cats are very to farmers.

In America today more people own than own dogs.

source:myschoolhouse

READING B2

FIRST READING
2º READING
3º READING
4º READING
5º READING
6º READING
7º READING

PRE-INTERMEDIATE

CATCHING A COLD

Many people catch a cold in the springtime and/ or fall. It makes us wonder... if scientists can send a man to the moon, why can't they find a cure for the common cold. The answer is easy. There are literally hundreds of kinds cold viruses out there. You never know which one you will get, so there isn't a cure for each one.When a virus attacks your body, your body works hard to get rid of it. Blood rushes to your nose and brings congestion with it. You feel terrible because you can't breathe well, but your body is actually "eating" the virus. Your temperature rises and you get a fever, but the heat of your body is killing the virus. You also have a runny nose to stop the virus from getting to your cells. You may feel miserable, but actually your wonderful body is doing everything it can to kill the cold.

Different people have different remedies for colds. In the United States and some other countries, for example, people might eat chicken soup to feel better. Some people take hot baths and drink warm liquids. Other people take medicines to stop the fever, congestion, and runny nose.

There is one interesting thing to note- some scientists say taking medicines when you have a cold is actually bad for you. The virus stays in you longer because your body doesn't have a way to fight it and kill it. Bodies can do an amazing job on their own. There is a joke, however, on taking medicine when you have a cold. It goes like this:

If takes about 1 week to get over a cold if you don't take medicine, but only 7 days to get over a cold if you take medicine.

VOCABULARY

cure (n,v)- something that makes you well after being sick
literally (adv)- really, actually, exactly
virus (n)- very, very small --- that causes sickness
to get rid of (v)- to stop, to throw away
congestion (n)- stopped up (when your nose is congested you can't breathe)
miserable (adj)- very terrible feeling
fever (n)- heat in your head and body
remedy- (n) cure, something that makes you well
liquid (n)- wet and runny like water, milk
to get over (v)- to finish

True or False

1. There is a cure for the common cold.
True
False
2. There are 22 different cold viruses in the world.
True
False
3. Heat in your body kills viruses.
True
False
4. Congestion means your head feels hot.
True
False
5. Some people eat chicken soup to feel better when they have a cold.
True
False
6. Scientists always think taking medicine is good when you have a cold.
True
False
7. Bodies work hard to try to get rid of viruses.
True
False


source:5minuteenglish
answers:FFTFTFT

PRE-INTERMEDIATE

1   Read the article and tick (ü) A, B, or C.

Do you have a phobia?

Are you terrified at the thought of getting on an aeroplane? Do you worry about spiders every time you go into the bathroom? Would you rather walk up 100 steps than get into a lift? If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of these or similar questions, you may have a phobia!

If you have a phobia, don’t worry. You’re not alone. It’s estimated that about 10% of the world’s population have a phobia about something. The fear of flying, the fear of heights, the fear of being in closed spaces or being in open spaces are some of the most common phobias people have. However, there are hundreds of other unusual phobias too, which are just as bad. Did you know that some people have a fear of clowns? Can you believe that some people are afraid of fish and that others are scared of garlic? Then there’s the fear of falling in love, the fear of rain, the fear of the moon, and the fear of the stars! The list is endless.

For most people, who don’t have phobias, these ideas are difficult to understand. Even people with phobias usually know that there’s no real danger. However, they cannot control their fears. When some people think about the object of their phobia, their heart starts beating very quickly and they find it difficult to breathe. This is a natural reaction to fear, but it can make life difficult if it happens all the time.

So if you have a phobia, what can you do about it? In some cases, you can simply avoid the situation. If you have a fear of heights, don’t climb a mountain! However, in other cases, it’s not so easy. What can you do if you’re terrified of vegetables? Some people try relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. Some find that physical exercise can help. Others change their diet and stop having alcohol, coffee, and other unhealthy things. Many people find writing about their phobia helps them understand what is happening to them. But if none of these ideas helps you, go and see your doctor. He or she may suggest psychotherapy, or even hypnosis.

Example: The writer thinks you may have a phobia if you’re frightened of more than one thing.

A  True          B  False   ü     C  Doesn’t say      

1   According to the article, everybody has a phobia.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

2   The writer thinks that unusual phobias are worse than common phobias.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

3   The writer thinks that some phobias are silly.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

4   People with phobias can be unpopular.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

5   People with phobias often feel they are in real danger.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

6   People with phobias sometimes have problems breathing.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

7   Some people see the object of their phobia every day.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

8   The writer has a fear of heights.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

9   Yoga can help you relax.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

10   Doctors can’t help people with phobias.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

answer:
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READINGS. BÁSICO

THE STORY OF A TOWN

WALKING IN THE COUNTRY

THE LAND ROVER

THE POST OFFICE

LONDON

MARTIN THE MONKEY

THE PLAY

OUT TO LUNCH

READINGS.

Fire in Colorado(before 2003)

Firefighters have had a hard time putting out a big fire near Boulder, Colorado.

It took firefighters a long time to control the fire. It was very windy. One firefighter said that the winds can blow the fire out of the area very easily.

The fire destroyed 65 homes. During the worst part of the fire, people were asked to leave their homes. Police were worried that the empty homes might be looted. They checked every car going in and out of the fire area.

One family returned to their home to find that only a small part of it had been hurt by the blaze. They felt very lucky to be able to repair the damage. The fire had come so close to their house that the girl had to run out with only her teddy bear.

Another family lost only their outdoor toilet. Their cabin had no indoor plumbing so their outhouse was in the yard. They were thankful their home was not burned down.

PICK AN ANSWERS

1.  During the worst part of the fire, people were asked to _____.

1. put water on the fire
2. leave their homes
3. help fight the fire

2.  One family returned to their home to find _____. 

1. only the garage and bedrooms were burned down
2. their whole house had burned down
3. only a small part of it had been hurt by the blaze

3.  The fire had come so close to their house that a girl could only take _____.

1. her new pants
2. her dog
3. her teddy bear

4.  With the homes empty, police were afraid that they might be _____.

1. looted
2. burned
3. flooded
4. dried

5.  Because of high winds, it took firefighters a long time to _____.

1. leave their homes
2. control the fire
3. get to each house

6.  Their cabin had no indoor _____ so their outhouse was in the yard.

1. plumbing
2. water
3. walls
4. doors

7.  _____have had a hard time putting out a big fire in Boulder, Colorado.

1. Policemen
2. Home owners
3. Meter maids
4. Firemen

8.  Because of high winds, the fire could easily_________.

1. be blown out of the area.
2. be controlled.
3. burn itself out.
4. be put out.

9.  When homes were empty, police checked every car coming and going into the area to check for _____.

1. things that needed to be fixed
2. things that have been looted from the houses
3. things that had been burned

ANSWERS ARE IN "READING ANSWERS"