An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 1

Unit Seven
English: The International Language

There are more than 3,000 languages in the world today, but
only about six are major languages of the world. Two-thirds of the
world's population speaks those six languages.
More than 300,000,000 people speak English as their first or
native language. Another 300,000,000 speak it as a second
language. No one knows how many people speak it as a foreign
language. Chinese is the only language with more speakers than
English. This is because of the huge population of China, more than
one billion.
English is the native or official language on one-fifth of the
land area of the world. It is spoken in North America, Great Britain,
Australia, and New Zealand. In South Africa and India, it is one of
the official languages.
More people study English than any other language. In many
countries, the textbooks in universities are in English. Many
university classes are taught in English even though the native
language is not English.
English is the language of international communication. It is
the language of international business, research, and science. More
than three-fourths of the world's mail is written in English. More
than three-fifths of the world's radio stations use English. More
than half of the scientific and research journals are in English. Most
other languages have borrowed many English words.
2 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

Why did English become the international language? In the

middle of the nineteenth century, French was the international
language. Then Britain became very powerful in the world.
England started colonies in North America and India in the
seventeenth century. By 1900 England also had colonies in other
parts of Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. The people in the
colonies had to use English. Slowly it became more important than
French internationally. After the Second World War, the United
States became very powerful, and even more people began to learn
English.
Is English a good international language? It has more words
than any other language. The grammar is simpler than in the other
major languages. However, English spelling is difficult. Foreigners
all have trouble spelling English. So do native speakers!
Since 1880, people have invented over fifty artificial
languages. No one speaks them as a native language. However,
none of them has ever become popular. Some people don't want to
study English, but it is the international language. There is no way
to change that now.

I. True/False/Not Stated.
1. English is the only official language in India.
2. Even in the countries that English is not the native language
many university classes are taught in English.
3. More than half of the university professors speak English.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 3

4. English became the International language in the middle of

19th century.
5. Even the native speakers of English find English spelling
difficult.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Is English a good International language? Why?
2. How many people speak English as a foreign language?
3. What language has the most speakers? why?
4. Why did English become the international language?
5. What happened after the Second World War which made English
more important?

III- Choose the best answer.

1. More than ----- people speak English as their first or second
language.
a. 300,000,000 b. 600,000,000
c. 800,000,000 d. 900,000,000

2. More than-------of the world's radio stations are in English.

a. one-fifth b. two-thirds c. three-fifths d. three-fourths

3. English became the international language because -----

a. It has more words than the other languages.
b. English grammar is simple.
c. It had more speakers than all languages of the world.
d. More and more people began to use English after Britain
became powerful.

4. Before English,------was the international language.

a. Chinese b. French c. German d. Arabic
4 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

5. Artificial languages are-------.

a. popular b. spoken as native languages
c. easy to learn d. invented but not spoken
6. We understand from the passage that Chinese is----------.
a. one of the six major languages of the world
b. as important as English
c. not spoken as a second language
d. more important than English
7. We understand from the passage that---------.
a. in Australia and New Zealand English is not spoken as native
language
b. one-fifth of the land area of the world speak English both as
native and official language
c. in South Africa and India they have more than one official
language
d. in South Africa and India English is spoken both as native and
official language
8. One reason why more people study English than any other
language is that--------.
a. more people like English than other languages
b. English text books are easier to study
c. university classes in the world are taught in English
d. English is used in many activities in the world
9. According to the passage----------.
a. every international businessman and scientist speak English
b. the speakers of most other languages may find many English
words in their language
c. all the textbooks in universities of the world are written in
English
d. most English speakers have borrowed many English words
10. The exact number of people speaking English is---------.
a. not stated
b. three hundred million
c. one and a half billion
d. about six hundred million
 An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 5

IV. Choose the best answer.

1. Australia and New Zealand are former British -----.
a. languages b. colonies c. stations d. journals

2. Houses in the London------are very expensive.

a. research b. place c. area d. country

3. Tom's leg was cut off in an accident. Now he has an-----one.

a. official b. journal c. popular d. artificial

4. Television is an increasingly important means of------.

a. communication b. invention
c. population d. exhibition

5. They are doing some fascinating------on the language of

dolphins.
a. station b. research c. signature d. leather

6. All our teachers are------speakers of English.

a. official b. limit c. native d. major

7. The picture quality is bad because the TV signal isn't -----

enough.
a. artificial b. scientific c. powerful d. strong

8- For five whole minutes, neither of them---------a word.

a. spoke b. hold c. bought d. thought

9. An------country is not governed or ruled by another country.

a. independent b. international c. artificial d. official

10. Parents often have trouble-------restaurants that welcome

young children.
a. find b. found c. finding d. findings
6 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

V. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

official -- official officially
office
power -- powerful powerfully
speaker to speak spoken --
1. A. How many languages do you-------------?
B. English has the most------------in the world.
C. He doesn't understand-------------English well.

2. A. His--------------is located in the Department of Foreign

Languages.
B. He received a/an------------letter from the committee.
C. The meeting is for------------only.
D. The president visited that country-----------.

