Choose a word from the box below to complete each sentence.

aunt boyfriend
brother
businessman colleague
cousin dad flatmate
friend
gran housewife
neighbor
sister teenager
uncle waiter
1. My little is very annoying, but I love him!
2. I share my apartment with another girl. My is Spanish, and her name is
Carla.
3. My parents are both from Delhi, in India. My is a doctor.
4. My mum is a and doesn't work.
5. I don't have any brothers or sisters but my aunt has two children. I'm very close to my
6. James and I work together. We're
Place the following words with their opposites in the box below. There are some examples to help you.
impatient
mean plain stupid
unfit uncaring
strict untidy
patient
clever
attractive
fit
generous
easy-going
neat caring
Complete the sentences with an adjective from the above exercise.
1. Don't worry. I can wait for you. I'm
2. She plays football and tennis, and she swims. She's so
3. My uncle never gives me anything. He's so
4. My sister is five and she is fantastic at maths. She's so
5. You're not interested in me. You are so
6. Kelly's an girl, with long hair and lovely eyes, but Jane's a
bit. However, Jane is very , and looks after her
friends.
Correct the mistakes in the following questions.
1. Why you like him?
2. You have been waiting how long?
3. You did like Kerry's new boyfriend?
4. When you met your wife?
5. How you make that delicious spaghetti dish?
6. From where you are?
Make sentences and questions using the words in brackets.
1. (go / I/ to the cinema / often) at the weekend?
2.

(you / often / how / visit / do) your grandparents?

3. (go / twice a week / they / to the local gym)

4. (two or three times a year / meet up with / I / my old school friends)
5. (you / need to speak English / sometimes / do) at work?
6. (quite often / visits / David / his sister) in Toronto.
7. (hear / I / Rachel / sometimes / arguing) with her flatmate.
8. (hardly ever / Wendy / see / I) any more.

Choose a suitable word from the box below to complete the sentences.
spend
human
keeps
plays
paints
family
1. Laura a diary of all the important things that happen to her each day.
2. Everyone is selfish sometimes; it's part of nature!
3. The newspaper reportan awful picture of children's behaviour In the
classroom, but this is not always true.
4. I often time fishing with my grandfather at the weekend.
5. Mandy and John are both musical. Mandy the piano and John the
classroom.
6. At weekends, I enjoy walking in the mountains with friends and
READING:
THIS WEEKS TOP TWO WRITERS
The writer, Alexander McCall Smith was born to Scottish parents in Rnodesia, now Zimbabwe, in 1948.
He grew up there, and then moved to Scotland to study law at the University of Edinburgh. Returning to
Africa, he taught law at the University of Botswana for a number of years. During this time, he noticed the
warmth and kindness of the people of Botswana. He now lives in Scotland with his wife, Elizabeth, and two
daughters, Lucy and Emily. Although he travels widely as a writer, his favourite activities include spending
time at home with his family, cooking for family and friends and playing the bassoon in the Really Terrible
Orchestra.
McCall Smith has written many books, including children stories, but is best-known for his books about
a lady detective in Botswana Mma Ramotswe, a lady 'of traditional build', likes drinking bush tea and
helping people. So, she opens the Number One Ladies Detective Agency, and does just that. There been
several books about her, end each one shows the gentle, funny, and mostly good side of human nature: the
side the writer sees in the people of Botswana.
Aravind Adiga was born in southeastern India, the son of a doctor, and grew up In Mangalore and
Australia. He studied English Literature at Columbia University in New York and Magdalen College,
Oxford. After that Adiga became a journalist with the Financial Times. He also worked for Time magazine
in India and other parts of Asia. After deciding to stay in Mumbai, he wrote a book called The White Tiger,
which won an important literary award, the Man Booker prize, in 2008.
The book follows the story of its main character, Balram Halwai, who starts life as a servant in modern
India, and finally becomes a successful businessman. As he tells his story, Balram shows the reader a part of
India that we don't usually see, and the reality of life for the Indian poor. The book paints a picture that is
both shocking and powerful. It shows us how difficult it is for many poor people to find a better life in
modern India.
ARAVIND ADIGA
How did Adiga, who is from a comfortable middle-class family, create such a realistic story about
the poor? He says that as a journalist he travelled widely, and spent a lot of time talking with poor people at
railway stations. He kept a diary of those conversations, and used his notes to build the character of Balram.
Read the article again. Decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. Alexander McCall Smith grew up in Scotland.
2. He taught at the University of Botswana.
3. He thinks the people of Botswana are mean.
4. Aravind Adiga lives and works in America.
5. His book has won an award.
6. Both writers write about the goodness in people.
GRAMMAR Similarities and contrasts
Complete the sentences with both, neither, all, none, whereas or but.
1. Sally and Ginny enjoy going to the cinema.
2. Sally's favourite actor is Brad Pitt Ginny prefers Clive Owen.
3. Ralph and I like playing sport, but of us likes
watching it on TV!

