Vocabulary 6 -Joining/becoming part of something bigger

The sentences below all contain a word or expression in italics which is related to joining two or more things, sometimes with the result of becoming part of something bigger.However, the words and expressions have all been put into the wrong sentence. Put them into their correct sentence. In some cases, more than one answer is possible.

A. Move the verbs into the right sentences.

1. His salary is merged to the cost of living, and increases on an annual basis.

2. The International Book Association blended with Universal Press in 1999 to form the International press.

3. To get a better finish, he swallowed up the two paints together.

4. The firm integrated with its main competitor in the battle to win more customers.

5. The suggestions from all the committees were took over into the main proposal.

6. The immigrants faced hostility when they were first incorporated into the community.

7. A lot of students had problems before they amalgamated into college life.

8. When the large international college got together the smaller school, a lot of people lost their jobs.

9. The students linked one evening and decided to protest about their situation.

10. A large international company assimilated our firm last month and started making immediate changes.

B. Move the nouns into the right sentences.

1. The alloy between England and France came close to breaking down many times during the nineteenth century.

2. The synthesis between England and Scotland is over 300 years old.

3. The company has ten directors who provide a blend of different expertise.

4. Brass is a well-known alliance of copper and zinc.

5. Water is a coalition of hydrogen and oxygen.

6. The plan is a unification of several earlier proposals.

7. The merger of Italy did not occur until the second half of the nineteenth century.

8. The company made its fortune by selling a popular union of coffee.

9. The proposed federation of the Liberal and Labour Parties in the election was cause for much ridicule.

10. As a result of the compound with the other company, Flax International became the largest in its field,

NGA	HUONG	COMMENT
Part A: 1. assimilated 2. incorporated 3. linked one 4. amalgamated 5. merged to 6. integrated 7. blended 8. swallowed up 9. got together 10. took over Part B: 1. alliance 2. coalition 3. unification 4. The alloy 5. compound 6. blend 7. federation 8. The synthesis 9. union 10. The merger	Part A: 1. assimilated 2. incorporated/ mergered to 3. blended 4. got together 5. mergered to 6. intergrated 7. blended 8. assimilated 9. swallowed up 10. took over Part B: 1. coalition/ alliance 2. unification 3. alloy 4. compound/ alloy 5. compound/  unification 6. union 7. federation/ alliance 8. blend/ synthesis 9. union 10. merger

Key

Verbs

1. linked 2. amalgamated / merged 3. blended 4. merged / amalgamated 5. incorporated 6. integrated / assimilated 7. assimilated / integrated 8. swallowed up / took over 9. got together 10. took over / swallowed up (swallowed up is less formal than took over)

Nouns

1. alliance 2. union 3. federation 4. alloy 5. compound 6. synthesis 7. unification 8. blend 9. coalition 10. merger

Vocabulary 5 – Contrast & comparison

Complete these sentences with the most appropriate word or expression from A, B or C.

1. The two machines____________considerably. One has an electric motor, the other runs on oil.

A. differ B. differentiate C. differential

2. The___________in weather between the north and the south of the country is very noticeable.

A. comparison B. contrast C. compare

3. Many people cannot_______________between lemon juice and lime juice.

A. differ B. differentiate C. contrast

4. Children must be taught to______________between right and wrong.

A. differ B. contrast C. distinguish

5. There is a______________between being interested in politics and joining a political party.

A. distinguish B. distinctive C. distinction

6. Can you tell the__________________between a good boss and a bad one?

A. difference B. differentiate C contrast

7. The management must not______________between male and female applicants.

A. differ B. contrast C. discriminate

8. Asia covers a huge area._______________, Europe is very small.

A. By way of contrast B. By ways of comparing C By similar means

9. The new model of car is very________________to the old one.

A. same B. similar C common

10. Her political opinions are______________to mine.

A. same B. exactly C. identical

11. Some political parties have such similar manifestos that they are difficult to___________

A. tell apart B. say apart C. speak apart

12. My friends and I enjoy doing many of the same things. In that respect, we have a lot________________

A. in similar B. in particular C. in common

13. There seems to be a large___________between the number of people employed in service industries, and those employed in the primary sector.

