Bits and Pieces

What's the Correct Word Order?

Click the answer button to see the correct answer.

1. a. beautiful
   b. to
   c. lady
   d. what
   e. young
   f. that
   g. happened
   h. ?
   AnswerWhat happened to that beautiful young lady?
2. a. how
   b. us
   c. waiting
   d. has
   e. long
   f. she
   g. been
   h. for
   i. ?
   AnswerHow long has she been waiting for us?
3. a. far
   b. gas
   c. is
   d. the
   e. how
   f. nearest
   g. it
   h. to
   i. station
   j. ?
   AnswerHow far is it to the nearest gas station?
4. a. didn't
   b. our
   c. come
   d. meeting
   e. to
   f. why
   g. you
   h. ?
   AnswerWhy didn't you come to our meeting?
5. a. tonight
   b. you
   c. come
   d. do
   e. guests
   f. how
   g. will
   h. many
   i. know
   j. ?
   AnswerDo you know how many guests will come tonight?
6. a. green
   b. cost
   c. much
   d. that
   e. vase
   f. how
   g. does
   h. Japanese
   i. ?
   AnswerHow much does that green Japanese vase cost?
7. a. I
   b. in
   c. may
   d. this
   e. room
   f. smoke
   g. ?
   AnswerMay I smoke in this room?
8. a. me
   b. you
   c. ride
   d. can
   e. give
   f. a
   g. ?
   AnswerCan you give me a ride?
9. a. break
   b. it
   c. we
   d. should
   e. before
   f. do
   g. coffee
   h. ?
   AnswerShould we do it before coffee break?
10. a. will
    b. here
    c. he
    d. when
    e. be
    f. again
    g. ?
    AnswerWhen will he be here again?

(C) 1998 Vera Mello

Correct or Incorrect use of preposition?

Click the answer button to see whether
the sentence is correct (c) or incorrect (i).

1. She's a very selfish person who doesn't show any consideration for others.
   Answerc
2. On our school the teachers' basic hourly rate was increased by 5%.
   Answeri (in,by)
3. When we said: "the time is over", the young girl glanced quickly on her watch.
   Answeri (at)
4. There's a fine of 25 cents a day at overdue library books.
   Answeri (of,on)
5. In the beginning of his career he had very little success.
   Answeri (at,of)
6. He forgot to consider the rise in the cost of living.
   Answerc
7. This ticket entitles you to a free meal in our new restaurant.
   Answerc
8. Why did the burden to bringing up her two brothers fall on her shoulders?
   Answeri (of)
9. When I came through the customs at the airport, I had to pay duty about an electric knife I had in my luggage.
   Answeri (on,in)
10. The botanist discovered some new specimens of flowers on that island.
    Answerc

(C) 1998 Vera Mello

Homophones - A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose (past tense of "rise"), or differently, such as to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms.

Click the answer button to see the answer.

1. Things are not as they ___.
   a. seam
   b. seem
   Answerb
2. A type of corn is called ___.
   a. maize
   b. maze
   Answera
3. On the ___, he is a nice person.
   a. whole
   b. hole
   Answera
4. He ___ better but he did it anyway.
   a. knew
   b. new
   Answera
5. Always try to buy low and ___ high.
   a. sell
   b. cell
   Answera
6. Didn't you ___ me when I called you?
   a. hear
   b. here
   Answera
7. A rank lower than general is ___.
   a. colonel
   b. kernel
   Answera
8. Do not ___ in the affairs of other.
   a. medal
   b. meddle
   Answerb
9. Do you really ___ the money?
   a. knead
   b. kneed
   c. need
   Answerc
10. During the summer I work as a tour ___.
    a. guide
    b. guyed
    Answera
11. I will have a ___ sandwich on rye bread.
    a. stake
    b. steak
    Answerb
12. I told ___ not to go but he would not listen.
    a. him
    b. hymn
    Answera
13. His car broke down so he called for a ___ truck.
    a. toe
    b. tow
    Answerb
14. If you run a bear will chase and try to ___ you.
    a. mall
    b. maul
    Answerb
15. If you sleep with ___ hair you will catch a cold.
    a. wet
    b. whet
    Answera
16. A vein of gold in a mine is known as the mother ___.
    a. load
    b. lode
    Answerb
17. I want to ___ you for your delicious meal.
    a. complement
    b. compliment
    Answerb
18. He was not ___ to stay up later than 9:00 at night.
    a. allowed
    b. aloud
    Answera
19. My son has ___ 10 centimeters since this past summer.
    a. groan
    b. grown
    Answerb
20. He ___ flowers to his mother on Mother's Day.
    a. cent
    b. scent
    c. sent
    Answerc

(C) 1998 Donna Tatsuki

Grammar Basics

Click the answer button to see the answer. You may need a dictionary in some cases.

