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Exercises Explanation Downloads Course

A2 Reading Test

Read about the benefits of the nuts below. Which nut would you recommend to each of these people? Match each person with a nut, using the list provided at the end of the page. Each nut can only be used once.

The benefits of nuts

A. CASHEWS

Gold-medal winning Olympic sprinter Kelly Holmes says she ate a bag of these wonder nuts after every race to help her recover. They're packed with zinc - brilliant for your immune system.

B. PISTACHIOS

Tony Blair's favourite, these cut cholesterol and are rich in vitamins B and E - great for glowing skin.

C. BRAZIL NUTS

A study from the University of Illinois suggests brazils might help prevent breast cancer, thanks to their high selenium content. They give you an energy buzz, too.

D. ALMONDS

These are real heart savers, as they are rich in a form of vitamin E called alphatocopherol, which lowers your risk of cardiac disease.

E. MACADAMIAS

University of Hawaii found that people who ate high-fat macadamias had the same cholesterol levels as those on a low-fat diet.

F. WALNUTS

If you are worried about diabetes or cholesterol you should stock up on walnuts. They are full of alpha linoleic acid, which boosts your "good" cholesterol and stops fatty deposits from sticking to arteries.

From EOI Comunidad de Aragon

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The benefits of nuts - A2 English reading test - Test-English

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A2 Reading comprehension test. Read the following text about the benefits of nuts and chose the correct answers for the questions.

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Halloween (also referred to as All Hollows’ Eve) is a holiday that’s celebrated in America on 31 October of each year, regardless of what day of the week this date falls on. Although it is rooted in religion, Halloween today is enjoyed mainly because of its decorations, costumes, candy, treats, and…

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A2 Reading Test

Read a letter about accommodation and for questions 1 to 10, choose the correct option.

Accommodation

To: Ellie Crest

Subject: Surfing Holiday

Hi Ellie,

I'm so pleased you can come surfing in August! Paul, Rose and Kevin are coming too, so there will be five of us. We've decided to return to New Sands for a couple of days, because the surf board hire is so cheap there.

I'm starting to think about accommodation. We won't camp again after last year! I hated staying in a tent in all that rain!

Kevin wants to hire a caravan. There are some nice ones with 3 bedrooms, showers and cooking facilities. The problem is, none of the caravan parks take short bookings in the summer. The minimum stay is a week. It's a shame because there are several nice parks near the beach.

There's a hostel for young people in New Sands. It's the cheapest option after camping, and there's a big kitchen and dining room where we can cook. The problem is, accommodation is in dormitories and I don't really want to sleep with strangers.

There are a few guest houses in New Sands. Some have triple rooms, so we only need to book two rooms. We'll have to book soon if we choose that option, because many guest houses are already full. The hotels in New Sands are too expensive, although I'd love to stay at the Sunrise Pavilion with its large pool!

The final option is to rent a cottage. I found one. It has three bedrooms - a double, a single and a twin, so two of us would have to share a bed! There's a big kitchen diner with a microwave, washing machine and dishwasher. The living room has a TV and DVD player. There's just one bathroom, but there's a separate WC. There's a nice garden too. The problem is, it's 5 miles from the beach.

Let me know which option you prefer.

Cheers,

Natalie

From EOI Principado de Asturias

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Accommodation - A2 English reading test - Test-English

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A2 Reading comprehension test. Read the following text about accommodation and chose the correct answers for the questions.

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The importance of friends

Friends come in all shapes and sizes. They may be someone we met as a child, a classmate at school, someone we met at work or through other friends. They may be friends who live at a distance in another country or virtual friends we've made online. Whoever they are, however we met them, there is a special connection based on a shared history and interests, enjoying doing things together or simply talking and understanding each other. Friends are there to help us at difficult times and to celebrate the good times. Doctors say that friends are very important for both our physical and mental health at all stages in life.

Declaring an international Friendship Day

But friends are not only important on an individual level. Friendship can also be important on a global level. Friendships that cross borders can help bring peace and avoid war. Learning to think of other people, people who are different from us, as our friends helps us work together to build a culture of peace. That's why the UN declared 30 July as its official International Day of Friendship.

The origins of the day

An international celebration was first suggested by the World Friendship Crusade. This organisation was founded by Dr Ramón Artemio Bracho and his friends in Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, in 1958. They wanted to support the power of friendship and its importance in creating a culture of peace. So, in the same year, they decided to celebrate Friendship Week in Puerto Pinasco and other places in Paraguay. The following year, they repeated the week and finished on 30 July, which they declared as Friendship Day. From there, celebrations of friendship grew and spread across the Americas, then the world, and eventually the UN declared an International Day of Friendship in 2011.

Friendship Days around the world

The International Day of Friendship on 30 July is not the only day celebrating friendship around the world. A number of countries, such as Paraguay, also celebrate on 30 July, but other countries have different dates. For example, Argentina, Brazil and Spain celebrate Friend's Day on 20 July, while in India and the US, they celebrate it on the first Sunday in August. In Finland and Estonia, Friendship Day is celebrated on the same day as Valentine's Day, 14 February.

What do people do on the International Day of Friendship?

Wherever it's celebrated, the celebrations are very similar. Friends meet up to spend time together. They may eat out or have a meal at home. They give each other small gifts: books, flowers, simple jewellery such as a friendship band (a simple bracelet). Some people send each other cards and greetings online. Whatever form the celebration takes, the spirit is the same - to remember the importance of friends and the power of friendship.

Discussion

Language level

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July 30 is the United Nations International Day of Friendship. Read about the importance of friendship and find out why the UN decided to give it a special day.

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Henry the Cat Detective is a short story for English learners. Here you can learn English through stories and practice listening to English at the same time.

Are you ready? Let's start!

Video

Story

Henry the cat is a detective. He is the best detective in town, and he knows it. One day, a woman comes to his house with a mystery for him to solve.

Her cat went missing, and she needs Henry's help to find him! Henry is always happy to help. But he is not happy to show it...

He yawns and stretches as the woman starts talking, looking disinterested. But as she describes her missing cat, Henry's ears perk up and he leans in, suddenly interested.

The woman mentions that her cat, Mr. Parker, went missing exactly after she saw a gray cat in her backyard. Henry knows only one gray cat in the neighborhood, and that's his worst enemy, Simon the cat. Could Simon have something to do with this mystery?

Henry tells the woman he'll take on the case. The woman wipes a tear from her eye, relieved, and gives Henry a warm smile. Henry may not show it, but he's actually quite excited to solve this mystery.

He immediately sets off to Simon's house. He knows that Simon is up to something - he can just feel it. And sure enough, when he gets there, he finds Simon hiding in the bushes, with an incriminating piece of evidence - an orange cat fur, just like Mr. Parker's!

"Gotcha!" Henry says, triumphantly. Simon looks at Henry, and barely moves a muscle, but there is no guilt in his eyes. "That's odd!" Henry thinks to himself. He can tell that Simon is hiding something. But what?

"Where is Mr. Parker?" he asks Simon.

"Safe and sound," Simon says casually. "He's in my garden by the pool!"

"What exactly are you hiding? I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm not hiding anything," Simon says, trying to sound convincing.

"Oh really?" Henry says, stepping closer to Simon. "Because I think you are. Now tell me what's going on, or I'll tell everyone about your little secret."

Although Henry is unaware of any secrets Simon may have, he takes a chance and it ends up working!

"Ok, ok! I'll tell you," Simon says, defeated. "I saw Mr. Parker trying to catch a fish and I knew he would never be able to do it. So I helped him."

"Helped him how?" Henry asks, looking confused for the first time.

"I showed him how to fish," Simon says, with a small smile. Then he explains further: "I've been teaching all the cats in the neighborhood how to fish. It's a lot of fun, and it's a great way to get food! The other cats completed their training and went home. Mr. Parker, on the other hand, was extremely diligent. He refused to go home until he caught his first fish by himself. So I let him stay in my garden. It has a pool full of fish for him to practice."

Henry is surprised. He had no idea that Simon was such a cool cat! He thanks Simon for his help, and the two of them part ways as friends.

Henry informs the woman that her cat is safe and sound, and even learning how to fish. She is overjoyed, and Henry feels happy to have solved another mystery. He is pleased to continue his role as the town's cat detective.

He knows that he can always count on himself to be the best detective around. "Everyone is so lucky to have me..." Henry thinks to himself as he sighs and falls asleep.

THE END

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English Short Story: Henry the Cat Detective | Really Learn English

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Henry the Cat Detective is a short story for English learners. Here you can learn English through stories and practice listening to English at the same time. Are you ready? Let's start! Table of Contents VideoStoryPractice Video Story Henry the cat is a detective. He is the best detective in town, and he knows it.

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Read an article about how people at different ages use computers and smartphones to practise and improve your reading skills.

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Amy normally hated Monday mornings, but this year was different. Kamal was in her art class and she liked Kamal. She was waiting outside the classroom when her friend Tara arrived.

"Hi Amy! Your mum sent me a text. You forgot your inhaler. Why don't you turn your phone on?" Amy didn't like technology. She never sent text messages and she hated Facebook too.

"Did Kamal ask you to the disco?" Tara was Amy's best friend, and she wanted to know everything that was happening in Amy's life. "I don't think he likes me," said Amy. "And I never see him alone. He's always with Grant." Amy and Tara didn't like Grant.

"Do you know about their art project?" asked Amy. "It's about graffiti, I think," said Tara. "They're working on it at the old house behind the factory." "But that building is dangerous," said Amy. "Aah, are you worried he's going to get hurt?" Tara teased. "Shut up, Tara! Hey look, here they come!"

Kamal and Grant arrived. "Hi Kamal!" said Tara. "Are you going to the Halloween disco tomorrow?" "Yes. Hi Amy," Kamal said, smiling. "Do you want to come and see our paintings after school?" "I'm coming too!" Tara insisted.

After school, Kamal took the girls to the old house. It was very old and very dirty too. There was rubbish everywhere. The windows were broken and the walls were damp. It was scary. Amy didn't like it. There were paintings of zombies and skeletons on the walls. "We're going to take photos for the school art competition," said Kamal. Amy didn't like it but she didn't say anything. "Where's Grant?" asked Tara. "Er, he's buying more paint." Kamal looked away quickly. Tara thought he looked suspicious. "It's getting dark, can we go now?" said Amy. She didn't like zombies.

