TOPIC 5:

PART I. VOCABULARY
a. Vocabulary
Part of
Word Pronunciation Meaning
speech
1. amazing (adj) /əˈmeɪ.zɪŋ/ đáng kinh ngạc
2. army-like (adj) /ˈɑː.mi.laɪk/ giống quân đội
3. birdwatching (n) /ˈbɜːdˌwɒtʃ.ɪŋ/ quan sát chim
4. brilliant (adj) /ˈbrɪl.i.ənt/ xuất sắc
5. bullying (n) /ˈbʊl.i.ɪŋ/ bắt nạt
6. campsite (n) /ˈkæmp.saɪt/ khu cắm trại
7. communicate (v) /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt/ giao tiếp
8. competition (n) /ˌkɒm.pəˈtɪʃ.ən/ cuộc thi
9. confidence (n) /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/ sự tự tin
10.coral reef (n) /ˈkɒr.əl ˌriːf/ rạn san hô
11.course (n) /kɔːs/ khóa học
12.eco- tour (n) /ˈiː.kəʊ tʊər/ du lịch sinh thái
13.embarrassing (adj) /ɪmˈbær.ə.sɪŋ/ xấu hổ
14.enjoyable (adj) /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ.ə.bəl/ thú vị
15.ethnic group (n) /ˈeθ.nɪk ɡruːp/ nhóm dân tộc
16.exhilarating (adj) /ɪɡˈzɪl.ə.reɪ.tɪŋ/ phấn khởi
17.explore (v) /ɪkˈsplɔːr/ khám phá
18.facilities (n) /fəˈsɪl.ə.tiz/ cơ sở vật chất
19.fauna (n) /ˈfɔː.nə/ hệ động vật
20.flora (n) /ˈflɔː.rə/ hệ thực vật
21.gong (n) /ɡɒŋ/ cồng chiêng
22.grilled (adj) /ɡrɪld/ nướng
23.helpless (adj) /ˈhelp.ləs/ bất lực
24.instructor (n) /ɪnˈstrʌk.tər/ người hướng dẫn
25.jeep (n) /dʒiːp/ xe jeep
26.lack (verb) /læk/ thiếu
27.local people (n) /ˈləʊ.kəl ˈpiː.pəl/ người dân địa phương
28.magnificent (adj) /mæɡˈnɪf.ɪ.sənt/ nguy nga, tráng lệ
29.memorable (adj) /ˈmem.ər.ə.bəl/ đáng nhớ
30.monument (n) /ˈmɒn.jə.mənt/ tượng đài
31.outskirt (n) /ˈaʊt.skɜːt/ ngoại ô
32.parachute (n, v) /ˈpær.ə.ʃuːt/ dù, nhảy dù
 33.peers (n) /pɪəz/ đồng nghiệp, bạn cùng lứa
34.pleasant (adj) /ˈplez.ənt/ dễ chịu
35.prehistoric (adj) /ˌpriː.hɪˈstɒr.ɪk/ tiền sử
36.project (n) /ˈprɒdʒ.ekt/ dự án
37.seabed (n) /ˈsiː.bed/ đáy biển
38.speciality (n) /ˌspeʃ.iˈæl.ə.ti/ đặc sản
39.strict (adj) /strɪkt/ nghiêm khắc
40.team building (n) /tiːm ˈbɪl.dɪŋ/ xây dựng đội nhóm
41.touching (adj) /ˈtʌtʃ.ɪŋ/ cảm động
42.theme (n) /θiːm/ chủ đề
43.thrilling (adj) /ˈθrɪl.ɪŋ/ hồi hộp, kịch tính
44.thrilling (adj) /ˈθrɪl.ɪŋ/ hồi hộp, kịch tính
45.tribal dance (n) /ˈtraɪ.bəl dæns/ điệu múa bộ tộc
46.unforgettable (adj) /ˌʌn.fəˈɡet.ə.bəl/ không thể quên
47.unpleasant (adj) /ʌnˈplez.ənt/ khó chịu

b. Collocation/ phrase/ phrasal verb

Collocations/ phrases Meaning
1. by chance tình cờ
2. go blank trống rỗng
3. go snorkeling đi lặn với ống thở
4. give a performance biểu diễn
5. learn by rote học vẹt
6. on purpose cố ý
7. put up tents dựng lều
8. tour a campus tham quan khuôn viên trường