1. Beer is the world's best-selling ___ drink.
   a. alcohol
   b. alcoholic
   c. alcohols
   Answerb
2. The process of making beer is called ___ .
   a. beering
   b. brewsing
   c. brewing
   Answerc
3. The first recorded recipe ( ___ on clay tablets) seems to be one for making beer.
   a. write
   b. written
   c. wrote
   Answerb
4. The ___ ingredients used in making beer are malted grains, water, hops, and yeast.
   a. principal
   b. principle
   c. principles
   Answera
5. The most common grain ___ for beer-making is barley, but sometimes wheat, corn, or rice are also added.
   a. use
   b. uses
   c. used
   Answerc
6. Grain is malted by first soaking it in water, then allowing it to sprout, and finally drying it ___ stop the sprouting.
   a. in order to
   b. to order to
   c. into order to
   Answera
7. Hop cones add both flavor and aroma to beer; they are also good ___ .
   a. preserves
   b. preservatives
   c. preservations
   Answerb
8. In a process ___ fermentation, yeast changes sugar from the malted grain into alcohol.
   a. call
   b. calling
   c. called
   Answerc
9. Although the alcohol level in beer ___ ranges from 4-7%, it can go as high as 15%.
   a. usual
   b. unusual
   c. usually
   Answerc
10. The two most ___ styles of beer are lager and ale.
    a. common
    b. commons
    c. commonly
    Answera
11. Lager ___ about 150 years ago, and it is now the most popular style of beer.
    a. has developed
    b. was developed
    c. has been developed
    Answerb
12. However, in recent years, ale has been regaining ___ .
    a. popular
    b. population
    c. popularity
    Answerc
13. One difference between lager and ale ___ the kinds of yeast used in the fermentation process.
    a. lies in
    b. lies at
    c. lies on
    Answera
14. Another difference between these two ___ of beer is the temperature of the fermentation process.
    a. type
    b. types
    c. typicals
    Answerb
15. In addition, lager ___ lighter in color and body than ale.
    a. tends to be
    b. tend to be
    c. tends to have
    Answera
16. Most beer in the United States is made by big breweries, such as Anheuser-Busch and Miller; microbrew or "craft" beer ___ only 5-10% of all beer produced.
    a. account for
    b. accounts for
    c. count for
    Answerb
17. However, the rapid ___ in the number of microbreweries in the past 20 years means that the United States has a wider selection of beer styles than any other country.
    a. increasing
    b. increases
    c. increase
    Answerc
18. In Europe, one of the smallest countries, Belgium, produces the ___ variety of beer styles of all and is sometimes thought of as a "Disneyland" for beer drinkers.
    a. great
    b. greatest
    c. greater
    Answerb

Copyright (C) 1999 Nevitt Reagan

Trapped Chilean miners alive!!

Dear all,

Stripped to their waists and sweating in the heat, unshaven, scrawny and filthy but all, it seemed, optimistic and hearty: the first video footage of the 33 trapped Chilean miners gave hope today to their families waiting above ground. But they all will have to wait until Christmas before they are rescued...

On this report brought to you by Australia's ABC Radio we invite you to work on adjectives and adverbs.

Exercise to be downloaded (answers included)

May you all find this exercise challenging, and useful!

Kind regards,

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas.

CNN Student News

Dear people,

CNN Student News is a ten-minute, commercial-free, daily news program for middle and high school students in the US produced by the journalists and educators at CNN. This award-winning show and its companion Web site are available free of charge throughout the school year.

As classes resumed in the US last week, the program is back on the air

On today's show:

* As combat operations come close to an end, what's next for the U.S. forces remaining in Iraq?

* Why are government officials discussing the safety of seafood from the Gulf?

* Should schools adjust their start times to help students get more sleep?

* Explore the answers in this Friday edition of CNN Student News.

* Plus, watch what happens when a group of penguins experience a butterfly effect.

SHOW'S TRANSCRIPTION

May you enjoy the show, and our classes at CUI.

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas

Thai HIV vaccine reduces infections by a third

Hello everyone!

An HIV vaccine is a hypothetical vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. As there is no known cure for AIDS, the search for a vaccine has become part of the struggle against the disease.

This week new results have come to light. Today we bring you a report produced by Australia's ABC Radio. May you enjoy it and have fun working on it!

ACTIVITY TO BE DOWNLOADED (answers included)

Have a nice week,

Profesores del CUI

Para escuchar el audio deberán tener instalado el Flash Player de Acrobat (el programa que permite ver videos de YouTube)

Argentinians in London

Hi there!

A bonus track video clip this weekend! CNN visited a London bar where Argentine fans were watching the World Cup match between Argentina and Greece. Peek inside!
Have a look at Argentinians in London as they enjoy a football match as much as we do... but in English!

Cheers!
Mariano

Nurse Jackie

Dear all,

Nurse Jackie is a comedy that meets drama. The premise of Nurse Jackie is the following: Nurse Jackie, played by Edie Falco, is obviously a nurse in a hospital in New York City. She is hooked on pills (Vicodin) and has a family at home, a husband and two young daughters. She sleeps with a doctor in the hospital in order for him to write her prescriptions to keep up her habit. She has a biting personality, being brutally honest to patients and even hurting those who are disrespectful and undeserving of treatment, yet she does an incredible job as a nurse. She really knows what she's doing, she really cares about her job, and she puts in way too much time to give back to humanity. It's a series that is actually worth watching. In Argentina, it can be watched on STUDIO UNIVERSAL in English with subtitles in Spanish.
Today, we bring you an activity based on the review that Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross filed for NY1.

The activity can be downloaded here (answers included).

And this is the video you will need to solve the exercise.

TRAILER TO NURSE JACKIE

Have a nice weekend,
Prof. Mariano Ignacio
Centro Univ. de Idiomas