Then, they heard a loud noise coming from a cupboard in the corner of the room. "What's that?" Amy was frightened. "I didn't hear anything," said Kamal. Something was making strange noises. There was something inside the cupboard. "Oh no! What is it?" Amy was very frightened now. "What do you mean? There's nothing there!" Kamal was trying not to smile. Suddenly the door opened with a bang and a zombie appeared, shouting and moving its arms. Amy screamed and covered her eyes. "Oh very funny, Grant!" said Tara looking bored. Kamal and Grant started laughing. "Ha ha, you were frightened!" said Grant. "Do you like my zombie costume?" Amy took Tara's arm. "I can't breathe," she said. Kamal looked worried now. "Is she OK? It was only a joke." "No she's not OK, you idiot. She's having an asthma attack and she forgot her inhaler." Tara took out her phone. "I'm calling her dad."

Next evening was Halloween. The girls were at the school disco. "Are you better now?" asked Tara. "I'm fine," said Amy. "I think it was the smell of paint that started the attack." Tara looked around. "So, where are the zombies?" "I don't know, I don't want to see Kamal again," said Amy. "Come on, let's dance!"

Amy and Tara were dancing when Grant arrived, looking worried. "Hi, someone stole my phone. Have you seen Kamal? He said he was coming here at eight o'clock. Can you phone him?" "Go away, idiot!" Tara didn't stop dancing. Grant looked upset. "Tell him I'm looking for him," he called as he left the disco. Tara really didn't like Grant.

Just then, Tara's phone rang. She looked at it. "Ha!" she said, "I don't believe it!" "What is it?" asked Amy. "Kamal just sent a text to everyone. Listen!" Tara read out Kamal's message.
"I'm at the house. I can't move. Please call an ambulance. My battery is running out."
The girls didn't stop dancing. Lots of their friends saw Kamal's message too, but Tara told everyone it was just a joke. They all ignored it.

The next morning, Amy's mum and dad were listening to the radio. "Is Amy up yet?" Dad asked. "No, she's tired," said mum, turning the volume up on the radio.
"This morning, police are investigating the death of a sixteen-year-old boy. He died last night in a disused house on Moortown Road..."
Dad put down his newspaper. "But that's where Amy went with her friends."
"...They found the body early this morning. His name was Kamal Naseer..." Brendan Dunne

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Amy normally hated Monday mornings, but this year was different. Kamal was in her art class and she liked Kamal. She was waiting outside the classroom when her friend Tara arrived. "Hi Amy! Your mum sent me a text. You forgot your inhaler. Why don't you turn your phone on?"

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The ESL meeting someone new reading comprehension passage on this page will help you understand the vocabulary and phrases you might need when first meeting someone or introducing yourself.

The passage below has 4 people introducing themselves to each other when they first all meet while at a special class. There are then 5 questions for you to answer by reading the passage and choosing the correct option.

If you need help understanding the passage you can look at the meeting someone new vocabulary or phrases presented on another page.

ESL Meeting Someone New Reading Comprehension Passage

Good morning, I would like to introduce myself. My name is David Johnson and it is nice to meet you. I come from near Cambridge. I live in a small village that is close to the city of Cambridge. I am 20 years old. I am studying history at university and work in a shop at the weekends. I have one brother and one sister. They are both older than me. My sister is 26 years old and my brother is 22 years old. They have both graduated from university and work in London.

Hi, my name is Lucy Spalding and it is great to meet you all. I am really excited to see so many people. I am 24 years old and am an only child. I come from Newcastle, which is in the North of England and a long way away from here. My mother is a teacher and my father works in an office. I finished a degree in Media Studies last year and am unemployed at the moment. I want to move to London to find work sometime.

Hello, it is nice to see you all. I'm Elaine. I come from Cardiff and it is great to be here to meet you all in Reading. I am 42 years old. I am married to my husband, Richard, and have two children. One son called Andrew who is 18 years old and one daughter who is 16 years old and called Tracy. I work in a supermarket and my husband is a police office. My son wants to study computing at university while my daughter wants to become a singer.

Good morning. It is pleasure to meet my. Please let me introduce myself to you. I am Hamid and I come from Pakistan. My home town is Islamabad, the capital city. I am 19 years old and have come to the UK to study English. I will stay here for one year. I want to learn a lot. My family is big. I have 3 brothers and 1 sister. I am the oldest and my sister, the youngest, is 11 years old. My father works as a government official and my mother is a housewife. I want to learn English so I can get a good job. I do not work as I spend all my time studying.

ESL Meeting Someone New Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension questions that go with the above reading passage.

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esl meeting someone new reading comprehension

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ESL Meeting Someone New Reading Comprehension

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The ESL meeting someone new reading comprehension passage on this page will help you understand the vocabulary and phrases you might need when first meeting someone or introducing yourself. The passage below has 4 people introducing themselves to each other when they first all meet while at a special class.

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Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies dipped in white chocolate and covered in peppermint candies. So perfect for the holidays!

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Kate looked around the room at the other people: ten men and ten women all around the same age.

'Thank you for coming today and offering your time to help with our research! Limeren, the medicine we're testing, is in the final stage of testing. Previous human trials have shown us that Limeren is completely safe ...'

Kate stopped paying attention. She'd read the information the medical research company had sent her, so she knew that Limeren had already been approved for sale and that they were not testing to see if there were side effects. She didn't know any of the other people in the group. She guessed that none of them had jobs either or they wouldn't be earning money by testing medicine. But otherwise it was impossible to know if she had anything in common with any of them. She hoped so, or four days in the research centre would feel like a very long time.

'... as side effects, we know that some people experience stronger emotions and a feeling of general happiness,' the head researcher said. 'We'll be interviewing each of you and doing tests during the day and night. So if you can all sign the forms, we can start.'

Kate signed her form without reading the information. Hopefully, this was going to be a very easy way to make money.

'I hope the food's better than last time,' said the guy sitting next to her as he gave in his form.

Kate smiled.

'I'm Michael.'

'Kate,' she said. 'Have you been here before?'

'I do these trials as often as they'll let me!' He laughed. 'It's such an easy way to make money!'

She smiled back. Here was someone she had something in common with.

...

A few hours later, Kate was eating dinner. She had taken her second Limeren tablet before dinner. She was feeling really relaxed. Maybe it was the vitamins, or maybe it was just because she had so much free time and there was nothing she needed to do. There were books to read, films to watch and even board games and puzzles. At home, she had to send out job applications. Or she had to go to stressful job interviews. After more than twenty applications she still didn't have a job.

She looked up and saw Michael smiling at her. 'Do you want to play a board game?' he asked. His eyes were really dark brown, Kate thought. She hadn't noticed that earlier. She felt her cheeks go red. 'Sure,' she replied. 'But I like to win,' she warned.

'Perfect,' he said. 'Me too!'

Was it her imagination or did his cheeks look a bit pink too?

...

For the next two days, Kate and Michael spent hours and hours playing games, chatting and watching films.

'I feel as if I've known you for months, not days,' she said. She already knew he lived nearby, that he was a student studying for his PhD and that he had dimples in his cheeks when he smiled and a cute way of putting a pen behind his ear when he was reading. She wasn't sure, but she thought he was trying to sit next to her for meals and spend time with her whenever he could. Or maybe she was the one who was always looking for him.

'So, do you think you're feeling any side effects?' he asked her one evening. They were sitting on the sofa, watching a film. Michael's knee was almost touching her leg, and if his hand moved just a little, it would be touching hers. Her heart beat faster and all she could think about was being near enough for his skin to touch hers. Her face was red again, she knew it.

'Any what?' she asked, trying to concentrate on their conversation instead.

'The side effects of Limeren that they told us about at the presentation,' he said, moving his hand away. Her skin immediately felt cold, as if his hand had been making the air between them warm.

'Oh, I wasn't really listening,' she said. 'We still get paid anyway, don't we?'

And then he did it. He moved his hand so that it covered hers. A nice feeling travelled all the way through her fingers and across her skin. She turned her hand over and held his hand. He smiled and moved his face towards hers.

'Can everyone come and get their next Limeren, please?' called a nurse. Michael dropped her hand and followed the rest of the group to the nurse's room. Kate couldn't remember ever feeling so happy.

...

'Thank you everyone for taking part. You're now free to go,' the head researcher said the next morning as the trial ended. 'Any side effects will disappear over the next few days. If you have felt any strong feelings, and happiness, those feelings will decrease. Fortunately, we don't expect anyone to become depressed. However, we will keep in touch with all of you in the next few days to make sure everything is fine.'

'We can have our first date now,' Michael said to Kate. 'Breakfast?'

Over breakfast, they talked and talked. Kate knew she was in love. It was stupid, but it was true. Michael said it first.

'I can't believe I met you. I've never felt like this about anyone before.'

'This does feel amazing,' Kate said. But she had been worried about something since the beginning of the trial. She hadn't wanted to think about it but now she had to ask him a serious question.

'You don't think ...?'

'What?'

'What if it's the Limeren making us feel like this? What was it he said about strong feelings?'

'There's only one way to find out!' he said. 'If you don't want to be my girlfriend any more after a few days, we'll know it was just the Limeren.'

She smiled at the word 'girlfriend.' 'Maybe your side effects will go away first!'

'Maybe!' He laughed. 'But I don't think so. This feels real to me.'

'Me too,' she said.

...

Four months later

A few months later, Kate was thinking about the beginning of their relationship. She had to admit, nothing could ever be as perfect as those first days together. Real life had to start again. She got a job a few days after the trial ended. Michael went back to the library and his books and research projects. She didn't have to worry about money any more but they could no longer spend all day, every day together. They were no longer at that exciting stage of falling in love. But they saw each other when they could and they met each other's parents. Everyone expected them to get married. When he finally asked her to marry him, she felt that old excitement again.

...

Three years later

'I really don't have time for this!' Kate shouted. She hated doing the weekly shopping. Why couldn't he do it?

'Fine, I'll go then,' she said, closing the door hard so that it made a loud noise.

Kate felt as if these kinds of arguments were happening more often. As she walked around the supermarket, she thought about how they'd been before, when they were in love. 'Can it ever feel like that again?' she wondered.