PART III. PRACTICE

LISTENING

Exercise 1: Listen to the recording and choose the best answer A, B, C, or D for each
question below:
1. Where did the speaker stay during their trip to Australia?
A. Sydney B. Alice Springs C. Melbourne D. Brisbane
2. What did the speaker do one day during their trip?
A. went swimming B. took a bus tour
C. visited a museum D. went for a walk in the outback
3. How did the speaker feel when they saw the wild dogs?
A. excited B. frightened C. angry D. happy
4. What advice did the speaker remember from their guide book?
A. run away quickly B. shout at the dogs
C. don’t move and don’t look at the dogs D. climb a tree
5. How long did the dogs stay around the speaker?
A. about ten minutes B. about twenty minutes
C. about thirty minutes D. about forty
minutes
Exercise 2: Listen to the audio and decide whether those sentences are TRUE (T) or
FALSE (F):
1. Nina rode an alpaca when she was seven years old. ___________
2. Her friend thinks that alpacas probably smell disgusting. ___________
3. The furthest that Jo has ever cycled is 90 kilometres. ___________
4. A durian is a type of fruit. ___________
5. People can't take durians on buses because they smell so bad. ___________

PHONETIC

Exercise 1: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word whose underlined part
differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.
1. A. answer B. wrong C. way D. yellow
2. A. mystery B. supply C. easy D. silly
3. A. youth B. prayer C. yard D. yearly
4. A. award B. world C. housework D. whose
5. A. whether B. playwright C. knowledge D. wrap
6. A. university B. unique C. unit D. undo
7. A. ground B. should C. about D. amount
8. A. weather B. bread C. ahead D. mean
9. A. author B. other C. there D. breathe
10.A. excursion B. sunburst C. nurse D. picture
Exercise 2: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word that differs from the other
three in the position of primary stress in each of the following questions.
1. A. trainer B. exam C. moment D. army
2. A. visit B. explore C. amaze D. attend
3. A. unpleasant B. embarrassed C. different D. amazing
4. A. billiard B. performance C. confidence D. everything
5. A. experience B. magnificent C. exhilarate D. exploration
6. A appreciate B. experience C. embarrassing D. situation
7. A excited B. interested C. confident D. memorable
8. A convenient B. interesting C. comfortable D. internet
9. A entertain B. electronic C. documentary D. television
10.A invent B. interact C. develop D. control

VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR

Exercise 1: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the
following questions.
1. In spring, the park is full of _______, creating a vibrant and colorful scene.
A. blooming flower B. communal house C. bamboo pole D. dancing hall
2. The city planted _______along the streets, adding beauty and shade to the urban landscape.
A. blooming flower B. vegetables C. ornamental trees D. plants
3. I still remember that _______moment when I tripped and fell in front of everyone.
A. amazing B. helpless C. brilliant D. embarrassing
4. Many parents want their children to join the _______to improve their collaboration skills.
A. amazing experiences B. team building activities C. fashion shows
D. tribal dance shows
5. I lost my passport. I need to go to the _______to report it lost.
A. pharmacy B. gallery C. embassy D. monument
6. The smell of rotten food was so _______that I had to leave the room.
A. excited B. unpleasant C. thrilled D. enjoyable
7. Riding a roller coaster was a _______experience that I'll never forget.
A. unpleasant B. embarrassing C. thrilling D. helpless
8. The village's _______is a place where people gather for festivals and celebrations.
A. festival B. market C. communal house D. shopping mall
9. It feels awful when someone keeps taking your lunch money and calling you names. This
is an example of _______at school.
A. making friends B. having fun C. being bullied D. being ignored
10.To prepare for the history test, I need to learn _______all the important dates for each
event.
A. by mistake B. on purpose C. by chance D. by heart
11.I was so nervous during the presentation, my mind _______and I couldn’t remember what
to say next.
A. went blank B. became exhausted C. went empty D. lacked confidence
12.In science class, we learned about different types of transportation. Did you know that
horses were once used to _______?
A. drive B. ride C. sail D. climb
13.We’re all dressed up in our crazy outfits for our last day of school. This is a moment we
definitely need to _______ some photos.
A. make B. take C. paint D. draw
14.I learned that many scientists use robots to _______in deep, dark parts of the ocean.
A. explore the seabed B. sail on a boat
 C. built a sandcastle D. play with dolphins
15.The field trip to the animal shelter was so much fun! We even got to pet a baby tiger cub. It
was a(n) _______experience!
A. serious B. disappointing C. unforgettable D. confusing
16.This weekend, Ms. Jodie suggested the students _______in a nearby park to see some birds
in their natural habitat.
A. go swimming B. go birdwatching C. have a picnic D. plant trees
17.My friend came up with a _______solution to the science project. It was so creative that
the whole class was impressed!
A. nervous B. difficult C. brilliant D. typical
18.In some cultures, people believe that burning incense can ward off _______.
A. bad spirits B. festival goers C. martial artists D. pilgrims
19.The children used a _______to reach the mangoes hanging high up in the tree.
A. fight B. barrier C. bamboo pole D. a tent
20.During the festival, people bring __________to the temple to honor the gods.
A. decorative items B. food offerings C. spirits D. devices
21.The concert attracted thousands of __________who enjoyed the music and atmosphere.
A. comers B. goers C. movers D. city dweller
22.The __________demonstration showcased impressive skills and discipline.
A. martial arts B. physics C. chemistry D. literature
23.I felt __________when I saw the injured bird and couldn't do anything to help.
A. helpful B. happy C. pleasant D. helpless
24.The young boy tried to ____________ a jeep but he felt too scared to handle the rough
terrain.
A. cycle B. run C. ride D. sail
25.My brother and his classmates decided to ____________ through the rainforest to learn
more about the diverse flora and fauna.
A. go snorkelling B. take an eco-tour C. tour a campus D. explore the seabed
26.She showed her ___________by asking lots of trivial questions.
A experience B. experienced C. inexperienced D. inexperience
27.It took the children all afternoon to ____________ a tent in the backyard for their camping
trip.
A. put up B. set up C. give up D. bring up
28.Her daughter ____________ a lot since she ____________ to this new city.
A. grown – moved B. grew - has moved C. has grown - has moved D. has grown –
moved
29.I'm sorry you've missed the train, it ___________ five minutes ago.
A had left B. left C. has left D. has been left
30.Before he turned 14, Mozart ___________a few lesser pieces for the piano.
A has composed B. had composed C. was composed D. would composed
31.I'm sorry you've missed the train, it ___________ five minutes ago.
A had left B. left C. has left D. has been left
32.Last summer vacation, they ______________ a tropical island and immediately fell in love
with this place.
A. have visited B. were visiting C. visited D. would visit
33.___________ hard all year, so I felt that I deserved a holiday.
A. I work B. I worked C. I'd been working D. I've worked
34.The student _____________ by rote, so he couldn’t answer the question.
A. have learnt B. learnt C. learn D. was learning
35.We live in London. We ___________ there for seven years.
A. live C. lived B. are living D. have lived
36.He _____________ skydiving last month. It was such an exhilarating experience.
A. tried B has tried C. had tried D. was trying
37.I ___________ the new Harry Potter book now, so you can borrow my copy if you like.
A. finish B. am finishing C. have finished D. had finished
38.She hasn’t met her family ________ a long time.
A. since B. for C. in D. from
39.Tom can't go to school today because he ______________ just ______________ his leg.
A. was - breaking B. will - break C. has - broken D. have – broken
40.I didn’t say hello because you ___________ very fast.
