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

ELEMENTARY

Take a Bath!

 VOCABULARY

a bath- (noun) cleaning one's body by sitting in water
to bathe- verb meaning to take a bath
shower- (noun and verb) cleaning one's body by standing under water
showerhead- the part of the shower that the water comes out of
to scrub- to remove dirt by rubbing
to rinse- to remove soap or dirt with water
soothing- relaxing
drain- hole in the ground or bathtub that the water goes down

source:5minuteenglish

Traveling is fun because you can see how people in other parts of the world live. One thing travelers don't often think about before traveling is how other cultures bathe. And bathrooms in many countries may be different from the kind you are used to.

In the United States, most people take a shower once a day in the morning. The showerhead is usually mounted on the wall and cannot be moved. The bather simply stands under the water, gets wet, scrubs with soap and often a washcloth, and then rinses off.

Children often take a bath each night and enjoy playing with small toys such as boats and rubber ducks. Many adults, especially women, enjoy a soothing bath to get rid of stress at the end of the day.

It is important to remember that when you take a shower or bath in the United States, you should be careful to keep the water inside the bathtub or shower. Unlike bathrooms in many countries, there is no drain in the floor. If water gets on the floor it cannot go anywhere and must be cleaned up with a towel or mop. It can also cause problems for the floor. So be careful.

Choose the correct answer. Check the answers below.

1. Travelers don't often think about ___ in other countries before traveling.

a. bathing
b. food
c. money
2. Americans often take a shower in the ___.
a. morning
b. afternoon
c. night
3. Children often take a ___ at night.
a. shower
b. bath
c. swim
4. Sometimes adults take a bath to ___.
a. shower
b. relax
c. play with toys
5. American floors don't have a
a. bathtub
b. showerhead
c. drain


answers: abbbc
source:5minuteenglish

ELEMENTARY

I LIKE MY JOB

James Shannon is a chef in a London restaurant. He talks about his job.

I work at Suzie’s, which is one of the most popular restaurants in central London. The best part of working there is being part of a fantastic team of friendly and talented people.

I left school and started by washing dishes when I was only 16. I wasn’t interested in food and I never cooked at home, but I worked hard, and soon became a waiter. Simon, who was head chef at the time, then began to show me how to cook and I loved it so much I went to college to learn more.

When Simon left Suzie’s, I became head chef. At the time all the food was British. The quality was excellent, but I wanted to do something different, so I decided to have an international menu. Now we serve food from all around the world. There are so many fantastic markets and food shops in London that I can usually find any ingredient I need.

I use a lot of natural ingredients such as brown rice, organic flour, and pasta. Some people think that healthy food is boring, but they’re wrong. Well-prepared natural food has so much more flavour than fast food. Our food is healthy and our customers love it. We use the very best meat and the highest quality vegetables.

Suzie’s is open Monday to Friday from 5.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m., and from 12.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. at weekends. On Fridays and Saturdays we play live music from around the world. There’s a children’s menu on Sundays and that’s when we serve traditional British food.

Example: The chef’s name is _____.

A  James   ü     B  Simon          C  Suzie      

1   James started as a _____.

     A  waiter         

     B  chef         

     C  dish washer      

2   When he was 16, James _____.

     A  started work at the restaurant       

     B  was a good cook          
    C  was interested in food      

3   James likes using _____ ingredients.

     A  British         

     B  natural         

     C  international      

4   The restaurant opens early _____.

     A  every day     

     B  on Sundays         

     C  twice a week      

5   You can’t eat at Suzie’s _____.

     A  on Monday evenings       

     B  on Saturday afternoons         
     C  on Sunday mornings      

6   Suzie’s sometimes serves _____.

     A  boring food       

     B  fast food       

    C  British food     

2   Read the text again. Are the sentences True (T) or False (F)?

Example:    James likes his job.   T

1   James became head chef when he was 16.   ____

2   James didn’t cook at home.   ____

3   He didn’t like Simon’s food.   ____

4   It’s usually difficult to find the ingredients in London.   ____

5   James thinks healthy food isn’t boring.   ____

6   The restaurant is open five days a week.   ____

7   The restaurant isn’t open for lunch in the week.   ____

8   The music is usually international.   ____

9   There is a children’s menu during the week.   ____

source: NFE. NB2
answers:

1.cabccc
2.FTFFTFTTF

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:
bbccbaacab

SCRIPTS

LISTENING INTERMEDIATE II. FILE 2(1-2). SCRIPTS

FILE 2. Listening  1

Jack     So how long have you been working on the check-in desk,
Carole?

Carole    Oh, about three years now.

Jack        I bet you've had some pretty funny experiences in that

time?