Walking into the health section, she recognised a word on a box of medicine. Limeren. The vitamin's name reminded her of a special time, a time when she was really crazy about Michael. She picked up a box and put it in her basket.

...

When she got home, Michael was already in bed so she ate dinner alone, taking her Limeren with a big glass of water. The next morning, she woke up early as usual, but instead of jumping straight in the shower, she joined Michael downstairs for breakfast.

'Good morning!' she said. To her surprise, she suddenly wanted to kiss him on the cheek. So she did, and sat down next to him at the table. He was eating in front of a big pile of books, looking cute with a pen behind his ear. 'What are you doing?'

'I'm applying for money for my next research project,' he said.

'Oh, good luck! What's the project about?'

After breakfast, she thought how nice it had been to see him talking about something he cared about. She'd forgotten how cute his dimples were when he smiled, she thought. Or maybe she hadn't seen him smile much recently. Anyway, she decided to have breakfast with him every day, since it had been such a lovely start to the day. It couldn't hurt to make a bit more effort, could it?

...

Two years later

The baby hadn't stopped crying for two hours, but now her little face was peaceful as she slept. Kate felt annoyed. Where was Michael? She went downstairs and found him filling bottles with milk for the baby.

'Well done!' Michael said. 'That didn't sound easy.'

'No!' she said angrily. 'It isn't!'

'You're doing an amazing job,' he said. 'OK, so, I've washed all the clothes, made your lunch for later and I'm going to come home early this afternoon so that you can have some time for yourself.'

Kate managed to smile and say thank you. He really was being very sweet, even if she was too tired to feel grateful or to be nice back. As soon as he had left for work, she picked up the box of Limeren. By the time he came home, Kate felt able to smile back when he smiled at her.

One year later

Kate was putting clothes away while the baby slept. She picked up one of Michael's favourite jumpers and held the soft material next to her cheek. She missed him and he had only been out an hour. Putting it back, she noticed something hard under the rest of the jumpers in the drawer. It was boxes and boxes of Limeren.

They weren't hers! She was shocked to see these boxes. She took Limeren every day, it was true, but Michael? She thought of Limeren as an easy way to those feelings she'd always had for Michael. And it was working. Every day she felt madly in love with her wonderful husband. Everyone said marriage was hard work, but she just didn't have time or energy for the job of marriage as well as her part-time job and a young baby. When she took Limeren, she made more effort to do small things that made their life together enjoyable. If he did something nice for her, she said thank you, but most of all she actually felt grateful. If he wore a new shirt or his hair looked good, she told him he was handsome. She asked him about his day and remembered things that were important to him. She'd seen nothing wrong with doing this. Until now, that is. Now she knew why he had always been so good at doing those same things for her. It was all fake!

Instead of smiling at Michael when he got home, she was angry. Clearly the Limeren only had a limited ability to make everything perfect because nothing felt perfect right now.

'What are all these?' she asked. She pointed to the Limeren packets she'd taken from the drawer and put on the kitchen table.

Michael moved closer and tried to read the small writing on the boxes. 'They're vitamins, aren't they?'

'Don't act as if you've got no idea why I'm asking!' said Kate, even more angry. 'These boxes,' she said, picking one of the packets up, 'are our relationship.'

'Oh!' he said. 'It's Limeren!'

'Yes, it's Limeren,' she said. 'I know exactly what they are.'

He looked confused. 'So why are you asking me what they are? I remember the name now you've said - from the place we met, right? - but I've not taken those for years.'

'What?'

'I just ... I don't know. It's better to get vitamins from fruit and vegetables, isn't it?' he said. 'The research company sent us boxes and boxes of them years ago, but I put them away somewhere and forgot to throw them away. We eat a healthy enough diet so there's no need to take vitamins.'

'What about ...' She felt her voice getting louder and louder, but also something made her feel less sure about the words she planned to say. Her idea sounded stupid. 'What about the falling in love part? The side effects! You're always so wonderful, the perfect husband. And now I know why!'

'Er ... thanks?' He laughed. 'I know they told us there were some side effects, but we were just joking when we said we fell in love because of the medicine, weren't we? Also,' he added, turning the box over in his hands, 'they must have changed the ingredients or something because it doesn't say anything on the box about side effects. See?' He held it out for her to look. 'Maybe they changed the recipe after we did that trial. Who knows?'

He gave her a big hug. 'This perfect husband is all natural, don't worry.'

He went upstairs to kiss the baby and then she heard him in the kitchen as he started to make dinner. She looked carefully at the boxes and it was true. There was nothing on the box about side effects, or even on the information inside. They were just vitamins after all. Limeren wasn't an easy way to love and it never had been.
Nicola Prentis

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Two people fall in love. But is their experience real? Or is it just an effect of the medicine they're taking?

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Use ONE word to complete each answer about the reading.

My name is Ben and I come from Australia. I am 24 years old and I live in a small town near Sydney called Branton.

I don't have a job now, but normally I clean shop windows. I am not married but I live with my very beautiful girlfriend, Maria, in a nice house in Branton. We don't have any children...maybe next year.

My girlfriend is an actress, but she isn't very famous. She acts in a small theatre in our town. At the weekend, we like to go swimming in a big lake near our house.

I normally get up at eight o'clock, but on Thursday I get up at six o'clock because that is the day when I go running in the park.

1. Where does Ben come from?
2. How old is Ben?
3. Where does Ben live?
4. Is Ben married?
5. What is Ben's girlfriend called?
6. Do they have any children?
7. Do they live in a house or an apartment?
8. What does his girlfriend do?
9. What do they do at the weekend?
10. When does Ben go running?

Where Now?

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Elementary Reading | My Name Is Ben - Complete the Answer | esl-lounge Student

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Use ONE word to complete each answer about the reading. My name is Ben and I come from Australia. I am 24 years old and I live in a small town near Sydney called Branton. I don't have a job now, but normally I clean shop windows.

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Elementary Reading | My Name Is Ben | esl-lounge Student

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Created with Hot Potatoes by Half-Baked Software, registered to Klaus Rosmanitz.

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Take apart :

My washing machine is not working , so I take it apart to fix it

The worker takes the machine apart so he can fix the problem

You can take apart an engine in the car , mechanics and fix it

Or clean it

Take away :

1 food

2 police officer can take away you driving licence / passport

Take after : means to look the same

Your daughter takes after you , she looks like you

Take off you coat , take off your shoes

The plane to Mallorca takes off

Take up=to start ! a hobby , take up running , take up art classes,

I want to buy a new sofa ,

Take to =to start having habits

I am so tired , I take to drinking coffee in the morning

Please take down this number =write on a piece of paper

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This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it's made without heavy cream - just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.
This creamy asparagus soup is made without heavy cream - just vegetables, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection. It's perfect for early spring when asparagus is in peak season and there's still a chill in the air.

What you'll need To Make Asparagus Soup

How To Make Asparagus Soup

Begin by melting the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic.

Cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.

While that's going, prep the asparagus. Trim off the tips (you'll use them for a garnish), then cut the remaining spears into 1/2-inch pieces.

Add the chopped asparagus to the pot, along with the chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender.

Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can blend the soup in batches in a blender.

Return the soup to the pot and stir in the fresh lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.

Finally, cook the asparagus tips in salted boiling water for a few minutes until tender-crisp.

The best way to preserve the bright green color of the tips and keep them crisp is to shock them in an ice bath, but you can also refresh the tips under cold running water.

Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the asparagus tips, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.

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Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it's made without heavy cream - just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.

2. In the meantime, cut the tips off of one bunch of the asparagus and set aside (you'll use those for a garnish). Cut the remaining spears and the other bunch of asparagus into ½-inch pieces.

3. Add the chopped asparagus to the pot (minus the reserved tips), along with the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.

4. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain the tips and then place them in a bowl of ice water to "shock" them -- this stops the cooking process and preserves their bright green color. Once the tips are cool, drain them and set aside.

5. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.) Bring the soup back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. To thicken the soup, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached.

6. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. (The soup will freeze best if you add the cheese when reheating.)

Pair with

Nutrition Information

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Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan - Once Upon a Chef

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy. This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it's made without heavy cream - just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection. This creamy asparagus soup is made without heavy cream - just vegetables, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.

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A bunch of people are coming to my house

I think I have good nourishment =vitamins , healthy food for them , fruit , vegetable , I have good bread . I do not have any junk food , only good stuff

My expectations are that Matej will not take drugs For next month your expectations are that your boss will pay you money

If you have a lot of work , you have to manage a lot of work , 7 things tomorrow ,

You are copying with 7 thing , you are managing 7 things

Cope with=manage

I was at the disco and it was full of people , it was crowded . I release all my negative energy , now I feel good

Last week I resolve a very difficult problem

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Listen to Emily talking about the importance of managing her stress levels and the techniques she uses.

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Hansel and Gretel are a brother and sister who live with their father and stepmother. The family is very poor and has little food. One day, the stepmother tells the father to take the children into the forest and leave them there.

Hansel and Gretel overhear the plan and Hansel collects white pebbles. He drops them along the way to find their way back home. They return safely, but the stepmother tries again. This time, Hansel drops breadcrumbs, but birds eat them.

The children are lost in the forest and find a house made of candy. They start eating it, but a wicked witch lives there. She captures them, planning to eat them. The witch locks Hansel in a cage and makes Gretel do chores.

Gretel outsmarts the witch by pushing her into the oven. Hansel and Gretel find the witch's treasure and return home. They reunite with their father, who is overjoyed. The stepmother is gone, and they live happily ever after.

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Adidas and Puma have been two of the biggest names in sports shoe for over 60 years. Since 1928 they have shoes for Olympic athletes, World Cup winning football stars, Muhammad Ali, hip hop stars and famous rock musicians from all over the world. But the story of these two companies begins in one and the same house in the town of Herzogenaurach in Germany.

Adolph and Rudolph Dassler were the sons of a shoemaker. They loved sport but they always that they could never find comfortable shoes to play in. Rudolph always said, " You cannot play sports wearing shoes that you'd walk around in town with." So they started making their own. In 1920 Adolph made the first of athletic shoes with spikes, produced on the Dasslers' kitchen table.

On 1st July 1924 they a shoe company, Dassler Brothers Ltd. The company became successful and it provided the shoes for Germany's athletes at the 1928 and 1932 Olympic Games.