3. A. He had a great-------------of imagination.

B. The minister made a political speech------------.
C. The country had a-------------army.

VI. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place
in the sentences below.
Cars and driving
overtake indicate fuel consumption rear
petrol vehicle performance body instruments
reverse mpg (miles per gallon)
a. The amount of petrol a car uses is called the ------- and it is
measured in -------. The petrol goes in the---------.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 7

b. The way a car behaves (speed, brakes, acceleration etc.) is called

the car's----------.
c. We can talk about the back of a---------(car, bus, lorry etc.) but more
often we use the word-----------.
d. The speedometer, fuel gauge, and so on are called---------.
e. To -------- means to pass another vehicle going in the same
direction.
f. If you have to go backwards, you---------.
g. The outside surface of the car, made of metal, is called the------.
h. Make sure you--------before turning left or right.

VII. Read the following short stories and discus them with your
partners.
13. THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
A Cat heard that the Birds in an aviary were ailing. So he got
himself up as a doctor, and, taking with him a set of the instruments
proper to his profession, presented himself at the door, and inquired
after the health of the Birds. "We shall do very well," they replied,
without letting him in, "when we've seen the last of you."
A villain may disguise himself, but he will not deceive the wise.

14. THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW

A Spendthrift, who had wasted his fortune, and had nothing
left but the clothes in which he stood, saw a Swallow one fine day in
early spring. Thinking that summer had come, and that he could now
do without his coat, he went and sold it for what it would fetch. A
change, however, took place in the weather, and there came a sharp
frost which killed the unfortunate Swallow. When the Spendthrift saw
its dead body he cried, "Miserable bird! Thanks to you I am perishing
of cold myself."
One swallow does not make summer.
8 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

Unit Eight
Captain Cook

Captain James Cook was a great explorer. Before he started

exploring, maps of the Pacific Ocean were almost empty. He
visited hundreds of islands and put them in the correct places on the
map. He made maps of the coastlines of Australia and New Zealand
and made them colonies of England.
On each of his three long voyages, he wrote in a journal every
day. He wrote about what happened on the ship. When he visited
places, he wrote details about the weather and the geography. He
wrote about the people who lived there, and he described the plants
and animals. His journals were full of new information about
distant places.
James Cook was born in England in 1728. His parents were
poor farm workers. When James was 18, he found a job on a
coastal ship. He worked on ships until he was 27 years old, and
then he joined the navy. He fought in Canada in a war against
France, and he mapped some of the eastern coast of Canada.
In 1768 King George III made him the captain of a ship and
sent him to the Pacific. He has gone for nearly three years. When
he returned, he was a national hero.
For a long time, Europeans believed that there was a great
southern continent south of the equator. They thought it covered
most of what is really the South Pacific Ocean. In 1772, Cook went
to the Pacific again to find this continent. He tried to sail from New
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 9

Zealand to the southern tip of South America but there was too
much ice.
However, he was the first person to cross the Antarctic
Circle, and of course he discovered that there was no great southern
continent. He always took good care of his men. He gave them
good food and kept the ship clean. He also was kind to the islanders
and took them new kinds of plants and animal cattle, sheep, goats,
and pigs.
He started his third voyage in 1776. On this trip he was the
first European to visit Hawaii. Then he mapped the west coast of
North America. He crossed the Arctic Circle and saw Eskimos.
When he finished mapping the North American coast, he
returned to Hawaii. There was some trouble between the Hawaiians
and the white men and they started fighting. Captain Cook was
killed. The fighting was a mistake, and the Hawaiians were very
sorry. When Captain Cook died, the world lost one of the greatest
explorers in history.

I. True/False/Not Given
1. Before Captain Cook was born, Australia and New Zealand
were colonies of England.
2. In his journal he only wrote about the weather and geography.
3. Cook mapped some coasts of Canada, Australia and New
Zealand.
10 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

4. Cook was the first European who discovered there was no great
southern continent.
5. Captain Cook was killed on the ship.

II. Answer the following questions orally.

1. What did James Cook write in his journal?
2. Did the sailors like to work for Captain Cook? Why?
3. When did he start working on ships?
4. How did he die?
5. What was the general opinion in Europe that Cook proved to be
wrong?

III. Choose the best answer.

1. When James Cook was 27, he----- .
a. started to work on a coastal ship b. joined the navy
c. mapped some coasts of Canada d. became a national hero

2. Before James Cook-------.

a. New Zealand was a colony of Australia
b. the maps were complete
c. Europeans had discovered a great continent
d. maps of the Pacific Ocean were incomplete

3. Cook was kind to islanders by------.

a. giving them food b. teaching them how to write
c. fighting with their enemies d. giving them farm animals

4. After Cook finished mapping the North American Coast, h e- --- .

a. fought against France b. went to Hawaii
c. started his third journey d. found a new island
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 11

IV. Choose the best answer.

1. Someone who travels to places where no one has ever been in

order to find out what is there is -----.
a. a coast liner b. an islander
c. an explorer d. a voyager

2. At some point in the------future I would like to have my own

house.
a. great b. goat c. far d. distant

3. I can't remember her name but it is on the-------of my tongue.

a. peak b. tip c. edge d. border

4. In their little boat they planned to-------to distant lands.

a. explore b. voyage c. discover d. fight

5. The letter was full of spelling-- - ---.

a. mistakes b. wrongs c. fights d. languages

6. A police officer took down the--------of what happened.

a. colonies b. limits c. maps d. details

7. She kept a travel------during her trip to South America.

a. board b. detail c. journal d. essay

8. The uphill stages of the race will really sort the------from the
goats.
a. legs b. meat c. sheep d. leather

9. I'll draw you a quick-------if you're worried about finding the

hotel.
a. map b. journal c. explorer d. island

10. Learning English is a-----of discovery. I am sure you enjoy it.

a. geography b. voyage c. continent d. history
12 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

V. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

discovery to discover -- --
discoverer
explorer to explore explored --
exploration
voyage to voyage -- --

1. A. Scott and his team were the famous------------of the South Pole.
B. They------------the South Pole in 1912.
C. The astronauts made a careful------------on the moon.
D. The found a mountain and a valley not------------before.