A. discriminate B. discretion C. discrepancy

14. British and Australian people share the same language, but in other respects they are as different as__________.

A. cats and dogs B. chalk and cheese C. salt and pepper

15. Britain’s economy is largely based on its industry,________a few hundred years ago it was an agrarian country.

A. wherefore B. whereas C. whereby

Key: 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. C (differentiate and distinguish have exactly the same meaning) 5. C 6. A 7. C 8. A
9. B 10. C 11. A 12. C 13. C 14. B 15. B

Answer:

NGA	1.A – 2.B – 3.B – 4.C – 5.C – 6.A – 7.C – 8.A – 9.B – 10.A – 11.C – 12.C – 13.C – 14.C – 15.B
HUONG	1. A – 2. B – 3. B – 4. C – 5. C – 6. A – 7. C – 8. A – 9. B- 10. A – 11. A – 12. A – 13. C – 14. C – 15. B
COMMENT

Vocabulary 4 – Presenting an argument

A. Read the text below, in which somebody is trying to decide whether to go straight to university from school, or spend a year traveling around the world. Put their argument into the correct order, using the key words and expressions in italics to help you. The first one and last one have been done for you.

A. (1) I’m ready in two minds about what to do when I leave school. Should I go straight to university or should I spend a year traveling around the world?

B. It is often said that knowledge is the key to power, and I cannot disagree with this.

C. On the one hand, I would experience lots of different cultures.

D. Unfortunately, another point is that if I spent a year traveling I would need a lot of money.

E. And I’m not alone in this opinion. Many consider a sound career and a good salary to be an important goal.

F. However, it could be argued that I would also meet lots of interesting people while I was traveling.

G. Secondly, if I go straight to university, I’ll learn so many things that will help me in my future life.

H. First of all, there are so many benefits of going straight to university.

I. But / believe that it would be easy to make a bit while I was traveling, giving English lessons or working in hotels and shops.

J. Moreover, I’ll be able to take part in the social activities that the university offers, and meet lots of new friends who share the same interests.

K. The most important point is that the sooner I get my qualifications, the quicker I’ll get a job and start earning.

L. Nevertheless, these inconveniences would be an inevitable part of traveling and would be greatly outweighed by the other advantages.

M. In my opinion, starting work and making money is one of the most important things in life.

N.On the other hand, I could end up suffering from culture shock, homesickness and some strange tropical diseases.

0. Furthermore, if I spent a year traveling, I would learn more about the world.

P. (16) All right, I’ve made my mind up. Now, where’s my nearest travel agency?

B. Using the key words and expressions in italic from the last exercise, present an argument for one of the following issues:

1. A government’s main priority is to provide education for its people.

2. The only way to save the environment is for governments to impose strict quotas on the energy we use (for example, by restricting car ownership, limiting the water we use).

3. Satisfaction in your job is more important than the money you earn.

4. Living in a town or city is better than living in the countryside.

5. It is our responsibility to help or look after those less fortunate than ourselves (for example, the homeless, the mentally ill).

ANSWER

Part A:

NGA	A – H – K – M – E – G – B – J – F – O – C – N – D – L – I – P
HUONG	A – M – K – E – B – C – H – G – J – F – N – D – I – L – O – P
MR. COMMENT	A – H – B – K – M – E – G – J – F – C – O – N – D – I – L – P

KEY:

The best order is:

1. A 2. H 3. K 4. M 5. E 6. G 7. B 8. J 9. F 10. O 11. C 12. N 13. L 14. D 15. I 16. P

Vocabulary 3 – Writing a letter

Writing a letter
A. Below, you will see eleven common situations that people encounter when they are writing a formal letter. Choose the sentence or phrase (A, B or C) that would be most appropriate in each situation.
1. You are writing a letter to the headteacher of a school or college, but you don’t know their name. How do you begin your letter?
A. Dear headteacher B Dear Sir / Madam C. Dear Sir
2. You have received a letter from the manager of a company which buys computer components from your company, and you are now replying. What do you say?
A. Thank you for your letter. B. Thanks a lot for your letter. C It was great to hear from you.
3. You recently stayed in a hotel and were very unhappy with the service you received. You are now writing to the manager. What do you say?
A. I had a horrible time at your hotel recently. B. I would like to say that I am unhappy about your hotel. C. I would like to complain about the service I received at your hotel recently.
4. You have sent a letter of application to a college, together with your curriculum vitae which the college requested. What do you say in the letter to explain that your curriculum vitae is attached?
A. You asked for my curriculum vitae, so here it is. B. As you can see, I’ve enclosed my curriculum vitae, C. As you requested, I enclose my curriculum vitae.
5. You have applied for a job, but you would like the company to send you more information. What do you say?
A. I would be grateful if you would send me more information. B. I want you to send me more information, C Send me some more information, if you don’t mind,
6. In a letter you have written to a company, you tell them that you expect them to reply. What do you say?
A. Write back to me soon, please. B. Please drop me a line soon.
C. l look forward to hearing from you soon.
7. In a letter you have written, you want the recipient to do something and are thanking them in advance of their action. What do you say?
A. Thank you for your attention in this matter. B. Thanks for doing something about it. C I am gratified that you will take appropriate action.
8. The company you work for has received an order from another company and you are writing to them to acknowledge the order and let them know when you can deliver. What do you say?
A. About the order you sent on 12 January for… B. I would like to remind you of the order you sent on 12 January for… C. refer to your order of 12 January
9. In a letter, you explain that the recipient can contact you if they want more information. What do you say?
A. Give me a call if you want some more information. B. If you would like any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me. C. If you would like any more information, why not get in touch?
10. You began a letter with the recipient’s name (e.g., Dear Mr. Perrin). How do you end the letter?
A. Yours faithfully B. Yours sincerely C. Best wishes
11. You did not begin the letter with the recipient’s name (see number 1 above). How do you end the letter?
A. Yours faithfully B. Yours sincerely C Best wishes

B. Look at these sentences and decide if they are true or false.
1. Formal letters are always longer than informal letters.
2. In a formal letter it is acceptable to use colloquial English, slang and idioms.
3. In a formal letter it is acceptable to use contractions (e.g., I’ve instead of I have)
4. In a formal letter you should include your name and address at the top of the page.
5. In a formal letter, you should always write the date in full (e.g., 1 April 2000 and not 1/4/00).
6. In a formal letter, you should always put your full name (e.g., James Harcourt and not J. Harcourt)
after your signature at the bottom of the letter.
7. Formal letters do not need to be broken into paragraphs. It is acceptable to write them as one
continuous paragraph.

NGA PART A: 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. B 11. A PART B: 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. T 7. F

HUONG PART A: 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. C 8. B 9. B 10. B 11. A PART 4: 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. T 7. T

MR. THANH SON PART A: 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. B 11. B PART B: 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. F 6. F 7. F

KEY:

PART A.

1. B (the most acceptable beginning in British formal letters) 2. A 3. C (/ would like to… is a common way of beginning a letter in many situations, e.g., complaining, applying for a job, asking for information. It is also possible to say / am writing to…) 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. A (we can also say Thank you for your attention to this matter) 8. C (we can also use I refer to letters and phone calls you have received: I refer to your call of 12 March) 9. B 10. B (Best wishes is used with more informal letters) 11. A

PART B.<!–[if !mso]> <! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } –>

1. False. Formal letters should be as brief and to the point as possible. 2. False. 3. False 4. False. It is not necessary to include your name 5. True (In some countries, writing abbreviated dates could be confusing. In Britain, 1/4/00 is the 1 April. In the USA it is the 4 January). 6. True 7. False. (A letter which is not broken into paragraphs can be difficult and confusing to read. You should have at least three paragraphs: Paragraph 1: explaining why you are writing. Paragraph 2+: details. Final paragraph: action to be taken - e.g., ‘I look forward to hearing from you soon’)

Vocabulary 2 – Changes

Look at the pairs of sentences in 1-20 and choose a verb from the box which can be used with both sentences. In some cases, the meaning of the verb may change slightly. Then use a dictionary to find other objects which can be used with the verbs.

adapt • adjust • alter • cure • demote • disappear • dissolve exchange • expand • fade • increase • promote reduce • renew renovate • replace • swell • switch • transform • vary

1. We need to________these cars so disabled people can drive them.

The country found it hard to_________._______to the new government.

Huong: renovate

2. If the trousers are too tight, take them back to the shop and ask them to_________them.

He found it hard to ____________to living in a tropical country.

Huong: replace

3. You must__________the voltage or the system will blow up.

He decided to________his appearance by having plastic surgery.

Huong: transform

4. Our bills will be less if we________from gas to electricity.

They had to_________flights at Heathrow Airport.

H: switch

5. You can’t_________the terms of the contract once it has been signed.

He wants to________his appearance.

