Understanding English Exercises: Vocabulary, Grammar, and Sports
Enhance Your English: Vocabulary and Grammar
Complete the sentences with the words and phrases below. Make any necessary changes. There are more words than you need. (10 x 1 = 10 points)
- How can you be so calm just before an exam?
- Tony always wants to be better than everyone else. He’s very competitive.
- This morning we bought souvenirs at a small shop near our hotel.
- You must exercise at least three times a week in order to keep fit.
- When do you think the train will take off from the station? It was due an hour ago.
- You never think of other people. How can you be so inconsiderate?
- We’ve decided to take up skiing. Our first lesson is tomorrow.
- Charles is the most talented artist in our class.
- We went on a shopping trip and bought some new clothes.
- Our team won when Evelyn scored a goal towards the end of the match.
The Hidden Danger in Drinking Water
DANGER: DRINKING WATER
Investigators (1) recently found medicines in the drinking water of all 50 states of the United States. Earlier this year, they (2) examined samples of water from all over the country. While they (3) were working, they began to realize that the situation was very serious. The results showed that there were small amounts of drugs in all the samples they (4) had taken – painkillers, antibiotics, hormones, and medicines for epilepsy, to name a few. The problem is that the water many people (5) are drinking comes from rivers or lakes that (6) are not pure. The water is cleaned, but this (7) does not remove all bacteria – or drugs. At the present time, researchers (8) do not understand the dangers of many years of exposure to low levels of medicines, but they (9) are already doing experiments on animals which suggest serious effects. So, anyone in the United States who (10) is now drinking a glass of cold water from the tap should think twice. They may want to put it down and buy some mineral water instead!
Rafael Nadal: A Tennis Champion’s Journey
Complete the passage with the words below. (10 x 3 = 30 points)
Rafael Nadal, the famous tennis player, was born on 3rd June 1984, in Mallorca. When Nadal was three years old, he watched his Uncle Toni play on a tennis court for the first time. Nadal decided to dedicate himself to tennis, and Uncle Toni became his coach. Although Nadal was right-handed, Toni taught Nadal to hold his racquet in his left hand. It was a challenge to play left-handed, but it meant Nadal could hit the ball with two hands.
Nadal was a naturally talented athlete, playing football as well as tennis. But at the age of 12, Nadal decided to take up tennis. When he was 15, Nadal entered his first competition as a professional player.
Nadal’s determination and discipline make him a champion. He broke the record for the most wins in a row on a clay court, and he has beaten all of the world’s best players.
Test Your Knowledge: Choose the Correct Answer
(6 x 2 = 12 points)
- Ian lost his racquet yesterday.
- Let’s go home. The coach has cancelled the tennis game because of the rain.
- Jody has won many matches. These are her medals.
- The coach made me an offer when we met last week.
- Lewis hasn’t received the results yet. He will be so disappointed.
- The girls have baked you a cake. Happy birthday!
The Inspiring Story of the Paralympic Games
Complete the passage with the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple.
The Olympic Games have attracted attention ever since they started thousands of years ago in Greece. However, another movement, called the Paralympics, began in Rome in 1960. The Paralympics grew out of a competition that Sir Ludwig Guttmann organized in 1948 for World War II veterans with serious injuries. The present-day Paralympics, for athletes with physical and mental disabilities, have come a long way since then, and the number of disabled athletes has increased each year. In 1960, there were 400 athletes, and in 2004, 3,806 athletes participated in the games.