2. A. The-------------of oil in that area must make the country richer.

B. Captain Cook-------------Australia in the eighteenth century.
C. He has been known as the------------of Australia.

3. A. They went on a long sea-----------.

B. They------------in a sailing ship.

VI. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place
in the sentences below.
A film review
documentary location role director
cast per formance studio critical
box office plot

Marlon Brando is a superb actor and in ‘On the Waterfront'

he gave his finest (a) --------. It is his best-known (b)---------. The
(c) ------also included Eva Marie Saint and Karl Malden and the
film's (d)---------, Elia Kazan, never made a better film. Parts of the
film were shot in the (e)---------in Hollywood, but a lot was made
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 13

on (f) -------- in the streets of New York, which makes it at times

like a (g)---------. The critics loved the film but it was not only a (h)
------- success. It was a great (i)----------success as well, and made
an enormous profit. The (j)---------is about a young man's attempt
to be a boxing champion.

VII. Read the following short stories and discus them with your
partners.
15. THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DOCTOR
An Old Woman became almost totally blind from a disease of
the eyes, and, after consulting a Doctor, made an agreement with him
in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he
cured her, while if he failed he was to receive nothing. The Doctor
accordingly prescribed a course of treatment, and every time he paid
her a visit he took away with him some article out of the house, until
at last, when he visited her for the last time, and the cure was
complete, there was nothing left. When the Old Woman saw that the
house was empty she refused to pay him his fee; and, after repeated
refusals on her part, he sued her before the magistrates for payment of
her debt. On being brought into court she was ready with her defence.
"The claimant," said she, "has stated the facts about our agreement
correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me, and he, on his
part, promised to charge nothing if he failed. Now, he says I am cured;
but I say that I am blinder than ever, and I can prove what I say. When
my eyes were bad I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that
my house contained a certain amount of furniture and other things; but
now, when according to him I am cured, I am entirely unable to see
anything there at all."

16. THE MOON AND HER MOTHER

The Moon once begged her Mother to make her a gown. "How
can I?" replied she; "there's no fitting your figure. At one time you're a
New Moon, and at another you're a Full Moon; and between whiles
you're neither one nor the other."
14 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

Unit Nine
US Cities

The problems of the nation's cities-pollution, crime, riots, a lack

of planning, transportation- are bad, but they were worse in the so-
called "good old days," according to Dr. Charles Adrian, He gives
pollution from automobiles as one example. He agrees that it may be
bad now, but he states that there was a lot of pollution from horses and
other animals in American cities in the 19th century.
"Most cities have their own slaughterhouses where cows and
pigs were killed a century ago. They were careless about throwing out
the remains of the animals and that sort of thing," he said. "And the
sewer system for waste disposal was almost nonexistent."
Some of the problems that bothered people living in the cities
during that period are still with us poor planning, problems in low-
income neighborhoods, police relations, and public transportation.
"Pollution was a very important problem for city governments in
the last century, particularly with regard to water supplies, "Dr. Adrian
said. "They had some idea that water could be polluted, but they didn't
know how. Trying to get pure water was a big problem."
"People like to talk about the good old days, but, actually, the
cities of the 19th century were dirty and, in many ways, filthier than
today. Communicable disease was a great concern. There was still
smallpox and also yellow fever, malaria, cholera and typhoid. The
infant death rate was high, and there were other dangers as well.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 15

"It is true that people were not being killed by cars. However,
they often were killed or seriously injured by runaway horses. It was
quite common, "Dr Adrian said.
Crime was a great concern then too, according to Dr. Adrian.
"Mugging wasn't as common then," he said, "but it did exist.
Pickpockets were very skilled, too. Also, from the 1830's on, there
were a lot of summer ghetto riots. That wasn't just something from the
1960's. There were several causes, but, basically, it was because many
people moved to the cities from rural areas."
Planning of cities and their neighborhoods was controlled by
land speculators and real estate developers who were only interested
in making money.
Finally, Dr. Adrian thinks that the situations and problems
facing American cities have not changed so much, and he suggests
that we look back at the past and try to learn from it.
16 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

I. True/False/Not Given
1. Dr. Adrian believes that the sewer system for waste disposal
was existent in old times.

2. A lot of people were killed by cars in old days.

3. Mugging in 19th century was not so common.

4. The infant death rate in 20th century is not as high as 19th

century.

5. Dr. Adrian is an optimist and he believes that things are getting

better.

II. Answer the following questions orally.

1. Who controlled planning of cities in the 19th century?
2. What was the main reason of ghetto riots?
3. Why do you think that communicable diseases are very dangerous?
4. How did slaughterhouses make the cities polluted?
5. According to Dr. Adrian's idea, what problems are still with people
in the U.S?
III. Choose the correct answer.