4. of my friends are Linkin Park fans. We're going to their concert in

September!
5. Jane and I are a little lazyof us likes tidying up our room!
6. of us is very patient. We get frustrated easily and
shout a lot!
7. The two are very different. Zach is very outgoing and friendly. Kevin is
rather shy.
8. My gran's very practical and makes thingsGrandad's rather careless and
breaks them!
Match the adjectives (1-6) with the definitions (a-f).
1. determined
a
always says what he / she thinks
2. patient
b
able to think carefully and make good decisions
3. wise
c
not strict
4. soft
d
doesn't get angry easily
5. open
e
expects people to do what he / she says
6. strict
f
tries very hard to do something well
Complete the sentences with a suitable word or phrase from exercise B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Steve's very . and doesn't allow his children much freedom.

My uncle's I always go to him for advice when I have a problem.
Dad's really .. and I can always get what I want from him.
Joe's to pass his exam this time, and is working really hard.
Tina's .. She always tells you what she really thinks.
Helen's a really ... teacher. I've never seen her shout at her students.

PREPOSITIONS
Complete the sentences with the correct preposition.
1. Are you close your Sister?
2. My best friend lives the house next door.
3. I have three cousins .my father's side.
4. All of my family are good sport.
5. I'm not really patient small children.
6. Teenagers often argue . their parents.
Choose the correct preposition
1. Children should treat their parents with /of respect.
2. It's usually a bit messy at / in my bedroom.
3. She doesn't have a lot of confidence to / in herself.
4. I usually go to my father for / on advice.
5. I got my blond hair from / by my mother.
6. I live by / with my best friend from high school.
Complete the sentences with adjectives formed from the nouns.
mess dirt
health spice luck
1. Do you like food?
2. Americans think the number 13 is
3. My sister is tidy but I'm
4. My car needs a wash. It's very
5. She's
because she smokes.
Complete the sentences with the correct verb. Look up the verbs if you need help.
play keep take give has
put
1. I swim twice a week to fit.
2. She's in her eighties but she still her health.
3. I need to make a call. It won't long.
4. Parents a lot of pressure on children these days.

5. Teachers part in child development.

6. Please generously to animal charities.
Complete the sentences with the adjectives. Look up the adjectives if you need help.
good
open close lucky bad
great
1. I've known her for many years. We're . friends.
2. We're .to be alive after that car accident.
3. I had an .discussion with my teacher.
4. I was always in trouble for .behaviour at school.
5. He exercises, so he's in .health.
6. My sister's wedding was a .success.
PHRASAL VERBS
Choose the correct word to complete the phrasal verb.
1. Please put the dishes out / away after using them.
2. I passed my cold over/ onto my family.
3. My mother works and my father looks into /after the children.
4. I'm moving out / by of my old house into a new one.
5. It's difficult to get out / up of bed in the winter!
6. She gets by / on well with her classmates.
Put the verb in brackets in the correct form (to + infinitive or -ing).
1. I'm really tired but I need to keep . (go)
2. My brother was angry and started .at me. (shout)
3. My sister tried .me with my homework. (help)
4. My father told us to stop . (argue)
5. I'm going .My cousin next week. (visit)
6. You can't drive after .alcohol. (drink)