A. are walking B. were walking C. walked D. have walked
41.Christine ______________ at that company since she was graduated from university.
A. has worked B. was working C. worked D. is working
42.She ___________ the gold medal in 1986.
A. wins B. had won C. won D. has won
43.Tina and Chris ______________ together as a couple for over five years.
A. have been B. are C. will be D. were
44.Hung used to go swimming during summer months when he ______ young.
A. is B. has been C. had been D. was
45.Jane ______________ her exam results yet, so she is feeling very anxious about how she
performed.
A. hasn't receive B. received C. didn't receive D. hasn't received
46.Has Mary listened to the song ________ 2 hours?
A. for B. never C. ever D. yet
47.I ______________ three chapters of this novel so far, and I'm really enjoying it.
A. complete B. have completed C. has completed D. am completing
48.She has cooked dinner for us every evening since we ______________ in together.
A. moved B. have moved C. move D. are moving
49.We ______________ a final decision on the vacation destination yet.
A. have made B. made C. haven't made D. didn't make
50.Where_________ you__________ on the Tet holiday last year?
A. do - go B. did - gone C. did – go D. did - went
51.I ______________ that series several times, and it never fails to entertain me.
A. have watched B. had watched C. watch D. will watch
52.Peter has played football ________ he was a child.
A. for B. so C. since D. because
53.My daughter ______________ on stage once, and it was such a memorable moment for
her.
A. has performed B. performed C. was performing D. have performed
54.I haven’t met him again since we _________ school ten years ago.
A. have left B. leave C. left D. had left
55.______________ you ever ______________ any of these famous specialty dishes?
A. Have -try Did - try C. Will - try D. Have – tried
56.Jenny has been a member of the basketball team ______________ the beginning of the
season.
A. since B. for C. yet D. once
57.He has gone to the UK for further education since he ______ upper secondary school.
A. finished B. is finishing C. will finish D. finish
58.The company ______________ recently ______________ its operations to new
international markets.
A. has - expanded B. will – expand C. had - expanded D. was – expanding
59.This is the first time I ______________ ever ______________ to such a beautiful village.
A. have - came B. was - coming C. have - come D. did – come
60.Yesterday, the students ____________ an excursion to the local museum to learn about
ancient civilizations.
A. take B. have taken C. took D. will take
61.He _____________ the movie three times so far.
A. watched B. watches C. has watched D. will watch
62.We have studied for our history exam _________ two hours.
A. are studying B. study C. have studied D. studied
A. for B. so C. since D. because
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with "since" or "for".
1. Mark has used the laptop ____________ three hours ____________ 10 o'clock.
2. How many times have you read the book ____________ you bought it?
3. Mary hasn't eaten fish ____________ Thursday.
4. We've known each other ____________ ages.
5. My sister has owned the fashion shop ____________ 3 years.
6. It's three years ____________ Trang started learning English.
7. Peter and Linda have been married ____________ a year.
8. She has been to Paris ____________ a week.
9. He has stayed here ____________ three days.
10.I have worked as a teacher ____________ 2018.
Exercise 3: Put in the present perfect of the verbs in brackets.
1. There ____________________ (be) a lot of changes in Vietnam since the 1990s.
2. There is no more cheese. I ____________________ (eat) it all, I'm afraid.
3. It'll soon get warm in here. I ____________________ (turn) the heating on.
4. The bill isn't right. They ____________________ (make) a mistake.
5. I just __________ (see) Andrew and he says he ___________ (do) about half of the plan.
6. She ____________________ (not/ have) any fun for a long time.
7. You ____________________ (not/ do) your project yet, I suppose.
8. Don't you want to see this programme? It ____________________ (start).
9. My son ____________________ (study) English since he was a young man.
10.My brother ____________________ (not have) his car repaired since I left him.
11.This is the first time that I ever ____________________ (eat) this kind of food.
12.My friends ____________________ (drink) since it started to rain.
Exercise 4: Put the present perfect or past simple of the verbs in brackets.
1. I ____________________ (have) these shoes since my eighteenth birthday.
2. We ____________________ (live) in Newcastle for three years now and like it a lot.
3. The last time I ____________________ (go) to Brighton was in August.
4. When my parents were on holiday, I for ____________________ (stay) with my
grandparents two weeks.
5. I ____________ (not see) Rachel for ages. She _____________ (not visit) us since July.
6. Martin ____________________ (be) to Greek five times. He loves the place.
7. I _________________ (work) for a computer company for a year. That was after college.
8. We ______________ (move) here in 1993. We ____________ (be) here a long time now.
9. It isn't a very good party. Most people ____________________ (already/ go) home.
10.It was so hot today that I ____________________ (wear) shorts and a T-shirt at work.
11.My wife and I _____________ (move) three times since we ____________ (get) married.
12.So far this week there ____________________ (be) three burglaries on our street.
13.When I was younger, I ____________________ (play) badminton for my local team.
14.In the past few years, it _______ (become) more and more difficult to get into university.
15.This book is so long that I ____________________ (not finish) it yet.
Exercise 5: Fill in each blank with a word or phrase in the box.