1. Paragraph 4 mostly deals with---------.

a. air pollution b. water pollution
c. public transportation d. sewer system
2. The main idea of this article is----------.
a. water pollution is the major concern of a lot of people now.
b. supplying pure water was difficult in old days.
c. cities were worse in the past than they are now.
d. cities were cleaner in old days.
 An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 17

3. According to Dr. Adrian’s ideas in paragraph 3, which problem

does not bother people now?
a. public transportation b. public relations
c. high infant death rate d. poor planning

4. In paragraph 7, Dr. Adrian believes that mugging---------.

a. did not exist in old days
b. in old times was not as common as these days
c. existed in old times, but it was not as common as these days
d. in old times was as common as present days

5. Which statement is not in opposite to Dr. Adrian’s ideas?

a. Things are getting worse.
b. Forget the past. Look at the future.
c. Let's look at the past and try to learn from it.
d. Forget the future. Only present time important

IV. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list.
pure - pick pocket - small pox – slaughterhouses -
transportation
mug
1 are places where animals were killed.
2. I was walking out to my car when this guy tried to----------me.
3. The government should pay attention more to --------- system of
large cities.
4. The major concern of people who are living in rural areas is
providing--------water.
5 was one of the most dangerous communicable diseases.

V. Choose the best answer

1. Some of the problems that bothered people living in the
cities during that period are still with us.
a. killed b. disturbed
c. helped d. migrated

2. Providing pure water was a big problem. Pure means:

a. dirty b. polluted
c. not contaminated d. not clean
18 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

3. Basically, the riots were caused by many people moving into the
cities.
a. in general b. in other words
c. first of all d. at last

4. Car accidents are quite common these days.

a. very b. far
c. daily d. really

5. Dr. Adrian states that cities were worse in the past.

a. says b. understands
c. narrates d. supports

VI. From the following list of words, choose a synonym for the
underlined words.
obtaining - violence - very dirty - annoy - communicable
1. That kind of jealousy does not bother me.
2. Measles is an infectious disease.
3. He never washed, and always wore a filthy old jacket.
4. Twenty people were injured during the riot.
5. Some people only think about making money.

VII. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

care to care careful carefully
careless carelessly
danger to endanger dangerous dangerously
agreement to agree agreeable --
importance -- important importantly

1. A. During the war, people were accustomed to------------.

B. They didn't choose to live-----------, but sometimes they had to.
C. Try not to------------the lives of the children.
D. People usually behave calmly in ---------- situations, but later
they feel nervous and upset.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 19

2. A. "Do you have an appointment?" he asked me with an air of great

.
B. "No, but I have an-----------message," I replied.
C. "In that case, follow me," he said as he walked------------through
the large archway.

3. A. He seemed to be a/an-----------person.
B. We made a/an-------------to meet every year on March 15th and
drink champagne.
C. She didn't-----------with everything he said, and she told him so.

4. A. He dressed very----------before he went out to dinner.

B. Be----------if you are walking alone at night.
C. But did she really------------about him?
D. This box is full of glass objects. Handle it with-----------.
E. He knew better, but he was tired, and he made a ----------
mistake.
F. She dropped a lighted cigarette on the rug--------------.

VIII. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the
passage below.
Doctors’ surgeries and hospitals

thermometer prescription operation

Chemist stethoscope receptionist
appointment ward temperature
examine treatment pulse
waiting room symptoms
When I go to the doctor, I tell (a)---------my name and take a
seat in the (b) -------. My doctor is very busy so I have to make an
(c)----------before I go to see him. He asks me what's wrong with me, I
tell him the (d) ------- of my illness, for example high temperature,
difficulty in breathing, or pains, and then he will usually (e) --------
me. He'll listen to my heart with his (f) , he'll hold my wrist to
feel my (g) -------, he'll take my (h) -------- with his (i) --. The
20 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

problem is usually something simple and he might give me a (j)

------ for some medicine, which I take to the (k) -------. Of course, if
I needed more serious (l) -------, I'd have to go to hospital. There I
would be put in a bed in a (m) with 10 or 20 other people. If
there
were something seriously wrong with me, I might need an (n) --.

IX. Read the following short stories and discus them with
your partners.
17. MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN
A Woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river, when his
axe, glancing off the trunk, flew out of his hands and fell into the
water. As he stood by the water's edge lamenting his loss, Mercury
appeared and asked him the reason for his grief; and on learning what
had happened, out of pity for his distress he dived into the river and,
bringing up a golden axe, asked him if that was the one he had lost.
The Woodman replied that it was not, and Mercury then dived a
second time, and, bringing up a silver axe, asked if that was his. "No,
that is not mine either," said the Woodman. Once more Mercury dived
into the river, and brought up the missing axe. The Woodman was
overjoyed at recovering his property, and thanked his benefactor
warmly; and the latter was so pleased with his honesty that he made
him a present of the other two axes. When the Woodman told the story
to his companions, one of these was filled with envy of his good
fortune and determined to try his luck for himself. So he went and
began to fell a tree at the edge of the river, and presently contrived to
let his axe drop into the water. Mercury appeared as before, and, on
learning that his axe had fallen in, he dived and brought up a golden
axe, as he had done on the previous occasion. Without waiting to be
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 21

asked whether it was his or not the fellow cried, "That's mine, that's
mine," and stretched out his hand eagerly for the prize: but Mercury
was so disgusted at his dishonesty that he not only declined to give
him the golden axe, but also refused to recover for him the one he had
let fall into the stream.
Honesty is the best policy.