H: vary

6. It will help your digestion if you_________your diet

Prices of flats____________from a few thousand to millions of pounds.

H: swell

7. We need to__________our pounds for dollars.

You can usually_____________goods which are faulty if you show the receipt.

H: exchange

8. We have had to_______ our sales force to cope with the extra demand.

Water will________when it is frozen.

H: dissolve

9. The price of oil will________next year.

Most bosses refuse to______salaries when they are asked.

H: increase

10. The management decided to_______the company and sell the offices.

The sugar__________ in boiling water.

H: adjust

11. More and more people are moving to cities to________the population there.

The wasp sting caused his leg to__________up.

H: alter

12.The market for typewriters will probably______ completely in the next few years.

The police are baffled by the increasing number of people who______each year.

H: disappear

13. The old contract ran out and we had to_______it.

Many people argue that it’s futile to________________old hostilities.

H: expand

14. They have received funds to____________the old buildings.

We need to__________the central heating as it is old and worn out.

H: renew

15. The boss offered to_________him from salesman to manager.

Our main aim is to_______ tourism in the country.

H: promote

16. They wanted to______me from manager to salesperson.

If we________you, you will lose a large part of your salary.

H: demote

17. If you wash it too much, the colour will______________.

We watched the islands away into the distance.

H: fade

18. The company decided to______,_____the permanent staff with freelancers.

You must______the books on the shelf when you have finished with them.

H: adapt

19. The doctors were unable to_______her illness.

_____________the meat in salt water for between three and five days.

H: cure

20. Governments are trying to________________ pollution.

The best way to save money is to_______________the number of staff.

H: reduce

NGA:

1. adjust 2. alter 3. renew 4. switch 5. transform

6. vary 7. exchange 8. expand 9. increase 10. dissolve

11. swell 12. disappear 13. adapt 14. renovate 15. promote

16. demote 17. fade 18. replace 19. cure 20. reduce

Huong:

1. renovate. 2. replace.3. transform. 4. switch. 5.vary. 6. swell

7. exchange. 8. dissolve. 9. increase. 10. adjust. 11. alter. 12. disappear

13. expand. 14. renew. 15. promote. 16. demote. 17. fade. 18. adapt

19. cure. 20. reduce

Key

1. adapt 2. adjust 3. transform 4. switch 5. alter 6. vary 7. exchange 8, expand 9. increase 10. dissolve
11. swell 12. disappear 13. renew 14. renovate 15. promote (in the second sentence, promote means to make
sure people know about something by advertising it) 16. demote 17. fade 18. replace 19. cure (in the second
sentence, cure means to preserve meat or fish by putting it in salt) 20. reduce

Vocabulary 1 – Condition

Vocabulary 1 – Condition

1. Look at these sentences, they all use “if”. Rewrite each sentence, replacing “if” with the words in italic. You may need remove some of these other words

1. You can borrow my dictionary if you return it before you go

Providing that

2. You can’t go to university if you don’t have good grades.

Unless

3. Pollution will get worse if we continue to live in a throwaway society

As long as

4. Many developed countries are willing to raise the third world debt if the money is reinvested in education and medicine.

On condition that

5. Some countries will never able to rectify their deficits even if they work very hard.

No matter how

6. Computers are difficult things to understand, even if you read a lot of books about them.

However many

7. Crime is a problem, even if you go to relatively safe countries.

Wherever

1. Complete these sentences using an appropriate word or expression from above and your own ideas.

1. British universities will accept students from abroad………………………………………………..

2. Working for a large company can be a fulfilling experience………………………………….

3. Most banks are happy to lend customers money………………………………………………

4. The government will reduce income tax………………………………………………………………

5. The environment situation will continue to worsen………………………………………………………..

6. There will always be long waiting lists at our hospitals……………………………………….

7. Traveling helps you understand more about the world around you……………………………………………..

I. HUONG – Vocabulary 1:

1. Look at these sentences, they all use “if”. Rewrite each sentence, replacing “if” with the words in italic. You may need remove some of these other words

1. Providing that you return my dictionary before you go, you can borrow it.

2. Unless you have good grades, you can’t go to university.

3. As long as we continue to live in a throwaway society, pollution will get worse.

4. On condition that money is reinvested in education and medicine, many developed countries are willing to raise the third world debt.