exhilarating attending an army-like course unpleasant embarrassing

learning by rote touring the university exploring
go snorkeling riding a jeep giving a performance
1. I prefer learning a new language by talking to native speakers, not just ___________
vocabulary lists.
2. I accidentally called my teacher “Mom” in front of the whole class. It was incredibly
________________________.
3. The band felt a rush of excitement before ________________________ of their new
song for the crowd.
4. This weekend, I’m ________________________ my brother wants to attend. I can’t
wait to see the dorms and classrooms.
5. Michael loves learning about marine biology, so he can’t wait to ________________ on
his school trip to the coral reef.
6. Winning the school debate competition was the most ________________________
moment of my entire academic year.
7. The cafeteria was crowded and noisy at lunch today. It was so __________________
that I decided to eat outside.
8. We spent the afternoon ________________________ the ancient temples and learning
about their history and the carvings.
9. After studying hard for their exams, the friends decided to relax by _______________
on a scenic off-road trail.
10. Even though it was tough, ________________________ helped me learn teamwork,
discipline and perseverance.
Exercise 6: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning
to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
1. When the teacher called on me to answer the question, my mind “went blank” and I
couldn't remember anything.
A. went empty B. became unfocused C. turned blush D.became exhausted
2. The wedding ceremony was filled with “touching moments”, especially when the bride
and groom exchanged their vows.
A. moving moments B. moved feelings C. worrying feelings
D. lucky moments
3. He memorized the poem “by rote”, but he couldn't explain its meaning.
A. thinkingly B. mindfully C. by heart D. by accident
4. The children love to “explore” the woods behind their house.
A. test B. tour C. learn about D. hunt for
5. She “grew up” in a small town, but always dreamed of living in a big city.
A. stayed up B. became much stronger C. got up D. became more
mature
Exercise 7: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning
to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
1. The view from the mountaintop was absolutely “amazing”, taking our breath away.
A. exhilarating B. underwhelming C. marvelous D. breathtaking
2. It was an “embarrassing” moment when I tripped and fell in front of everyone.
A. shameful B. memorable C. happy D. underwhelming
3. Due to the “lack of” planning, our camping trip turned into a bit of a disaster.
A. plenty of B. failure to plan C. shortage of D. absence of
4. Our graduation ceremony was a “memorable” experience that we'll cherish forever.
A. unpleasant B. experienced C. unremarkable D. amazing
5. The smell of rotten food created an “unpleasant” atmosphere in the kitchen.
A. delightful B. disagreeable C. memorable D. exhilarating
Exercise 8: Use the correct form of the word given to complete each sentence.
1. The trip left me with very impressive and _______________________ memories. (forget)
2. The scenery here makes me feel ________________________ and gentle. (peace)
3. We saw some sea turtles. It was an I ______________________ experience. (incredibly)
4. One ________________________ that captivated me three years ago and still does is the
collection of small offshore islands. (attract)
5. Eating fresh food on the sea when the sun came down really went beyond my
________________________. (expect)
6. This trip gave me the ________________ to share my story with her as well. (opportune)
7. My first trip was very impressive and I could hardly have anything to
________________________ about the trip. (complaint)
8. She smiled to hide her slight ________________________. (embarrass)
9. The romantic evening cruise will be a ______________________ experience. (memory)
10.The beauty of the countryside is beyond our ________________________. (imagine)
Exercise 3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the
correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
 Ji-ho, an English teacher from Daegu, Korea, embarked on a life-changing journey last
year when he (1) _________ the Teaching Volunteer Project in Cape Town, South Africa.
This project, organized by International Volunteer HQ, empowers volunteers like Ji-ho to help
local elementary schools by giving enthusiastic support to students in entry-level classes.
Schools in low-income communities often have very few teachers, so volunteers like Ji-ho
are very important. His days were filled (2) _________ engaging activities as he assisted
teachers with lesson plans, led small group sessions, and interacted with students, helping
them improve their English skills. (3) _________, he also had time to explore Cape Town. He
tried the local cuisine and visited the city’s historical landmarks and breathtaking natural
landscapes. Besides, he also made new friends with fellow volunteers, creating lasting
friendships and forming a strong support network.
Ji-ho really had a memorable time in Cape Town. He (4) _________ considerable teaching
experience, made a positive impact on the lives of students, and discovered a deeper
appreciation for different (5) _________ and ways of life. The trip made him realize how
important it is to volunteer and experience the joy of connecting with others.
1. A. included B. volunteered C. lasted D. joined
2. A. with B. in C. out D. on
3. A. Otherwise B. Therefore C. However D. Yet
4. A. enlarged B. gained C. performed D. created