But in 1948 the brothers started . Nobody knows exactly what happened but family members have suggested that the argument was about money or women. The was that Adolph left the company. His nickname was Adi , and using the first three letters of his family name, he founded Adidas.
Rudolph across the river Aurach and founded his own company too. At first he wanted to call it Ruda, but he called it Puma, after the wild cat. The famous Puma of the jumping cat has until the present day.

After the big split up in 1948 Adolph and Rudolph never talked to each other again and since then their companies have been in with each other in the world of sports. Both companies were market leaders for many years, Adidas has always been more successful than Puma. In the 1970s the two German companies got competition from new sportswear firms in America, Nike and Reebok.

The terrible family argument should really be forgotten, but ever since it happened, over 60 years ago the town has been split in two. Even now, some Adidas and Puma don't even talk to each other.

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Created with Hot Potatoes by Half-Baked Software, registered to Klaus Rosmanitz.

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The Story of Adidas and Puma - English Vocabulary Exercises

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Adidas and Puma have been two of the biggest names in sports shoe for over 60 years. Since 1928 they have shoes for Olympic athletes, World Cup winning football stars, Muhammad Ali, hip hop stars and famous rock musicians from all over the world.

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this is a very filling soup

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Our simple potato soup recipe made on a stovetop requires just a few ingredients. It's a great alternative to the loaded potato soup. Chunky, thick, and brothy, it overflows with potatoes and carrots. Made with vegetable, or chicken broth, this soup is quick and yummy!

Background

Come November I'm kind of done with creamy soups for a while. Hey, I love a loaded potato soup with a bunch of soup toppings as much as the next girl!

But every now and then I crave a lighter broth that's thick in a chunky and non-too-creamy way. A simple potato soup with just a few ingredients.

Today's recipe is a perfect example!

It's a stovetop soup that's:

deliciously chunky but light,

(optionally) enriched with a pinch of heavy cream (no milk!),

and ultimately, an easy potato soup with vegetable or chicken broth.

Simple ingredients. (Forget the leeks, sausage, and mushrooms!) Great taste! (YUM!) Made from scratch in about 30-40 minutes. (Quick and easy!)

Shall we?

Ingredients

Here are the few ingredients you'll need to make this easy potato soup.

Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are the best potatoes for this soup. (Even Wikipedia calls these potatoes the "jack-of-all-trades" due to their versatility, durability, and sweet-ish flavor.) Dice them small for easier and quicker cooking. They taste better in smaller bites, and they still give you that chunky potato soup. Alternatively, go for Russett or Red. Avoid fingerling potatoes.

Carrots: they give a touch of sweetness without overpowering the dish. Try different cutting methods for different soup textures (diced, minced, grated).

Onion: white and yellow onions both work for this soup. You can also dice these any size depending on how you like onions in your food. (I like what onions do for a dish but prefer not to bite into them, so I opt for grating.)

Herbs and seasonings: a regular medley of salt, pepper, and parsley (fresh is best, but dry works too) is your best bet. Paprika is the main seasoning, and whichever type you choose will have an influence on the taste (hot, mild, smokey, etc.). Alternatively, use your own spice mix.

Broth: it's best if you make this easy potato soup with chicken broth. However, if you prefer a vegetarian potato soup, just switch it up with vegetable broth. Beef broth is really the last choice, as it may make the soup "heavier." Alternatively, use water and add a stock or bouillon cube or powder, or other seasonings to give it your preferred flavor.

Heavy cream and flour (thickeners): this simple potato soup recipe does require a little bit of heavy cream and one tablespoon of flour to thicken it. The broth is on the lighter side, so just a pinch will do. Start with an ounce and move up to 3.5, adjusting to taste (about 30-100ml). If you opt for just one thickener adjust the volumes accordingly. Alternatively, when the soup is almost ready, blend ⅓ of the potatoes with an immersion blender.

Instructions

Here is how to make this brothy, chunky potato soup in a few easy steps.

Step 1. Heat up the oil. Add carrot, onion, and garlic. Sauté.

Step 2. Add spices and flour, and stir occasionally. Add broth and bring to a boil.

Step 3. Add potatoes and cook for 25 min. Add heavy cream and parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Handling

Serving: serve this chunky potato soup warm. It goes well with fermented salads and homemade bread. Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. This dish is best consumed on the same day.

Reheating: reheat on the stovetop, or using your preferred method. Do not reheat twice! Reheating it on the stovetop is your best option because it warms up more evenly this way

Freezing: nope!

Simple Potato Soup FAQs

Should potatoes be cooked before adding them to the soup?

No. There is no need to cook potatoes before adding them to the soup.

Can you leave the skin on potatoes for this soup?

No. Peel and dice the potatoes before you add them to the pot.

Can I freeze this soup?

No.

Potatoes kept in the freezer turn into mush when you try to thaw them. Industrial-grade equipment is necessary to freeze them instantly before they lose their structure.

In fact, it's best not to keep cooked potatoes in the fridge for longer than a day.

Can I make this potato soup in Instant Pot?

Yes, you can, but you shouldn't!

Instant Pot is usually used to shorten cooking time. This easy potato soup only takes about 35 minutes from start to finish. It would take about the same amount of time, if not longer, for Instant Pot to build pressure and cook it.

So yes, you're welcome to use Instant Pot, however, there is no need for it.

More Soups

Thoughts?

If you made our simple potato soup recipe and liked it, please consider giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This helps others find the recipe more easily!

Also, feel free to leave a comment (I read each one!), and don't forget to tag a photo #balkanlunchbox, or us @balkanlunchbox, on IG.
Prijatno and bon appetit! (Recipe by S. Hajdarević)
Simple Potato Soup Recipe

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Simple Potato Soup Recipe [Stovetop, Few Ingredients] - Balkan Lunch Box

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Simple potato soup recipe made with few ingredients including vegetable or chicken broth. Cooked on stovetop, this is the BEST chunky potato soup ever!

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Amazing adventurers

Have you ever dreamt of climbing Mount Everest or visiting Antarctica? If so, you're not alone. Every year, thousands of people try to climb the world's highest mountains or walk across continents. In the past, explorers had compasses and maps, but today's adventurers have satellite phones and GPS. They also use their travels to let the world know about climate change and help people in the countries they visit. Let's take a look at some of the 21st century's greatest adventurers.

Amazon adventurer

Ed Stafford from the UK is the first person to walk the length of the Amazon River. He started by a small stream in the Andes mountains of Peru and arrived at the river's mouth in Brazil, two years and four months later. Snakes, crocodiles and jaguars live in the Amazon rainforest, so it's a dangerous place. Luckily, Ed avoided the big animals, but he was bitten by ants and mosquitoes every day. On his trip, Ed had to find food each morning. Sometimes the fruit, nuts and fish he ate were hard to find and Ed often felt weak and hungry.

Technology was essential for Ed. He used a radio to ask local people for food and permission to enter their land. Many of them came to meet him and guide him through the dense rainforest. As he walked, Ed wrote a blog about his daily experiences.

Ed used his walk to let the world know about climate change and raise money for environmental charities in Brazil and Peru.

A mountain climber

Four thousand climbers, aged between 13 and 80, have been to the top of Everest. Climbing high mountains requires a lot of preparation and is very dangerous, but some of the world's best climbers are now looking for new challenges.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria fell in love with climbing as a teenager. When she left school, she worked as a nurse and climbed in her free time. Starting with Everest, she has been climbing all the world's fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres. To increase the challenge, Gerlinde climbs without using oxygen tanks. Low oxygen levels can make climbers ill, so Gerlinde has to climb slowly. Gerlinde is passionate about Nepal and raises money for a charity for poor children and orphans there.

More than one adventure

Some of today's adventurers go from challenge to challenge. Meagan McGrath from Canada has climbed the highest mountain on each continent, ridden a bike across Canada and run a long-distance race in the Sahara Desert. But perhaps her most incredible journey was a skiing trip to the South Pole. She pulled a tent and all her food on a sledge behind her as she skied. On the first day, she fell into a glacier and had to be rescued. Many people would have given up, but Meagan decided to carry on. Skiing through ice storms, she arrived at the South Pole forty days later.

Erik Weihenmayer from the United States is another unstoppable adventurer. He's climbed mountains, ridden a bike through the deserts of Morocco and kayaked through the Grand Canyon. Amazingly, Erik has been blind since the age of 13. Apart from his travels, he helps people with disabilities to live active lives and takes groups of young blind people on climbing expeditions.

Where Next?

Despite new technologies, adventurers still have to live with terrible weather, lack of food and wild animals. Preparation and training are essential, but if you have a sense of adventure, there are continents to cross and hundreds of mountains to climb.

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From walking along the entire Amazon River to skiing to the South Pole, take a look at some of the 21st century's most amazing adventurers!

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Exercises - relative pronouns: who, which, where. Adjective clauses - elementary and intermediate level esl.

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difficult  thought /though/through. fooot, dou , fruuuu

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difficult  thought /though/through. fooot, dou , fruuuu

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Through =truuuuuuuu the window , through the door my husband is walking through the garden door

Threw =frju something away , past tense from the verb throw something away =to throw=frov away bad meat from the fridge

Thought=fooooot in the head , from thinking=finking

Thinking new Ideas

DOU !!!though , OLDOU!!although , IVENTHOU !!even though = when you like to express opposite opinion :

I like running although not every day

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disease=diziiiiis is an illness , sickness , like cancer , Covid ,diabetes dajabiitis

caused kozed means to bring out ...virus caused Covid

too much sugar causes koooozes diabetes dajabiiitis

contracted -to get a disease

I was in Africa and I contracted Malaria

struggled , work with difficulty , not easy time

During Covid many doctors struggled with masks , with tests

certain ==seeeeertn-a type of medicine

vitamine C you can get certainly in oranges , and lemon

certain specific , special

I am certain , I am sure

whole city was overjoyed - very happy

spreading , Covid was spreading everywhere , going fast , from one person to the next person

disregarded him ,ignored him

attention ! no body was paying attention , no body cared ,

few 1...fewest 3,....fewer 2

examination in doctor's place

examine to check , exam at school , test

nobody paid attention to the homeless man on the street . it was said . Nobody cared

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Read the text and look at the questions that follow it. In this reading comprehension, the questions are multiple choice.

Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was napping yesterday in his cowboy outfit yesterday at his family's Fifth Ave. apartment when he shot up in bed screaming. A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake was coiled around his left arm and had just bitten his pinky.

"The baby-sitter freaked out," said Teddy's father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the reptile showed up about 4 p.m.

The horrified nanny called 911 and the building's doorman. The doorman and two cable TV workers helped pry the snake off the boy's arm and stow it in a garbage bag, Lasry said.

Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where his parents said he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous.

It wasn't. Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where cops took the critter, determined it was a non-venomous California king snake.

But how did it end up in Teddy's bed?

A little sleuthing determined that the serpent had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys. The apologetic owner said his son's pet snake likely traveled up the radiator pipes and into his neighbor's apartment.

"It's a very docile, very harmless snake," he said. "It's handled by our family all the time."

Lasry, 42, a fine arts publisher, said he believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of cruising. Teddy's mother, Evelyn Lasry, 37, said her son seems to have gotten over his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police cruiser to the hospital.

"I told Teddy he's a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage," Evelyn Lasry said. "But he asked, 'Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?' And I said, 'Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared.'"

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Advanced Reading | Snake Bites Boy | esl-lounge Student

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Read the text and look at the questions that follow it. In this reading comprehension, the questions are multiple choice. Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was napping yesterday in his cowboy outfit yesterday at his family's Fifth Ave. apartment when he shot up in bed screaming.

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Palm reading, otherwise known as palmistry or chiromancy, is something that's practiced all over the world. It has its roots in Indian astrology and Roman fortune-telling.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiromancy The objective is to evaluate...

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As you learn more and more about English, you may feel confused when you see odd phrases that just don't make sense. One of your friends may say, "It's raining cats and dogs!". When you look up at the sky, however, you can't see any domesticated pets, only water!

These phrases are called "idioms". Idioms are phrases (groups of words) that have a hidden meaning which isn't clear when reading the words literally. They might seem baffling or random to you, but most idioms were born hundreds of years ago, and have slowly become part of everyday English speech.

Why learn idioms? Well, if you want to become as skilled as possible in English, you'll need to know them. Textbooks don't always teach you about them, but dropping an idiom into your conversations from time to time will help you fit in and certainly help you pass your Cambridge exams.

(If you want your English to really sparkle, buy my new online course and use phrasal verbs AND idioms!)

Here are 10 of the most common idioms that are easy to use in daily conversation:

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10 Idioms You Can Use Today - CAE Exam Tips

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As you learn more and more about English, you may feel confused when you see odd phrases that just don't make sense. One of your friends may say, "It's raining cats and dogs!". When you look up at the sky, however, you can't see any domesticated pets, only water!

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Your newborn's first week: what to expect

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A newborn's first week of life is spent adapting to the outside world. You can help by providing warmth, love, security and cuddles. Here's what to expect.

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Rosa Parks - Civil Rights Activist | Mini Bio | BIO

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poverty=poor life

money was missing all the time

because my husband spent all the money

racism = racial justice

beauty=beautiful

crime=criminal

society =social

fought is past from fight

demand= want . agressive . order

I demand matej goes to sleep at 11 pm

bus driver demanded "go to the back of the bus"

segregated =discrimination

run down school =opposite of modern

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I will think about it :

inventions , many good things around us , Galileo =pendulum ,Ferguson= sheep and shepherd and watch , from the whalebone

Kettle guy: steam locomotive , steam boat , steam mill

we must try to think and make our life better

extreme power=mighty power

I like to have free time , because of my daughter

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the first paragraph: great things come from thinking ,inventions

thoughts: ideas

he started to think , he began to think

fireside =fireplace

kettle and the lid!!

chandelier

discouraged opposite of encourage / to support ,to have energy

purpose is goal , finished product

this article is from 8 year old children, not difficult words ,but difficult because it gives you full sentences , which is somethingyou do not want to do !!!!

you want to still stay like a baby language , pointing to things around you and saying words , but the magic of English is in sentences =VETY!!!!

you have been with me for 4 months and you need to speak !!!

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Japan

Japan is a country in Asia that is made up of 6,852 islands. Not all of these islands are inhabited. "Inhabited" means that people live on them.

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

There are four main islands where people live. Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is on one of these main islands. In Japanese, the language of Japan, the country is called "Nippon."

This means "Land of the Rising Sun," which is also Japan's nickname in English. A "nickname" is an informal or friendly name that people use to talk about a person or place.

Japan is famous for many things including its landscape, art, music, poetry and food.

Today, Japan may be most famous for its inventions in science and technology.

Many of the pieces of technology that we use every day came from Japan. Japan has many companies that produce technology. For example, many digital cameras are made in Japan. Japanese companies that make digital cameras are Fuji, Panasonic, Canon, and Nikon.

Also, many computers and printers are made by Japanese companies. If you have a computer or printer that is made by Sony or Epson then you have Japanese computer or printer.

Japan is also famous for its cars. Japanese car companies include Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda. Chances are that many pieces of technology in your house including your television, cell phone, and even your digital alarm clock are made by Japanese companies.

These companies are always doing research and developing new products to continue advancing technology in the home.

Japanese companies don't only make small electronics for personal use. Japan is also a very important country in space exploration. "Exploration" means investigation or discovering new places.

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency does research on planets, aviation (flying), rockets, and satellites. "Satellites" are pieces of technology that fly in space and send pictures and information back to Earth.

Japan works with other nations including the United States and Russia on better understanding space and the other planets.

They are also very involved in trying to understand the Earth's climate. "Climate" means weather conditions. The Earth's climate has been changing quickly over the past hundred years and scientists, including the Japanese, are studying the climate from space to understand what it will be like in the future.

Because of the work they have done in technology and science, many Japanese researchers and scientists have won the Nobel Prize. This is the highest honor that a scientists and authors can receive. It is awarded (given) once a year to someone who has changed the world because of their research or work. Japanese scientists have won the Nobel prize in chemistry, physics, and medicine.

Japan is an important contributor to the world's technology and understanding of science. A "contributor" is someone who gives time or money or information to someone else.

Japanese researchers and companies have changed the way that everyone around the world is able to communicate, receive information, and move from one place to another.

Luckily for all of us, the Japanese are continuing to develop new products and technologies to make our lives easier!

Japan - Exercises

Vocabulary Questions

1. What does "nickname" mean?

2. What does "produce" mean?

3. What does "awarded" mean?

Grammar Questions

1. Many of the pieces of technology that we ________ everyday came from Japan.

2. They are also very involved ________ trying to understand the Earth's climate.

3. Japanese scientists ________ the Nobel prize in chemistry, physics, and medicine.

Comprehension Questions

1. What are some products that you have at home that may be made in Japan?

_______________________________________________________________

2. What is something that the Japanese are researching in space?

_______________________________________________________________

3. What topics have Japanese scientists won Nobel Prizes in?

_______________________________________________________________

Click here to download the Japan worksheet.

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An English reading practice article: Japan is a country in Asia that is made up of 6,852 islands. Japan is famous for many things including its landscape, art, music, poetry and food... Click here to read the full article and do the exercises.

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Flu , cold , cough , sore throat , temperature / high fever  , MIGRAINE =HEADACHE , TOOTHACHE ,BACK ACHE , EAR ACHE , INFECTION, BACTERIAL INFECTION , PULMONARY DISEASE =LUNGS

STD =SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE , HIV, AIDS

CONTAGIOUS , SOME ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE TO GO FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER

TIA transient ischemic attack .

=========FAST

FACE/ARMS/SPEECH/TIME

Mini stroke=30 MINUTES OR 24 HOURS ,LOTS OF STRESS

STROKE =VERY SERIOUS

When your brain collapses =porazka

HEARTATTACK =HEART

FOOD POISONING , STOMACH , DIARRHEA=POOH LIKE WATER VS CONSTIPATION NOT POSSIBLE TO GO T THE TOILET

=========BRAT

BANANA/RICE./APPLE JUICE /TOAST

BROKEN LEG OR HAND

SPRAINED ANKLE ======RICE

REST NOT MOVE ICE.=COLD COMPRESS.=BANDAGE ELEVATE ABOVE YOUR HEART, PUT YOUR LEG UP

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This Sun-Dried Tomato & Artichoke Pasta aka my Vegan Pantry Pasta is an easy dinner recipe to whip up in 30 minutes or less! With sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, capers, olives, garlic, & shallots- it's truly a flavorful pasta made with pantry staples.

The idea for this recipe really came to me from wanting a dish similar to puttanesca without all the tomato sauce. Enter in... the most delicious & light pasta made with so many incredible pantry staples!

If you loved the briny flavors in my Vegan Puttanesca Lasagna or my Tomato Artichoke Salad, then this recipe is truly a must-make!

Ingredients:

Ingredient & substitution notes:

Pasta: I highly recommend making this dish with some sort of bucatini as the shape works really well to soak up the flavors!
To make this dish gluten-free just substitute in GF pasta noodles.

Shallot: Can be substituted for ¼ of a white onion, finely diced.

Marinated Artichokes: There isn't a good substitute here since they are such a crucial component of this pasta. However, you could try using canned hearts of palms instead for a similar flavor.
Hearts of palm usually do not come marinated, so you may need more salt & pepper if choosing this option.

Sundried Tomatoes: There isn't a substitute for this ingredient as it gives this dish so much flavor and we also use the flavored oil from the can.

Capers: If you do not like them, feel free to omit them completely.

Green Olives: Again, if you do not like them, feel free to omit them. Just keep in mind it will reduce the overall flavor of the pasta.

How to make vegan pantry pasta
Cook the pasta & prep veggies
First, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Just make sure to save ½ cup of pasta water before straining to add to the dish later!

While the pasta is cooking, you should also prep the ingredients. This includes dicing the shallot, mincing the garlic, and dicing the artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and green olives.
Saute artichokes & shallot
Pour the oil from the can of sun-dried tomatoes into a pan. Once hot, add in the shallots and artichoke hearts and saute together for about 3 minutes.

Add in remaining veggies
Next, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, green olives, and spices. Saute all the veggies together for another 3 minutes.