5. No matter how hard they work, some countries will never able to rectify their deficits.

6. However many books about computers you read, they are still difficult for you to understand.

7. Wherever you go, crime is a problem.

1. Complete these sentences using an appropriate word or expression from above and your own ideas.

1. British universities will accept students from abroad if they meet its requirements of finance, certification and English score.

2. Working for a large company can be a fulfilling experience if you lack of experiences.

3. Most banks are happy to lend customers money if customers can demonstrate their refund ability.

4. The government will reduce income tax if the economy slows down.

5. The environment situation will continue to worsen if human doesn’t apply environment protection action.

6. There will always be long waiting lists at our hospitals if any road accident in our town happened.

7. Travelling helps you understand more about the world around you if you pay your attention to observe.

II. NGA

A.

1. Providing that you return my dictionary before you go home, you can borrow it.

2. Unless you have grades, you can’t go to university.

3. As long as we didn’t continue to live in a throwaway society, pollution wouldn’t get worse.

4. On condition that the money is reinvested in education and medicine, many developed countries are willing to waive the Third World debt.

5. No matter how hard  they work, some countries will never be able to rectify their deficits.

6. However many books you read about computers, they are difficult things to understand.

7. Wherever you go, crime is a problem.

B.

1. British universities will accept students from abroad if they get mark 6.5 on the IELTS exam.

2. Working for a large company can be a fulfilling experience as long as you have to work very hard.

3. Most banks are happy to lend customers money on condition that customers are able to return it.

4. The government will reduce income tax if many firms meet difficulties on their business.

5. The environment situation will continue to worsen unless we don’t continue to throwaway many kinds of rubbish into environment.

6. There will always be long waiting lists at our hospitals, even if you go to relatively safe countries.

7. Traveling helps you understand more about the world around you, even if it will take you more time and money than the other ways.

Theory of Reading Skills

Source: English Time

READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

Skill 1: Main Idea Questions

Skill 2: Stated Detail Questions

Skill 3: Find “Unstated” Details

Skill 4: Implied Detail Questions

Skill 5: Vocabulary In Context Questions

Skill 6: “Where” Question

1 – Skill 1: MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

Almost every reading passage will have a multiple-choice question about the main idea of a passage. Such a question may be worded in a variety of ways; you may, for example, be asked to identify the topic, subject, title, primary idea, or main idea. It is relatively easy to find the main ideas by studying the topic sentences, which are most probably found at the beginning of each paragraph.

If a passage consists of only one paragraph, you should study the beginning of that paragraph to determine the main idea.

Example

The passage:

Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical education instructor in Springfield, Massachusetts, by the name of James Naismith. Because of terrible weather in winter, his physical education students were indoors rather than outdoors. They really did not like the idea of boring, repetitive exercises and preferred the excitement and challenge of a game. Naismith figured out a team sport that could be played indoors on a gymnasium floor, that involved a lot of running, that kept all team members involved, and that did not allow the tackling and physical contact of American­ style football.

The question:

What is the topic of this passage?

A. The life of James Naismith

B. The history of sports

C. Physical education and exercise

D. The origin of basketball

The first sentence of this passage states that basketball was invented, so the invention of bas­ketball is probably the topic. A quick check of the rest of the sentences in the passage confirms that the topic is, in fact, the beginnings of the sport of basketball. Now you should check each of the answers to determine which one comes closest to the topic that you have determined. Answer A. mentions James Naismith but not basketball, so it is not the topic. Answer B. is too general; it mentions sports but does not mention basketball. Answer C. is also too general; it mentions physical education but does not mention basketball. The best answer is therefore answer D.: the origin of basketball means that the way that basketball was invented is going to be discussed.

If a passage consists of more than one paragraph, you should study the beginning of each paragraph to determine the main idea. In a passage with more than one paragraph, you should be sure to read the first sentence of each paragraph to determine the subject, topic, title, or main idea.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about main idea questions.

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTION	What is the topic of the passage? What is the subject of the passage? What is the main idea of the passage? What is the author’s main point in the passage? With what is the author primarily concerned? Which of the following would be the best title?
WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER	The answer to this type of question can generally be determined by looking at the first sentence of each paragraph.
HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION	1. Read the first line of each paragraph. 2. Look for a common theme or idea in the first lines. 3. Pass your eyes quickly over the rest of the passage to check that you have really found the topic sentence(s). 4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the best answer from the remaining choices.

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