5. A. societies B. activities C. attitudes D. cultures
 Maria clutched her basketball jersey, her heart hammering against her ribs. Today was the
championship game, and the tension was thick (1) ______________ the air. She’d been the
team’s star player all season, (2) ______________ now, doubt crept in. What if she let
everyone down?
Across the locker room, her teammate Sarah (3) ______________ Maria’s pale face. She
walked over and gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. ‘You got this, Maria,” Sarah
said confidently. “Remember all the hard work we put in? (4) ______________ yourself and
your skills.”
Maria managed a weak smile. Sarah’s words were a much-needed (5) ______________. They
visualized the game plan, picturing each successful play. Slowly, Maria’s fear transformed
into focused determination.
1. A. on B. in C. for D. from
2. A. but B. for C. or D. so
3. A. cared B. warned C. looked D. noticed
4. A. Keep B. Hurt C. Trust D. Take
5. A. remind B. reminder C. reminded D. reminding
Exercise 4: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the
correct answer to each of the questions.
 I still remember the first time I delivered a presentation in front of my class. The mere
thought of standing before all my classmates and speaking filled me with anxiety.
My first presentation topic was my favorite hobby, astronomy. I spent days researching and
preparing my slides. I rehearsed my speech in front of the mirror until I could recite it without
glancing at my notes.
The day of the presentation finally arrived. As I stood before the class, I could feel my heart
thumping in my chest. I took a deep breath, looked at my classmates, and began my
presentation.
As I spoke, I found that my nervousness slowly faded away. My classmates listened
attentively, and some even asked questions. When I finished, the class broke into applause. I
felt a sense of accomplishment and relief.
From that day forward, I was no longer afraid of public speaking. I realized that
preparation and practice were the keys to a successful presentation. This experience taught me
a valuable lesson that I would carry with me throughout my academic journey.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The speaker's first presentation was on astronomy.
B. The speaker overcame anxiety and fear of public speaking through preparation and
practice.
 C. The speaker's classmates were uninterested during the presentation.
D. The speaker's favourite hobby is public speaking.
2. What did the speaker do to overcome nervousness before the presentation?
A. He rehearsed his speech with his classmates.
B. He avoided eye contact with everyone in the class.
C. He took a deep breath and looked at his classmates.
D. He read the notes repeatedly during the presentation.
3. What is one detail not mentioned in the text about the speaker's presentation experience?
A. The classmates were unresponsive.
B. Some classmates asked questions.
C. The class broke into applause.
D. The presentation was on the speaker's least favourite hobby.
4. In the context of the text, what does the word accomplishment most likely mean?
A. Failure B. Achievement C. Anxiety D. Nervousness
5. Which of the following is NOT implied by the speaker’s experience with public speaking?
A. Fear of public speaking can be overcome.
B. Preparation and practice are unnecessary for successful presentations.
C. The speaker’s academic journey was influenced by this experience.
D. The speaker was initially afraid of public speaking.
 Ever felt overwhelmed by commitments? As a student, Maya did. Between schoolwork,
soccer practice, and volunteering at the animal shelter, her schedule was jam-packed. She
loved all these activities, but lately, she felt constantly on the go.
One day, her friend invited her to a weekend camping trip. While the idea of spending time
with friends in nature sounded amazing, Maya knew joining would push her over the edge.
She worried about falling behind in school and neglecting her responsibilities at the shelter.
Taking a deep breath, Maya politely declined the invitation. “Thanks so much for inviting
me,” she said, “but I’m swamped with school and volunteering right now. Maybe next time?”
Her friend, understanding and supportive, replied, “No worries at all! Your plate is full, I get
it. Text me if you change your mind, though!”
Saying no wasn’t easy, but Maya felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She realized it was
okay to prioritize her commitments and take time for herself. With a clearer head, Maya
tackled her workload with renewed energy, knowing she wouldn’t burn out.
1. Why is Maya feeling overwhelmed?
A. She has too many commitments. B. She has a difficult family situation.
C. She doesn’t like her classes. D. She has a big fight with a friend.
2. What is Maya’s initial reaction to the camping trip invitation?
A. She immediately says no. B. She feels excited yet hesitant.
C. She accepts without hesitation. D. She asks for more details about the trip.
3. Why does Maya ultimately decline the invitation?
 A. She dislikes camping. B. She doesn’t want
to spend time with her friend.
C. She worries about her workload and responsibilities. D. She has a prior
commitment she forgot about.
4. How does Maya’s friend react to her declining the invitation?
A. They get angry and upset. B. They are understanding and supportive.
C. They try to convince her to come anyway. D. They stop talking
to Maya.
5. What does Maya realize after saying no?
A. That she should have gone on the trip. B. That her friend doesn’t care about her.
C. That she needs to take a break from school. D. That it’s important
to prioritize commitments.