Add in pasta & pasta water
As a final step pour in the reserved pasta water and cooked pasta noodles. Turn off the heat and mix everything together.
Serve with parsley & vegan parmesan
While you can serve this pantry pasta as is, I like to serve it with fresh parsley, vegan parmesan, or toasted pine nuts on top!

FAQ & Tips:
Can I make this dish gluten-free?
Definitely! All you have to do is swap out the noodles as the remaining ingredients are already naturally gluten-free.
How do I store this vegan pantry pasta?
This sun-dried tomato & artichoke pasta can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Just reheat fully in the microwave or in a shallow pan on the stove before enjoying!

I can't wait for you to try this delicious Vegan Sundried Tomato & Artichoke Pasta! It's full of delicious briny flavors and easy to whip up in just 30 minutes. Enjoy!

-TSG
More vegan pasta recipes you will love:
If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!

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This briny & flavorful vegan pasta combines sun-dried tomato, artichokes, & other pantry staples for a quick & easy 30 minute dinner!

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English Words for “Food” | C1 Vocabulary | LanGeek

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Here you will learn some English words about food, such as “asparagus”, “leek”, “lentil”, etc. prepared for C1 learners.

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Buddy normally helps Agent Sanders but today he is nervous and unpredictable. What is he going to do? This is the fourth episode of The Survivor.

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Agent Sanders is investigating a robbery. She needs to find the stolen money. This is the third episode of The Survivor.

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Two months before the plane crash .... episode two of The Survivor starts in the FBI offices.

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A plane crash ... there is only one survivor. Who is she? This is the first episode of The Survivor.

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The Digital Camera is a scary ghost story about a little girl whose mother dies suddenly. She begins to exhibit strange behavior and refuses to be left alone. It is based on a supposedly true story that apparently happened in Japan a few years ago.

One of my relatives passed away suddenly. I never met the woman. She had a daughter who was four years old. The little girl's name was Yuki. Her father wasn't able to raise her on his own, so he asked my aunt to take care of her.

The little girl refused to be left alone and never left my aunt's side. It started to become a problem. My aunt couldn't go anywhere without Yuki. She constantly needed attention. Even my aunt's own daughter started to get jealous.

One day, my aunt told me she had to go out of town for a couple of days and asked if I would babysit the little girl for her. I said it would be my pleasure. I lived alone and I could do with some company.

A few days later, my aunt dropped Yuki off at my apartment. As she was leaving, she took the little girl aside and said, "Yuki, please be good. Behave yourself."

When my aunt was gone, I tried to talk to Yuki and play some games with her, but the little girl's behavior was very strange. She had a teddy bear tucked tightly under her arm and never let go of it. She never smiled. She never spoke. All she ever did was sit quietly in the corner and stare at the wall. It made me kind of uneasy.

I was trying to find something that would entertain her. I had just bought a new digital camera and I decided to let Yuki play with my old one. When she saw the camera, her eyes lit up. I showed her how to use it and she went around my apartment taking pictures of everything. There was a bright smile on her face.

That evening, I discovered how difficult Yuki was to deal with. Whenever I tried to leave the room, she started crying and screaming out my name. I couldn't leave her alone or she would create a huge fuss. She even insisted on going to the bathroom with me, which was very embarrassing.

At bedtime, she refused to stay in the spare room and insisted on sleeping in my bed. I read her a bedtime story and after a while, I managed to get her to go to sleep. That was when I noticed her teddy bear. One of its legs was charred and blackened, as if it had been burned. It made me wonder.

In the middle of the night, I was awoken by a strange noise. When I turned over, I saw that there was something wrong with Yuki. The little girl's body was trembling and shaking. Her eyes were wide open, her teeth were chattering and tears were streaming down her cheeks. I held her close and asked her what was wrong.

"She's looking at me again," she mumbled.

"Who is?" I asked in surprise.

"The dark woman," replied Yuki.

She wouldn't say anything more. I tried to tell her it was just her imagination, but she kept shaking her head and whimpering. It took me a long time to get her to go back to sleep.

The next day, Yuki was fine again. She loved playing with my digital camera. When it was time for her to go home, I told her she could keep it. Yuki hugged me. Although she didn't say anything, I could tell she was overjoyed.

I dropped the little girl off at my aunt's house and stayed to have a cup of tea. My aunt thanked me for taking care of Yuki we spent a while chatting at the kitchen table.

"Poor little thing," said my aunt. "She hasn't said a word since her mother died."

I couldn't contain my curiosity. "How did Yuki's mom die?" I asked.

A strange look came over my aunt's face. "She died in a fire..."

"How did the fire start?" I asked.

"Well..." my aunt hesitated, unwilling to talk about it. "It's a very sad story. She committed suicide. Yuki's mother was a very troubled woman. She poured gasoline over herself and lit a match. She burned herself alive."

"OMG!" I exclaimed. "How horrible!"

"Yes," said my aunt. "Her family was so shocked, they hushed it up and pretended it was an accident. We had a small funeral but only close relatives were invited. Yuki wasn't there. She doesn't even know her mother is dead. She thinks her mother is just on a long holiday. We haven't had the heart to tell her the truth."

"Poor Yuki," I murmured.

My aunt nodded her head sadly. "Poor yuki."

A few days after that, Yuki died.

My aunt was trying to change Yuki's behavior. At night, she forced the little girl to sleep in her own bedroom. Even though Yuki screamed and cried, my aunt left her there alone and locked the door. In the morning, she found Yuki lying motionless in bed. The poor little girl was dead.

Nobody could understand what had happened. The coroner couldn't determine a cause of death. There wasn't a mark on her body. She was perfectly healthy. She had just mysteriously died during the night. There was no explanation.

After the funeral, I went back to my aunt's house. Everyone was very sad. She returned the digital camera I had given to Yuki. I took it home with me. It was something to remember her by.

The memory card was full of random photos that Yuki had taken. I browsed through them, wiping a tear from my eye. There were pictures of my apartment, pictures of my aunt's house, pictures of flowers, dogs, toys, candy... Silly pictures that a child would take.

Then, I came to the last picture and it made my blood run cold.

My hands were trembling.

I wanted to scream, but nothing would come out.

The timestamp on the photo showed that it had been taken on the night Yuki died.

Here is the last picture that poor little girl ever took with my digital camera:

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The Digital Camera is a scary ghost story about a little girl whose mother dies suddenly. She begins to exhibit strange behavior and refuses to be left alone. It is based on a supposedly true story that apparently happened in Japan a few years ago. One of my relatives passed away suddenly.

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Your browser does not support the audio element, so here's a link to the mp3: https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/upload/elc/studyzone/410-stories-peter/the-american-pepper.mp3

"Mummy! Mummy!" shouted little Murna racing from the front door through to the kitchen. "There's a parcel. The postman's brought a parcel!"
Her mother, Savni, looked at her in surprise. She had no idea who could have sent them a parcel. Maybe it was a mistake. She hurried to the door to find out. Sure enough, the postman was there, holding a parcel about the size of a small brick.
"From America, madam," he said. "See! American stamps."
It was true. In the top right-hand corner of the brown paper parcel were three strange-looking stamps, showing a man's head. The package was addressed to Savni, in big, clear black letters.
"Well, I suppose it must be from Great-Aunt Pasni," said Savni to herself, as the postman went on his way down the street, whistling. "Although it must be twenty years since we heard anything from her. I thought she would have been dead by now."
Savni's husband Jornas and her son Arinas were just coming in from the garden, where Murna had run to tell them about the parcel. "Well, open it then!" said Arinas impatiently. "Let's see what's inside!"
Setting the parcel down in the middle of the table, Savni carefully began to tear open the paper. Inside, there was a large silver container with a hinged lid, which was taped shut. There was also a letter.
"What is it? What is it?" demanded Murna impatiently. "Is it a present?"
"I have no idea," said Savni in confusion. "I think it must be from Great-Aunt Pasni. She went to America almost thirty years ago now. But we haven't heard from her in twenty years. Perhaps the letter will tell us." She opened the folded page cautiously, then looked up in dismay. "Well, this is no help!" she said in annoyance. "It's written in English! How does she expect us to read English? We're poor people, we have no education. Maybe Pasni has forgotten her native language, after thirty years in America."
"Well, open the pot, anyway," said Jornas. "Let's see what's inside."
Cautiously, Savni pulled the tape from the neck of the silver pot, and opened the lid. Four heads touched over the top of the container, as their owners stared down inside.
"Strange," said Arinas. "All I see is powder." The pot was about one-third full of a kind of light-grey powder.
"What is it?" asked Murna, mystified.
"We don't know, darling," said Savni, stroking her daughter's hair. "What do you think?" Murna stared again into the pot.
"I think it's coffee," she announced, finally. "American coffee."
"It's the wrong colour for coffee, darling," said Jornas thoughtfully. "But maybe she's on the right track. It must be some kind of food." Murna, by now, had her nose right down into the pot. Suddenly, she lifted her head and sneezed loudly.
"Id god ub by doze," she explained.
"That's it!" said Arinas. "It must be pepper! Let me try some." Dipping a finger into the powder, he licked it. "Yes," he said, "it's pepper all right. Mild, but quite tasty. It's American pepper."
"All right," said Savni, "we'll try it on the stew tonight. We'll have American-style stew!"
That evening, the whole family agreed that the American pepper had added a special extra taste to their usual evening stew. They were delighted with it. By the end of the week, there was only a teaspoonful of the grey powder left in the silver container. Then Savni called a halt.
"We're saving the last bit for Sunday. Dr. Haret is coming to dinner, and we'll let him have some as a special treat. Then it will be finished."
The following Sunday, the whole family put on their best clothes, ready for dinner with Dr. Haret. He was the local doctor, and he had become a friend of the family many years before, when he had saved Arinas's life after an accident. Once every couple of months, Savni invited the doctor for dinner, and they all looked forward to his entertaining stories of his youth at the university in the
capital.
During dinner, Savni explained to the doctor about the mysterious American pepper, the last of which she had put in the stew they were eating, and the letter they could not read.
"Well, give it to me, give it to me!" said the doctor briskly. "I speak English! I can translate it for you."
Savni brought the letter, and the family waited, fascinated, as the doctor began to translate.
"Dear Savni: you don't know me, but I am the son of your old Great-Aunt Pasni. She never talked much to us about the old country, but in her final illness earlier this year, she told us that after her death, she wanted her ashes to be sent back home to you, so that you could scatter them on the hills of the country where she was born. My mother died two weeks ago, and her funeral and cremation took place last week. I am sending her ashes to you in a silver casket. Please do as she asked, and spread them over the ground near where she was born. Your cousin, George Leary."

