A. GRAMMAR
I. Fill in the gaps with the verbs in brackets in the infinitive or -ing form.
1. I’m afraid of …………………………... (go) out alone at night.
2. He’s afraid …………………………... (walk) home alone at night.
3. She forgot …………………………... (invite) one of her best friends to the party.
4. I’ll never forget …………………………... (travel) by plane for the first time.
5. On the way home he stopped …………………………... (buy) some chocolate.
6. He stopped …………………………... (study) and turned on the TV.
7. These windows are dirty. They need …………………………... (wash).
8. I want …………………………... (speak) to Sally, please.
9. She’s really sorry for …………………………... (shout) at you yesterday.
10. I’m sorry …………………………... (hear) you’ve been ill again.
II. Read the dialogue. Choose the correct grammar forms of the words in capitals and fill in the gaps.
A: I’m really looking forward to (11) … watching …. the Tour de France. WATCH
B: So am I. Last year I was lucky enough (12) …………………… there. BE
A: How did you manage that?
B: Well, I was visiting my cousin in Paris and he surprised me with tickets.
A: Lucky you! How was it seeing the race up close?
B: The thrill of (13) …………………… the cyclists speed by was incredible. SEE
Thousands of fans had lined the roads to cheer on their heroes.
A: Who was yours?
B: Lance Armstrong. What an athlete! He was trying (14) …………………… WIN
the competition after (15) …………………… away from the sport for four years! BE
A: That’s amazing! I can’t wait to watch this year’s race.
B. READING
Look at the sentences below about a visit to a Californian cattle station. Read the text on the opposite page to decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, mark A on your answer sheet. If it is not correct, mark B on your answer sheet.
16. The reason Tim went to the cattle ranch was to find work. …….
17. Tim was bored on the long journey to the ranch. .……
18. The Raskin Cattle Ranch has been owned by the same family for over 100 years. …….
19. The workers on the ranch wear special clothes to entertain visitors. | ……. |
20. Everyone on the trip ate the same food for lunch. | ……. |
21. Tim was rather disappointed with the food he was given. | ……. |
22. Tim did more than he had expected to do on the ranch. | ……. |
23. Tim enjoyed the tour of the ranch because he was an experienced horse rider. | ……. |
24. Tim found his day on the ranch to be very educational. | ……. |
25. Tim is certain that he will return to Raskin Cattle Ranch one day. | ……. |
MY CALIFORNIA TRAVEL BLOG – A DAY AT RASKIN CATTLE RANCH
By Tim Blanchflower
I spent most of last summer holiday in California on the beach – and who wouldn't? However, one day I got the chance to try something a bit different - to go on a day trip to a working cattle ranch just north of Los Angeles. That's what I'm going to blog about today.
Although the ranch was only about 50 kilometres from where I was staying with my uncle, it took ages to get there because the traffic out of the city was so bad. Fortunately, our guide and coach driver, Maria, kept us entertained with her stories and jokes.
The Raskin Ranch is located in a beautiful little valley, and has been home for six generations of the Raskin family. It has been a family business since 1895, providing an income from both the cattle and the guest house. These guys know what they're doing!
I fell in love with the place as soon as I arrived. The people working there walk around in jeans and cowboy hats - not as part of a tourist show, but because that's the most practical way to dress for the work they do. These are real cowboys, though it should be said that they prefer to call themselves cattle ranchers.
The first thing we did when we got there was eat lunch. You won't be surprised to hear that there was one thing on the menu: steak, cooked on a barbecue. I’m glad I'm not vegetarian, because I have never eaten a steak as good as that one. In fact, every steak I've eaten since then has been a bit disappointing in comparison.
You'd think an afternoon and evening at a cattle ranch wouldn't give you a lot of time to experience the place, but it was incredible how much we crammed into a short visit. First thing after lunch was a riding tour of the ranch. Don't worry if, like me, you haven't had much to do with horses in your life. These animals are well-trained and calm - perfect for beginners and experienced riders alike.
Later, I learnt how to lie and throw a lasso (a rope for catching cattle) and how to build a campfire. They don't teach you that sort of thing in school! I can't say I was very good at either of those things, to be honest - but it was fun giving them a try!
By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted but happy. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to go to California again, but if I do, I'm definitely going to pay a visit to the Raskin ranch. It was better than any beach!
1. The singing and dancing were amazing.
(Ca hát và nhảy múa thật tuyệt vời.)
2. A few actors forgot their lines and looked quite embarrassed.
(Một vài diễn viên quên lời thoại và trông khá lúng túng.)
3. The final scenes were actually quite moving.
(Những cảnh cuối cùng thực sự khá cảm động.)
4. I was surprised that it was over two hours long.
(Tôi bất ngờ rằng nó dài hơn hai tiếng đồng hồ.)
5. I was a bit bored by the end of it.
(Tôi đã hơi chán trước khi nó kết thúc.)