Exercise 1: Reorder the words to make a correct sentence.

1. We/ have/ problem/ yet./ a/ solution/ not/ the/ found/ to/
 ___________________________________________________________________
2. participated/ you/ ever/ challenging/ Have/ a/ in/ competition/ before?/
 ___________________________________________________________________
3. schedule./ have/ completed/ successfully/ my/ of/ ahead/ project/ I/
 ___________________________________________________________________
4. They/ partnership/ a/ formed/ harmonious/ have/ since/ they/ met./
 ___________________________________________________________________
5. I/ behavior/ seen/ haven't/ improvement/ in/ his/ lately./ any/
 ___________________________________________________________________
6. We/ haven't/ received/ any/ proposal/ our/ on/ feedback/ yet./
 ___________________________________________________________________
7. community./ for/ recently/ received/ an/ contributions/ He/ his/ outstanding/ award/ to/ the/
has/
 ___________________________________________________________________
8. Have/ you/ skydiving/ tried/ or/ other/ any/ extreme/ ever/ sports?/
 ___________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2: Write the correct sentences using the suggested words. Use the present
perfect tense.
1. I/ already/ speak/ I the manager/ the issue./
 ___________________________________________________________________
2. He/ play/ guitar/ since/ he/ to be/ child./
 ___________________________________________________________________
3. The restaurant/ recently/ open/ our/ neighborhood./
 ___________________________________________________________________
4. She/ already/ visit/ three/ different/ countries/ this year./
  ___________________________________________________________________
5. I/ not/ receive/ any/ response/ my/ job application./
 ___________________________________________________________________
6. you/ ever/ travel/ foreign country/ and/ experience/ its/ different/ cultures?
 ___________________________________________________________________
7. She/ not/ achieve/ goals/ despite/ efforts.
 ___________________________________________________________________
8. you/ ever/ step out/ your/ comfort zone/ and/ try/ other/ international/ cuisine?
 ___________________________________________________________________
Exercise 3: Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Use the
words in brackets.
1. I started working at this hotel six months ago. (worked)
 ___________________________________________________________________
2. Susan has been in Italy for the last three weeks. (went)
 ___________________________________________________________________
3. I met her during my stay in England last summer. (while)
 ___________________________________________________________________
4. We haven't gone to the cinema for over a year. (It's)
 ___________________________________________________________________
5. Sam played tennis yesterday and it was his first game. (never)
 ___________________________________________________________________
6. How long is it since they went to Nairobi? (When)
 ___________________________________________________________________
7. My daughter began to study English when she was young. (since)
 ___________________________________________________________________
8. She is still working on her homework. (stopped)
 ___________________________________________________________________
9. The last time Tom came back to his hometown was five years ago. (for)
 ___________________________________________________________________
10. In the middle of our dinner, there was a knock at the door. (when)
 ___________________________________________________________________