Credits:
Story: MDH 1995 - from a common urban legend
Audio version performed by Peter Polgar

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The American Pepper: Reading Comprehension

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Your browser does not support the audio element, so here's a link to the mp3: https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/upload/elc/studyzone/410-stories-peter/the-american-pepper.mp3 "Mummy! Mummy!" shouted little Murna racing from the front door through to the kitchen. "There's a parcel. The postman's brought a parcel!" Her mother, Savni, looked at her in surprise.

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No Text Content!

This is a book you READ ALOUD to find out just how smart your tongue is. The first time you read it, don't go fast! This Fox is a tricky fox. He'll try to get your tongue in trouble. A ^.1 *s L This title was originally catalogued by the Library of Congress as follows: Geisel, Theodor Seuss. Fox in socks, by Dr. PZ8.3.G276Fo 65-10484 ISBN: 0-394- Seuss. New York. Beginner Books [1965] 61 p. col. iUus. 24 cm. i. Title. 80038-9 ISBN: 0-394-90038-3 (lib. bdg.) By Pr. Se(/5s BEGINNER BOOKS A Division of Random House, Inc. Copyright © 1965 by Theodor S. Geisel and Audrey S. Geisel. All rights resen.-ed under International and P&n American Copyright Conventions. Published in New York by Beginner Books, a division of Random House. Inc . and simultaneously in Tbronto, Canada, by Random House of Canada Limited. Manufactured in the United States of Amenca. For i^^vc^T) Mitzi Long and Audrey Dimoad of the Mt. Soledad Lingual Laboratories pox '\"Socks Socks Knox in box Fox in socks Knox on fox in socks in box. ^^\\^.x. Socks on Knox and Knox in box Fox in socks on box on Knox. ^. ^ /M 1^mwl Chicks with bricks come. Chicks with blocks come Chicks with bricks and blocks and clocks come. 8 Look, sir. Look, sir. Mr. Knox, sir. Let's do tricks with bricks and blocks, sir. Let's do tricks with chicks and clocks, sir. '^ \\ ./ '/if. '*C. First, I'll make a quick trick brick stack. Then I'll make a quick trick block stack. 10 You can make a quick trick chick stack. You can make a quick trick clock stack. 11 And here's a new trick, Mr. Knox. . . Socks on chicks and chicks on fox. Fox on clocks on bricks and blocks. Bricks and blocks on Knox on box. 12 Now we come to ticks and tocks, sir Try to say this Mr. Knox, sir. . . . 14 ^ ^vO v^^ 'r\\0Frm, \\^ {y Clocks on fox tick. Clocks on Knox tock Six sick bricks tick. Six sick chicks tock. Please, sir. I don't like this trick, sir. My tongue isn't quick or slick, sir. I get all those ticks and clocks, sir, mixed up with the chicks and tocks, sir. I can't do it, Mr. Fox, sir. Fm so sorry, Mr. Knox, sir i Here's an easy game to play. Here's an easy thing to say. . . . New socks. Two socks. Whose socks? Sue's socks. 19 Who sews whose socks? Sue sews Sue's socks. Who sees who sew whose new socks, sir? You see Sue sew Sue's new socks, sir. That's not easy, Mr. Fox, sir. __ 21 Who comes? ... Crow comes. Slow Joe Crow comes. 22 Who sews crow's clothes? Sue sews crow's clothes. Slow Joe Crow sews whose clothes? Sue's clothes. 23 Sue sews socks of fox in socks now. 24 Slow Joe Crow sews Knox in box now. 25 Sue sews rose on Slow Joe Crow's clothes Fox sews hose on Slow Joe Crow's nose. Hose goes. Rose grows. Nose hose goes some. Crow's rose grows some. Mr. Fox! I hate this game, sir. This game makes my tongue quite lame, sir. vi Mr. Knox, sir, what a shame, sir. 29 y^'^v v^ :^ ^ ^ c^ ll We'll find something new to do now. Here is lots of new blue goo now. New goo. Blue goo. Gooey. Gooey. Blue goo. New goo. Gluey. Gluey. I ^r^\\^ y9l\\^3\\\\ w^^^^-^r-m ^^-^^rs-suJ 'Uw ^ L- '' ^diu/^ ^^ w^^i^M 3, /^^:^^f^^^5^ull(] i^^s ^f^^^^^s^mm^^^^^2\\ 314.%^^^^Ali^X^ ^^^= \"^1 ^~ V \" ^_ 1 \"A ^^Srw^^^'^'^' ^^s - ^^-fL .^ .^^r_^ ''^^-"^ ^k^ ^ -- Gooey goo for chewy chewing! That's what that Goo-Goose is doing. Do you choose to chew goo, too, sir? If, sir, you, sir, choose to chew, sir, with the Goo- Goose, chew, sir. Do, sir. HHaaMfllAMfliaMMMiBH^^^HaBH^ Mr. Fox, sir, I won't do it. I can't say it. I won't chew it '1^- y Very well, sir. Step this way. We'll find another game to play. M4^ 1^ 'VI, ^-^ // c ^'^v^ Bim comes. Ben comes. Bim brings Ben broom. Ben brings Bim broom. 36 OI Ben bends Bim's broom. Bim bends Ben's broom. Bim's bends. Ben's bends. Ben's bent broom breaks. Bim's bent broom breaks. Ben's band. Bim's band Big bands. Pig bands. Bim and Ben lead bands with brooms. Ben's band bangs and Bim's band booms. // ^' N Pig band! Boom band! Big band! Broom band! My poor mouth can't say that. No, sir. My poor mouth is much too slow, sir. 40 Well then . . . bring your mouth this way. rU find it something it can say. 41 J^^J^^^J^^i^^^^MA^^ ^-^ '^^5^^^^^^; Luke Luck likes lakes. \\r, Luke's duck likes lakes. \\\\\\ Luke Luck licks lakes. Luke's duck licks lakes. Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes. 43 , ..,^..,.n,,r,mMtwm, ^ I can't blab such blibber blubber! My tongue isn't made of rubber. ^,^ ^ v ^Ua ^\\\\ -^5>Si^

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Check Pages 1-50 of Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss in the flip PDF version. Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss was published by My Digital Library on 2021-02-22. Find more similar flip PDFs like Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss. Download Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss PDF for free.

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Tongue twisters are a great way to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency. They can also help to improve accents by using alliteration, which is the repetition of one sound. They're not just for kids, but are also used by actors, politicians, and public speakers who want to sound clear when speaking. Below, you will find some of the most popular English tongue twisters. Say them as quickly as you can. If you can master them, you will be a much more confident speaker.

1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

2. Betty Botter bought some butter
But she said the butter's bitter
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter
But a bit of better butter will make my batter better
So 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter

3. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood

4. She sells seashells by the seashore.

5. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?

6. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.

7. I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop.

8. Susie works in a shoeshine shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she shines.

9. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, was he?

10. Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?

11. I have got a date at a quarter to eight; I'll see you at the gate, so don't be late.

12. You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.

13. I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.

14. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?

15. I thought I thought of thinking of thanking you.

16. I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch.

17. Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear.

18. Eddie edited it.

19. Willie's really weary.

20. A big black bear sat on a big black rug.

21. Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks.

22. He threw three free throws.

23. Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.

24. So, this is the sushi chef.

25. Four fine fresh fish for you.

26. Wayne went to wales to watch walruses.

27. Six sticky skeletons. (x3)

28. Which witch is which? (x3)

29. Snap crackle pop. (x3)

30. Flash message. (x3)

31. Red Buick, blue Buick. (x3)

32. Red lorry, yellow lorry. (x3)

33. Thin sticks, thick bricks. (x3)

34. Stupid superstition. (x3)

35. Eleven benevolent elephants. (x3)

36. Two tried and true tridents. (x3)

37. Rolling red wagons. (x3)

38. Black back bat. (x3)

39. She sees cheese. (x3)

40. Truly rural. (x3)

41. Good blood, bad blood. (x3)

42. Pre-shrunk silk shirts. (x3)

43. Ed had edited it. (x3)

44. We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

45. Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?

46. Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

47. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.

48. A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

49. Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.

50. Of all the vids I've ever viewed, I've never viewed a vid as valued as Alex's engVid vid.

Practice some common tongue twisters with me in these videos:

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50 Tongue Twisters to improve pronunciation in English

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Tongue twisters are a great way to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency. They can also help to improve accents by using alliteration, which is the repetition of one sound. They're not just for kids, but are also used by actors, politicians, and public speakers who want to sound clear when speaking.

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bitter is a flavour :

sweet , sour=lemon , salty ,bitter=beer , umami=soya sauce

Betty Botter bought some butter, but the butter, it was bitter. If she put it in her batter, it would make her batter bitter, but a bit of better butter, that would make her batter better.

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Growing up poor - A2 English reading test - Test-English

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A2 reading comprehension. Read the text about a man who grew up in a poor neighbourhood and say if the sentences are true or false.

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Belling The Cat | English Short Stories For Children | KidsOne

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Created with Hot Potatoes by Half-Baked Software, registered to Klaus Rosmanitz.

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T127-Present Tense Simple and Continuous

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Your browser does not support the audio element, so here's a link to the mp3: https://hlsvod.uvic.ca/vod/dcs/elc/studyzone/330-stories-cam/the-monkey-and-the-crocodile.mp3

Once there was a monkey who lived in a naval tree beside a river. This naval tree produced more fruit than any other tree in the jungle, and its fruit was fresher and sweeter than the fruit on all the other trees.

Every day when the monkey ate this fruit, he was very happy. Not only could he eat his fill, but he could throw some fruit into the river when his friend the crocodile came by. The crocodile and the monkey spent many hours sitting on the shore of the river and talking, and in time they became best friends.

The crocodile always took some fruit home to his dear wife. She loved the naval fruit so much that she became addicted to its taste and freshness. One day she thought, "If the monkey eats this fruit every day, then his flesh must also taste sweet, especially his liver. Oh, I want to taste the monkey's liver." She thought about it and thought about it until she couldn't stand it any longer.