18. THE ASS, THE FOX, AND THE LION

An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage
for food together. They hadn't gone far before they saw a Lion coming
their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened. But the Fox
thought he saw a way of saving his own skin, and went boldly up to
the Lion and whispered in his ear, "I'll manage that you shall get hold
of the Ass without the trouble of stalking him, if you'll promise to let
me go free." The Lion agreed to this, and the Fox then rejoined his
companion and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit,
which some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals, and into which
he fell. When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn't
get away, it was to the Fox that he first turned his attention, and he
soon finished him off, and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon
the Ass.
Betray a friend, and you'll often find you have ruined yourself.
22 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

Unit Ten
Aspirin

Americans this year will swallow 15,000 tons of aspirin, one of

the safest and most effective drugs invented by man. The most popular
medicine in the world today, it is an effective pain reliever. Its bad
effects are relatively mild, and it is cheap.
For millions of people suffering from arthritis, it is the only
thing that works. Aspirin, in short, is truly the 20th-century wonder
drug. It is also the second largest suicide drug and is the leading cause
of poisoning among children. It has side effects that, although
relatively mild, are largely unrecognized among users.
Although aspirin was first sold by a German company in 1899,
it has been around much longer than that. Hippocrates, in ancient
Greece, understood the medical value of the leaves and tree bark
which today are known to contain salicylates, the chemical in aspirin.
During the 19th century, there was a great deal of experimentation in
Europe with this chemical and it led to the introduction of aspirin. By
1915, aspirin tablets were available in the United States.
A small quantity of aspirin (two five-grain tablets) relieves pain
and inflammation. It also reduces fever by interfering with some of the
body's reactions. Specifically, aspirin seems to slow down the
formation of the acids involved in pain and the complex chemical
reactions that cause fever. The chemistry of these acids is not fully
understood, but the slowing effect of aspirin is well known.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 23

Aspirin is very irritating to the stomach lining, and many aspirin

takers complain about upset stomach. There is a right way and a
wrong way to take aspirin. The best way is to chew the tablets before
swallowing them with water, but few people can stand the bitter taste.
Some people suggest crushing the tablets in milk or orange juice and
drinking that.

I. True/False/Not Given
1. Aspirin is the second largest suicide drug.
2. Aspirin increases fever.
3. Aspirin has a lot of side effects.
4. Aspirin contains chemicals that reduce pain.
5. Aspirin was known in ancient Greece.

II. Answer the following questions orally.

1. What is aspirin made of?

2. What are salicylates?
3. What is the medical value of aspirin?
4. What amount of aspirin can relieve pain and inflammation?
5. What is the effect of taking too much aspirin?
 24 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

III. Choose the best answer.

1. According to the text aspirin is----------.

a. a good medicine
b. a bad medicine
c. an effective drugs but has relatively mild bad effects
d. a deadly drug

2. Aspirin is good for----------.

a. relieving pain b. relieving inflammation
c. reducing fever d. all of the above

3. Aspirin is the only drug that works for those suffering from ----.
a. pain b. inflammation
c. fever d. arthritis

4 led to the introduction of aspirin.

a. German company
b. Hippocrates
c. Great deal of experimentation in Europe
d. the United States

5. The best way to use aspirin is-----------.

a. to swallow it b. to drink it with water
c. to drink it with milk d. to chew it

IV. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list.
medicine - suicide - available - inflammation - complain -
juice

1. Police think that the man's cause of death was----------.

2 should be kept away from children.

3. This cream will help reduce----------.

4. Fresh fruits are-----------in summer.

5. The neighbors-----------about the noise

 An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 25

VII. Choose the best answer.

1. It is unwise to swim on a full----------.

a. drug b. stomach
c. fever d. experimentation
2. A large-----------of drugs was found in their luggage.
a. chemistry b. acid
c. quantity d. quality
3. His leg was-----------in the accident.
a. relieved b. involved
c. reduced d. crushed
4. Acid----------the stomach lining.
a. interferes b. irritates
c. works d. relieves
5. If you drink some water, it will make the pills easier to---------.
a. work b. reduce
c. involve d. swallow
VI. Choose a synonym for the underlined words in each sentence.
1. I can't stand bad manners.
a. stay b. accept
c. do d. tolerate
2. Tickets are available at all Ticket master locations.
a. ready b. obtainable
c. expensive d. valuable
3. Add 50 grams of butter, and the same quantity of sugar.
a. amount b. quality
c. acid d. pill
4. What was Jeff's reaction when you told him about the job?
a. answer b. response
c. result d. behavior
5. His marriage caused a change in his life.
a. evoked b. stimulated
c. brought about d. accelerated
26 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

VIII. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

act to act active --
actor
action
height -- high highly
extent to extend extensive extensively
completion to complete complete completely

1. A. What is the-----------of that building?

B. Put the medicine on a/an-----------shelf so the children can't reach
it.
C. I think very----------of Mrs. Jones.

2. A. I agree with you------------.

B. I have------------confidence in Dr. Lee
C. Have you-----------the report yet?
D. At the----------of the big job, I was very tired.