Carole    Oh, goodness, yes. For example, I remember a little old

lady checked in one day and I said: _Window or aisle seat?'
And she replied: _Oh give me an aisle seat, dear. I don't
want to sit by the window. It'll be too windy and I've just
had my hair done.' I tried to explain that we never actually
open the windows, but she wouldn't believe me.

Jack        Poor woman. It was probably the first time she'd flown.

Carole   What about this one? Once, when I was working at the

flight-sales desk, a customer, he was a young, very
well-dressed man, came up, looking stressed and in a
hurry, and asked for a flight to Hawaii. It's a long flight so
I explained that there would be a stop in California and
another flight from there to Hawaii. Then I told him how
much the flight would cost - and of course it was a lot,
because it was such short notice. He said: _Wow! That's a
lot. Maybe it would be cheaper if I just flew to California
and then took the train from there to Hawaii.' }thought
he was joking at first, but he was completely serious. I had
to explain to him that Hawaii was in fact an island in the
middle of the Pacific and so catching a train there might
be a bit difficult! He looked really disappointed.

Jack        That's incredible! How could he be so stupid?

Carole    My favourite though is a story that was told to me by a

friend of mine who used to be a travel guide when she was
much younger. Anyway she was taking a group from
England on a package holiday to Portugal. When they
arrived at the airport in Portugal, one woman, who had
two small kids with her, said that her luggage hadn't
arrived. They waited for ages at baggage reclaim, and
made lots of phone calls but the airline said there was no
record of the woman's bags. In the end, my friend asked
the woman if she had actually checked her luggage in at
the airport in London. _Oh no,' said the woman. _I left
them in my car, I thought the porter would collect them
for me.' My friend couldn't believe it. The woman hadn't
checked her bags in with the airline - they were still in the
boot of her car!

answer:  CBBBA

 

FILE 2. LISTENING 2

MARK: Have you any idea where Emilio is from?
JO: Emilio? Yes. I know. Confusing, isn't it? He's got a
Spanish-sounding name but doesn't speak a word of the
language. His girlfriend's Swedish, but he doesn't speak
a word of that either. And you'd swear he was American
from his accent. Believe it or not, he was born in
Ireland, although I don't think either of his parents
were. Still, that's where he's from.

TOM: Which one is Mary?
KAREN: Mary? She's the girl over in the corner wearing the
sleeveless T-shirt and the pale blue skirt.
TOM: Oh right. The one in the white top and the tight skirt.
KAREN: Well, no. I don't knowwho you're looking at but rd say
her top was more of alight green. And her skirt's not
particularly tight at all.

MIKE:  Did you eat out in the end?
JANIA: Well, we really wanted to but by the time Jack got home
from work it was so late we stayed in. It doesn't take long
to get into town from where we live, but, well, we were
both tired and it just wasn't worth it.
MIKE: It's so much easier to eat at home, too.
JANIA: Well,I'm not sure about that. I'm an awful cook. I just
don't have the patience for it. In fact, we ordered some
take away pizzas.

BOB: Hi Sophie. You look tired. What's happened?
SOPHIA: Oh, I've had an awful day at work. There was this guy
who said he'd been waiting for three quarters of an hour
to see the doctor. Anyway he got really angry and
shouted at me. To be honest, we had forgotten about
him, but that's no reason to be rude, is it? So we made
him wait another 15 minutes before we let him in to see
Dr Hughes.
BOB: Good for you!

MAY: Have you ever had a holiday romance, Danny?
DANNY: Me? Yeah once. Ages ago. She was German and very
good--looking. I really liked her and so I tried really hard
to keep in touch with her when I got home from Greece,
but she wasn't interested. Those were the days. . .

answer: ACACB

WOLVES. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY

FARMHOUSE. BÁSICO

 Read the extract from a travel book and tick (ü) A, B, or C.

I arranged to stay in a farmhouse outside a village in southern Italy. My itinerary said that the plane arrived in Italy at five o’clock in the afternoon and it was a thirty-minute drive from the airport to the village. I wanted to get to my destination before it got dark, so I could have a drink, watch the sunset, and enjoy an evening mea

The problems began at Heathrow airport. My plane was three hours late. I walked around the airport, looked in the shops, and drank coffee in the cafés. I didn’t eat anything. That was a mistake! When the plane finally took off, they gave me a cold, tasteless meal which I couldn’t eat.

We arrived in Italy in the early evening. The sun was setting as I was collecting my bags! I missed it completely! I went to the desk to find my hire car and that’s when I discovered the next problem. The receptionist couldn’t find my name on the computer and there were no more cars. There were no buses or trains to the village, and the taxis were on strike.

The receptionist felt sorry for me. She phoned her brother, Alessandro, who agreed to take me to the village. Alessandro arrived in a very old car and we set off. Fifteen minutes later … we broke down. I was tired, depressed, and very, very hungry. Luckily, Alessandro was a mechanic. After an hour, he fixed the car and we started driving again.