Finally she said to her husband, "I want to taste the monkey's liver. Please bring him home, so I can satisfy my hunger."

The crocodile was shocked! "You want to eat the monkey's liver? But . . . he's my friend! I love him. And he's so generous to us. My dear, it's impossible."

The lady crocodile became angry. She demanded that he bring the monkey to her. She demanded that he let her taste the monkey's liver. Otherwise she would leave.

The crocodile was torn apart. He loved his wife, and didn't want to lose her. He loved his friend, and didn't want to lose him. Why did he have to make this difficult choice?

In the end, he decided to lose his monkey friend. With a heavy heart, he swam slowly back across the river and sat under the naval tree.

"Oh Monkey," he called, "It's a lovely night, and I feel like going for a ride on the river. Why don't you come along? I could show you the beauty of the river."

"I don't think so," said the monkey. "I don't think that's a good idea. And anyway, I can't swim, and I'm afraid of the water."

"I am the king of the river. You don't need to be afraid when you ride on my back. Besides, we've been friends for a long time. What a shame it would be if you can't trust me by now."

The monkey thought for a minute. Perhaps the crocodile was right. Who can you trust, if not your friends? "OK," he said, "I'll come with you." He jumped onto the crocodile's back, and they sailed into the river.

It was a wonderful ride, and the monkey was really happy, but the crocodile was quiet, and deep in thought.

"What's the matter?" asked the monkey.

The crocodile almost burst into tears. "I'm sorry, my friend. I lied to you. I am not doing this to entertain you. Rather, I am taking you to my wife. She wants to eat your liver."

"Eat my liver!!" The monkey was astonished. "Why does she want to eat my liver?"

"She knows that you eat the fruit of the naval tree every day. She thinks that your liver must be very sweet and tender, so she wants to eat it."

"I see," said the monkey. He saw that his life was in danger. He thought for a minute. "My friend, don't feel bad on my account," he said. "I would be honored to give my liver to your wife. But you should have told me about this before we left the naval tree."

"Why?" asked the crocodile.

"Well, I always wash my liver in the river and then hang it on a branch of the tree."

"Oh?"

"If you take me back to the tree, I'll get it for you. Then you can take it to your wife."

The crocodile swam quickly back to the naval tree. When he got to the shore, the monkey jumped off his back and climbed up the tree.

"Hah! Crocodile! Don't you know that I can't give you my liver? This has been a good lesson to me about trust."

Credits:

An Indian folk tale retold by Mary Mahoney
Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes
Public Domain photo credit: Composite of Prehensile tail Wikipedia and CC0 Public Domain on Pixabay

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The Monkey and the Crocodile: Reading Comprehension

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Your browser does not support the audio element, so here's a link to the mp3: https://hlsvod.uvic.ca/vod/dcs/elc/studyzone/330-stories-cam/the-monkey-and-the-crocodile.mp3 Once there was a monkey who lived in a naval tree beside a river. This naval tree produced more fruit than any other tree in the jungle, and its fruit was fresher and sweeter than the fruit on all the other trees.

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You can set this page as a homework task for a group of students; doing so will give you a record of who has completed the task. Visit the teacher's section for more information.

In the teacher's section you can also alter the sets of content, so that only some of the images appear. Additionally, you can get embed code to add this game to a blog or web page and you can create direct links to the game with content pre-selected. As an example, the link below will start the game with the jobs content automatically loaded.

Alternatively, this link will start the game with the food content automatically selected and loaded.

Use the teacher's section to create more links or embed code.

This is a simple game for practicing brief reading comprehension. To play, you read the brief description and then click on the image that it most accurately describes. The aim is to practice understanding for short English sentences in a fun way. By having the player match the description to an image, it is hoped that meaning or context can be elicited more effectively. To be clear, this game is primarily targeted at - ESL (English as a second language) students.

When playing, you can select the content to use from a range of 20 or so different sets. Each set has 20 to 30 items and each item has two different (but quite similar) descriptions. The first description is quite simple, while the second tries to be more difficult. The easier descriptions show first and then as you progress the more difficult ones show. To finish the game, you have to go through the whole set of content twice. To try and make the game more interesting, score is accumulated and a high score table is shown at the end. Most of the other games on this site use a timer to make the game challenging. Rather than do this again, this game just has score and a bar that accumulates and awards more points. The bar accumulates as you get the correct answer, but then resets whenever a mistake is made. If you can get six correct responses in a row, the star is shown and additional score is given.

To add another element to the game, I included 3 'lifelines' or hints to help get the correct answer. These appear on the right of the screen and, while initial faded, become available as you accumulate score. The first lifeline is '50/50'. Clicking this will remove half of the options leaving only the correct answer and 3 alternatives. The second lifeline, changes the images shown and reorders the display. At first 8 images are shown. One is the correct response and the other 7 are randomly selected from the other images in the content set. The second lifeline, re-shuffles and reselects the 7 alternatives. The final lifeline simply shows the correct response. As this one is quite useful, it is can only be used a few times. When you begin, you have no lifelines and the option buttons are all faded out. Then as you give correct responses, you accumulate score and get awarded lifelines. However, one incorrect answer will reset everything and remove all the lifelines you have.

There a couple of game modes that you can play in. Normal mode will display 8 possible images for each description, while easy mode displays only 4 images. There is also a 'simple' mode in which the scoring bar and lifelines are removed.

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A game to practice basic text comprehension in English. Read the descriptions and then click on the matching pictures. You can use this to learn English online for free.

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This is an exercise with true/false questions.

Clarkson is a large town. It has more than fifty thousand people living there. It sits next to a large river, the Clark River. Every day, people take the ferry from North Clarkson to South Clarkson to go to work.

Most people live in North Clarkson. There are many trees and the streets are very broad. When the sun shines and the children run and play in the safe streets, North Clarkson is a wonderful place to live.

South Clarkson has a lot of shops and factories. People don't live there, but they come in the morning to work. There is also a big stadium where the Clarkson Tigers play. On Sundays, many people go to watch their favorite team.

At the weekend, the people from Clarkson enjoy walking along the bank of the Clark River. They also sail small boats on the water and if there is a little wind, they fly kites in the large park.

Every year, Clarkson grows in size because a lot of people come to live there. The government builds more houses and the streets get busier. Maybe in the future, if the town continues to grow, it will become a city!

Where Now?

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Elementary Reading | The Town Of Clarkson, True/False Questions | esl-lounge Student

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True/false questions for elementary reading.

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Do the quiz to find out if you're a good digital citizen and then do the exercises to practise and improve your reading skills.

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Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then, look at the map and listen to the directions while you do the other exercises.

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Listen to some phone messages with directions to practise and improve your listening skills.

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You can set this page as a homework task for a group of students; doing so will give you a record of who has completed the task. Visit the teacher's section for more information.

You can share this page by using the link below.

This game is for practicing past tense English verbs. It is intended to be used by ESL (English as a second language) students, to review past participles. The aim of this game is not to explain or communicate the concept of past tense, rather it is just to practice using past tense. The concept of past tense is difficult to illustrate visually and really is better explained by a teacher in a classroom. So, this game is really just intended as a tool to practice verbs and sentences in past tense. The language used is quite basic, but I think it covers almost all of the basic past tense verb forms (regular and irregular) and a few more difficult ones.

There are 3 different tasks in the game. In the first task, you simply have to drag the verbs to match present to past tense forms. The second task requires you to choose the correct word to complete the sentence. Finally, for the third task you have to reorder the phrase. This sequence repeats with different sets of content.

There is also a review screen in which you can see each verb with its past-participle and an image to convey the meaning.

The game uses a timer to give an element of challenge to the game. The timer can be turned of by clicking on the settings button in game.

There are 22 sets of content. Each set has 8 verbs, with a matching image and sentence to convey meaning and context. This gives a total of 176 items. These were selected from lists of basic verbs in English with a slight bias towards choosing irregular past tense forms; although, some verbs that were hard to represent visually were excluded. For example, it is quite difficult to draw an image to show the meaning of the verb 'decide'. I hope that almost all the basic verbs are covered here and that by mastering this game, students will have a comprehensive mastery of all the basic past tense forms.

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Practice past tense verbs online. This game is of ESL students to learn regular and irregular past tense verbs online for free. You look at the pictures and then click on the right verbs.

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arrive when you leave your house and you come to me ,

depart , is when you leave your house

7 o'clock , in the morning, Matej departed from the house to go to school

he arrived at 7.20 duration is 20 minutes

platform is at the train station

platform number 1

platform number 2

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Look at the train ticket and timetable and do the exercises to practise and improve your reading skills.

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Ploughing the field

finding a metal pot

he was searching for something more valuable , got tired and after searching lay down under the tree

he left his spade in the pot

It multiplied :

1 from one spade came 100 spades

2 from one mango came 100 mangoes

he sold it all at the market and earned handsome sum for it

3 then bought some grains=rice, barley ,oats =put in a pot one by one, soon he had enough to last him for the rest of the year

then he told his wife and

she said it is a blessing =good news and we must keep it safely hidden,like a secret

4 then they produced vegetable , fruit , textile

5 he became rich and turned round his family fortune

6 people noticed and king confiscated the pot

the king said "I will look inside and once I find out the secret I will become 100 times more powerful"

king hit his head on the edge of the pot and fell in , became unconscious , when he woke up he saw 100 of kings fighting and dying

Wife and her husband talk : shall we keep the pot?

husband says " no , we have enough money for many generations to come"

come=kam

came=kejm

become=bikam

became=bikejm

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THE MAGIC POT STORY | STORIES FOR KIDS | TRADITIONAL STORY | T-SERIES

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memoraj =zejsion slovensky RAJ

occur =okkkkkr= happens , exists

I get flowers from my son ...

oh , every day ?

no , not every day , but it occurs , 1 .-2 time per year

do you get a lot of snow in Dunaj Luzna

No , not a lot of snow , but it occurs , 20 hours we have a little snow

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Listen to the radio interview about improving your memory and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

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My outcomes are very bad. I will take a medicines.

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People need planty of time (lot of time) for their activities.

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We have to protect our environment

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This is the build of the Slovak government

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The diverse landscape = there are mountains, river, filds = beautiful place