3. A. Look at the clown. He------------very funny.

B. His------------are very funny.
C. That play has three-----------.
D. Who is the most famous-------------in the world?

4. A. Police officials are making-----------studies of crime cycles.

B. They are studying these cycles-----------.
C. The------------of these cycles is unknown.
D. They----------their knowledge day by day.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 27

XI. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the
passage below.
Education
state terms seminar degree primary
academic private tutorial graduate
lecture nursery school secondary break up
fees compulsory grant co-educational
When children are two or three years old, they sometimes go
to a (a)---------, where they learn simple games and songs. Their first
real school is called a (b)----------school. In Britain children start this
school at the age of five. The (c) -------- year in Britain begins in
September and is divided into three (d) ---------. Schools (e)----------for
the summer holiday in July. (f)----------education begins at the age of
about eleven, and most schools at this level are (g) --------, which
means boys and girls study together in the same classes. In Britain
education is (h)----------from five to 16 years of age, but many children
choose to remain at school for another two or three years after 16 to
take higher exams. Most children go to (i) ------- schools, which are
maintained by the government or local education authorities, but some
children go to (j) -------- schools, which can be very expensive.
University courses normally last three years and then students (k) -----
, which means they receive their (l) --. At university, teaching is
by (m)----------(an individual lesson between a teacher and one or two
students), (n) -------- (a class of students discussing a subject with a
teacher), (o)---------(when a teacher gives a prepared talk to a number
of students) and of course private study. Most people who receive a
university place are given a (p)----------by the government to help pay
their (q)-----------and living expenses.
28 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

X. Read the following short stories and discus them with your
partners.
19. THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running
over his face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was
about to kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare
its life. "Please let me go," it cried, "and one day I will repay you for
your kindness." The idea of so insignificant a creature ever being able
to do anything for him amused the Lion so much that he laughed
aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. But the Mouse's chance came,
after all. One day the Lion got entangled in a net which had been
spread for game by some hunters, and the Mouse heard and
recognised his roars of anger and ran to the spot. Without more ado it
set to work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, and succeeded before long
in setting the Lion free. "There!" said the Mouse, "you laughed at me
when I promised I would repay you: but now you see, even a Mouse
can help a Lion."

20. THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

A thirsty Crow found a Pitcher with some water in it, but so
little was there that, try as she might, she could not reach it with her
beak, and it seemed as though she would die of thirst within sight of
the remedy. At last she hit upon a clever plan. She began dropping
pebbles into the Pitcher, and with each pebble the water rose a little
higher until at last it reached the brim, and the knowing bird was
enabled to quench her thirst.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 29

Unit Eleven
Crime of the Month

Do more murders occur in the summer or in the winter? Are you

more likely to be robbed in January or in May? This passage describes
some research that shows how the seasons affect criminal and
intellectual behavior
Crime has its own cycles, a magazine reported some years ago.
Police records that were studied for five years from over 2,400 cities
and towns show a surprising link between changes in the season and
crime patterns.
The pattern of crime has varied very little over a long period of
years. Murder reaches its high during July and August, as do rape and
other violent attacks. Murder, moreover, is more than seasonal: it is a
weekend crime. It is also a nighttime crime: 62 percent of murders are
committed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Unlike the summer high in crimes of bodily harm, burglary has
a different cycle. You are most likely to be robbed between 6 p.m. and
2 a.m. on a Saturday night in December, January, or February. The
most uncriminal month of all? May-except for one strange statistic.
More dog bites are reported in this month than in any other month of
the year.
Apparently our intellectual seasonal cycles are completely
different from our criminal tendencies. Professor Huntington, of the
Foundation for the Study of Cycles, made extensive studies to
discover the seasons when people read serious books, attend scientific
30 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

meetings, make the highest scores on examinations, and propose the

most changes to patents. In all instances, he found a spring peak and
an autumn peak separated by a summer low. On the other hand,
Professor Huntington's studies indicated that June is the peak month
for suicides and admissions to mental hospitals. June is also a peak
month for marriages!
Possibly, soaring thermometers and high humidity bring on our
strange and terrifying summer actions, but police officials are not sure.
"There is, of course, no proof of a connection between humidity and
murder," they say. "Why murder's high time should come in the
summertime we really don't know."

I. True/False/Not Given
1. Violent attacks reach their high during July and August.
2. February is the most uncriminal month of the year.
3. Police officials are sure that there is a link between humidity
and murder.
4. Most of the murders are committed at night.
5. Our intellectual seasonal cycles are very similar to our criminal
tendencies.

II. Answer the following questions orally.

1. In which month are most murders committed?
2. What is the most uncriminal month of the year?
3. What crimes reach their peak in July?
4. What month is a peak one for marriages? Why do you think so?
5. Why do you think that burglary is a winter crime?
 An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 31

III. Choose the correct answer.

1. July is the highest peak for------------.

a. murders b. violent attacks
c. rapes d. all of the above

2. Which sentence is not correct about murder?

a. murder is not seasonal.
b. murder is a weekend crime.
c. murder is a night time crime.
d. a murder may be committed at 8 P.M .

3 is the safest month of the year.

a. July b. June
c. May d. December

4. A good title for this article would be:

a. seasonal changes and crime pattern
b. humidity and murder
c. our intellectual seasonal cycles
d. a time for robbery

5. According to the passage which sentence is correct about

summer season?
a. people read serious books in summer.
b. murder reaches its high during summer.
c. people make the highest score on examinations during
summer.
d. people attend scientific meetings regularly.
32 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

IV. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list.
mental – pattern - suicide - official - humidity - link
1. I think --------- is an action which is condemned by everyone all
over the world.
2. A report in the --------- police newspaper gave no reason for the
move.
3. Can you find any -------- between committing suicide and family
problems?
4. Have you seen the young man who suffers from-----------disease?
5. The------------of crime has been varied very little over a long period
of years.