It was nearly midnight when we arrived at the farmhouse. A man opened the door and smiled. ‘Come in,’ he said. ‘We waited for you.’ I sat with a group of the friendliest people I’ve ever met and had an absolutely wonderful meal.

Example: It was the writer’s first trip to Italy.

A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say   ü 

1   He bought some souvenirs at Heathrow airport.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

2   He had a snack at the airport.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

3   He complained about the meal on the plane.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

4   He planned to walk to the village from the airport.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

5   His name wasn’t on the computer of the hired car company.

       A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

6   He couldn’t get a train to the village because they were on strike.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

7   The receptionist asked a relative to help the writer.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

8   Alessandro was a taxi driver.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

9   When the car broke down, Alessandro phoned a mechanic.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

10   There was no food for the writer at the farmhouse.

     A  True          B  False          C  Doesn’t say      

answers:

BBCBABABBB

source. englishfile NB2

MUSLIMS. BÁSICO

MULTIPLE CHOICE



Muslims around the (1) ____ are celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday. This is the three-day festival at the end of the (2) ____ month of Ramadan. Almost a quarter of the world is Muslim and there are celebrations in (3) ____ corner of the planet. Muslims in the Middle East started their holiday on Tuesday by going to the mosque to (4) ____. In Libya, rebel fighters said they would rest for Eid and then (5) ____ to Sirte, which is Muammar Gaddafi's hometown. Many Libyans have (6) ____ food and water this Eid because of the fighting in their country.

Eid al-Fitr is one of the five most important (7) ____ of Islam. It celebrates the end of a month of (8) ____ from dawn to sunset. During Ramadan, people also focus (9) ____ becoming a better person. Eid starts after religious leaders see the new moon (10) ____ the end of Ramadan. The Khaleej Times newspaper reports why this year’s Eid is important (11) ____ a Tripoli resident. Sheikh Tareq Ahmed Abbas said: “This Eid is a (12) ____ celebration. We are celebrating Eid al-Fitr and Eid-of Freedom.”

1. a) globes  b) global   c) globe

2. a) holy     b) holier     c) hole

3. a) all        b) every     c)whole

4. a) pray     b) praying  c) prayed

5. a) movement   b) move   c) moved

6. a) few      b) small     c) little

7. a) lasting   b) wasting   c) fasting

8. a) parts     b) part    c) partner

9. a) on         b) so      c) in

10. a) to        b) at      c) from

11. a) at        b) on      c) for

12. a) twice   b) double  c) two

answers:

globe, holy, every, pray, move, little, parts, fasting, on, of, for, double

source.breakingnews

Quelqu'un m'a dit (Carla Bruni)

Niveau intermédiaire

Écoutez la chanson et complétez le texte.

On me dit que nos ne valent pas grand-chose
Elles passent en un instant comme fanent les
On me dit que le temps qui glisse est un salaud
Que de nos il s'en fait des manteaux

Refrain:
Pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore
C'est quelqu'un qui m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore
Serait-ce possible alors?
On me dit que le se moque bien de nous
Qu'il ne nous donne rien et qu'il nous promet tout
Paraît qu'le est à portée de main
Alors on tend la et on se retrouve fou
Refrain
Mais qui est-ce qui m'a dit que toujours tu m'aimais?
Je ne me souviens plus, c'était tard dans la
J'entends encore la , mais je ne vois plus les traits

"Il vous aime, c'est , lui dites pas que j'vous l'ai dit"
Tu vois quelqu'un m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore
Me l'a-t-on vraiment dit, que tu m'aimais encore?
Serait-ce possible alors?


 answer:
 vies, roses, chagrins, destin, bonheur, main, nuit,voix, secret

La ballade des gens heureux (Gérard Lenorman)

Niveau débutants

Écoutez la chanson et complétez le texte.

Notre vieille terre est une , où toi aussi tu brilles un peu
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Tu n'as pas de titre ni de , mais tu dis tu quand tu parles à Dieu
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Journaliste, pour ta première , tu peux écrire tout ce que tu veux
Je t'offre un titre formidable: la ballade des gens heureux
Je t'offre un titre formidable: la ballade des gens heureux
Toi, qui as planté un dans ton petit jardin de banlieue
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Il s'endort, et tu le regardes, c'est un , il te ressemble un peu
Je viens lui chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Toi, la star, du haut de ta , descends vers nous, tu nous verras mieux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
de la drague et de la rigolade, rouleur, flambeur ou gentil petit
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Je viens te chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Comme un choeur dans une , comme un qui fait ce qu'il peut
Tu viens de chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux
Tu viens de chanter la ballade, la ballade des gens heureux


answer:

étoile, grade, page, arbre,enfant, vague, Roi, vieux, cathédrale, oiseau