VI. Choose the best answer.

1. Professor Huntington made extensive studies to discover our

intellectual seasonal cycles.
a.show b. indicate
c. find out d. commit
2. Professor Huntington’s studies indicated that June is the peak
month for suicides.
a. included b. showed
c. cnnounced c. concluded
3. You are most likely to be robbed a Saturday winter night.
a. will find it to be
b. will never be
c. have the greatest possibility of being
d. have the least possibility of being
4. There is, of course, no proof of a connection between humidity
and murder.
a. evidence b. cause
c. statistic d. score
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 33

5. These extensive studies show surprising link between changes in

the seasons and crime pattern.
a. normal b. unexpected
c. expected d. undeniable

VII. Choose a synonym for the underlined words in each

sentence. mental - link - robbery – frightening - also -
strange
1. I still find it terrifying to find myself surrounded by large number of
horses.
2. There is of course, no proof of a connection between humidity and
murder.
3. An eleven-year boy committed burglary.
4. Apparently our intellectual seasonal cycles are completely different
from our criminal tendencies.
5. Murder, moreover, is a weekend crime.

VIII. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

meaning to mean meaningful meaningfully
direction to direct direct directly
director
appointment to appoint appointed
disagreement to disagree disagreeable disagreeably

1. A. The club-------------a new secretary next week.

B. Be sure to come at the------------time.
C. Arrive on time when you have a/an-----------.

2. A. I don't understand the----------of that word.

B. The professor spoke------------about current world problems.
C. Do you------------"yes" or "no"?
D. Mr. Tanaka gave a/an --------- explanation of some Japanese
customs.
34 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

3. A. In which----------is the art museum?

B. Mr. Parkinson is the-----------of the school.
C. The policeman------------traffic during the rush hour every night.
D. He looked at me-----------while he was talking.
D. Please give me a/an----------answer. Don't be vague.

4. A. A store clerk should never speak-----------to a customer.

B. What is that-----------smell in the refrigerator?
C. Mr. and Mrs. Laurenti always---------about politics.
D. The children had a/an-----------over who could play with the ball.

XI. Puteach of the following words or phrases in its correct place

in the passage below.
Elections
election campaign support candidate
polling day opinion poll vote
polling station predict ballot box

People sometimes try to (a)-----------the result of an election weeks

before it takes place. Several hundred people are asked which party
they prefer, and their answers are used to guess the result of the
coming election. This is called an (b) --. Meanwhile each party
conducts its (c) ------- with meetings, speeches, television
commercials and party members going from door to door encouraging
people to (d)----------their party. In Iran, everyone over 18 is eligible to
(e) --. The place where people go to vote in an election is called a
(f) -------- and the day of the election is often known as (g) --.
The voters put their votes in a (h)---------and later they are counted.
The (i)---------with the most votes is then declared the winner.
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 35

X. Read the following short stories and discus them with your
partners.

21. THE BOYS AND THE FROGS

Some mischievous Boys were playing on the edge of a pond,
and, catching sight of some Frogs swimming about in the shallow
water, they began to amuse themselves by pelting them with stones,
and they killed several of them. At last one of the Frogs put his head
out of the water and said, "Oh, stop! stop! I beg of you: what is sport
to you is death to us."

22. THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN

A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun, each
claiming that he was stronger than the other. At last they agreed to try
their powers upon a traveler, to see which could soonest strip him of
his cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all his
force for the attack, he came whirling furiously down upon the man,
and caught up his cloak as though he would wrest it from him by one
single effort: but the harder he blew, the more closely the man
wrapped it round himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first he
beamed gently upon the traveler, who soon unclasped his cloak and
walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders: then he shone
forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had gone many steps,
was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more
lightly clad.
Persuasion is better than force.
36 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

Unit Twelve
Paper in the making

New inventions may solve one problem but bring on another.

That happened in the making of paper.
About 200 years ago a machine was invented that changed old
rags into clean, white paper. It did the job so well that more and more
paper was made and used. Then there was trouble. There were not
enough old rags around to feed the machines.
A German by the name of Keller tried to find an answer to the
problem. "But," he asked himself, "where could one look for more
stuff out of which to make paper?"
Then he remembered the words of a French scientist. This man
had said, "The rags from which paper is made are scarce. While the
use of paper increases every day, the production of linen remains the
same. The wasps seem to teach us that paper can be made without the
use of rags and linen. These wasps invite us to try to see whether we
can make fine and good paper from the use of certain wood."
Keller doubted that he could learn anything from wasps, but he
began to watch them. What he saw was hard to believe.
The female wasp would bite off little bits of wood and chew
them into a pulp. These wasps had strong jaws and were able to make
the pulp soft and mushy. Keller watched them spread this pulp on
their nests in the trees.
When it dried, the pulp was like a tough paper. The wasps used
it to cover their nets and to cradle their young. Later in the year Keller
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 37

saw the wasps make their net larger. They cut the paper away from the
inside and built new layers on the outside.
Keller was excited by his discovery. He told a friend, Henry
Volter, what he had seen. Volter was a paper-maker. They decided to
work together to try to make paper from wood.
They worked hard. Finally, they found a way to change tough
wood into soft pulp. They ground pieces of wood between stones.
Then they soaked the wood in water. With this wood pulp, they made
a piece of rough paper.
Soon other inventors began to work on the problem, too. They
found that they could make better paper by cooking wood chips with
certain chemicals. In this way, other materials in the wood were
melted way. Only the pure wood fibers were left.
Wood is a real advantage to the paper business. Now paper
could be made in large amounts. There would not be a shortage.
People could have all the paper they needed for printing and for
writing. They could have wrapping paper and cardboard. It was the
beginning of a great industry. What would we do without paper for
books and newspapers? On these white sheets of paper, we save the
thoughts and words of men. These printed words help us to learn
about the past. They help us to understand one another.
Paper made from wood pulp solved the rag shortage. But then
there was a new problem -- the shortage of trees. We have been
cutting down trees faster than new ones can be grown. We are only
beginning to solve this problem by planting more trees, by protecting
38 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

trees from fire and from harmful insects, and by setting aside more
land for public forests.

I. True/False/ Not Stated

1. New inventions may cause some problems.
2. Both Keller and Volter were paper-makers.
3. Volter and Keller worked together to make paper.
4. Keller believed that he could learn something from Wasps.
5. The shortage of wood was a real advantage to the paper
business.

II. Answer the following questions orally

1. What did the machines do to make paper?

2. How do wasps make paper?
3. What did the inventors begin to do?
4. Why is paper making a great industry?
5. How can we do without paper?

III- Choose the best answer:

1. The machine used for changing rags into paper------------.
a. didn't make any clean, white paper
b. needed more and more rags
c. didn't work very well
d. increased the production of linen

2. The idea of making paper from wood was given by----------.

a. Keller b. a German scientist
c. a French scientist d Volter
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 39

3. Keller did all of the followings except--------------.

a. observing wasps
b. thinking about other stuffs to make paper
c. working with Volter
d. using chemicals to make paper

4. The use of chemicals could--------------.

a. save materials in the wood
b. make wood fibers pure
c. save large amounts of paper
d. make better paper

5. Which of the following statements is not a solution for the

shortage of trees?
a. protecting harmful insect
b. devoting more lands for forests
c. growing new trees
d. protecting trees from fire

IV. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list.
look for - shortage - trouble - stuff - cradle -- protect
1. They have got the necessary--------------for the job.
2. There is a-------------of good building wood.
3. She was--------------a suitable job after her graduation.
4. Was it difficult to get that job? No, no---------------at all.
5. Persia is a--------------of civilization.

V. Use the correct forms of the words.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

industry to industrialize industrial industrially
plant to plant planted -------
print to print printed ------
scarcity -- scarce scarcely
40 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

1. A. They have------------new trees in the farm.

B. The-------------trees are growing fast.
C. These--------------should be cut down.
2. A. This is a/an---------------stable country.
B. The factories are located in the-------------area outside the city.
C. The government decided to--------------the country.
D. The economy of that country depends upon heavy-----------.
3. A. The student spoke--------------a word of English in the class.
B. An inexpensive apartment is-------------now and costs a lot.
C. During the imposed war, there were--------------of all kinds of
goods.
4. A. I cannot read the small------------on this page without my
glasses.
B. Please------------the address in capital letters.
C. The------------words help us to understand one another.

VI. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place
in the passage below.
Government
cabinet alliance right-wing prime minister
one-party states coalition majority left-wing
opposition split

In most countries, except (a) ---------, there are several

different political parties. The one with the (b) --------- of seats
normally forms the government, and the parties which are against the
government are called the (c) --. Sometimes no single party wins
enough seats, and several parties must combine together in a (d) ------
to form a government. The principal ministers in the government form
An Intermediate Course: Razmjoo & Zare 41

a group called the (e) -------. The leader of this group, and of the
government, is the (f) --. Of course, there are many different kinds
of parties and governments. A socialist or communist party is often
described as (g) ---------. A conservative party on the other hand, is
usually said to be (h) --. Political situations are always changing.
Sometimes in a party or between two parties there is a big argument or
deep difference of opinion. This is called a (i) -------. When, on the
other hand, two parties work together, this is sometimes called an
(j) .

VII. Read the following short stories and discus them with your
partners.

23. THE MISTRESS AND HER SERVANTS

A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she
kept pretty hard at work. They were not allowed to lie long abed in the
mornings, but the old lady had them up and doing as soon as the cock
crew. They disliked intensely having to get up at such an hour,
especially in winter-time: and they thought that if it were not for the
cock waking up their Mistress so horribly early, they could sleep
longer. So they caught it and wrung its neck. But they weren't
prepared for the consequences. For what happened was that their
Mistress, not hearing the cock crow as usual, waked them up earlier
than ever, and set them to work in the middle of the night.

24. THE GOODS AND THE ILLS

There was a time in the youth of the world when Goods and
Ills entered equally into the concerns of men, so that the Goods did not
prevail to make them altogether blessed, nor the Ills to make them
wholly miserable. But owing to the foolishness of mankind the Ills
multiplied greatly in number and increased in strength, until it seemed
42 Developing Reading & Vocabulary

as though they would deprive the Goods of all share in human affairs,
and banish them from the earth. The latter, therefore, betook
themselves to heaven and complained to Jupiter of the treatment they
had received, at the same time praying him to grant them protection
from the Ills, and to advise them concerning the manner of their
intercourse with men. Jupiter granted their request for protection, and
decreed that for the future they should not go among men openly in a
body, and so be liable to attack from the hostile Ills, but singly and
unobserved, and at infrequent and unexpected intervals. Hence it is
that the earth is full of Ills, for they come and go as they please and
are never far away; while Goods, alas! Come one by one only, and
have to travel all the way from heaven, so that they are very seldom
seen.