Presenting an argument

Exercise 1

Read the text below, in which somebody is trying to decide whether to go straight to university from school, or spend a year traveling around the world. Put their argument into the correct order, using the key words and expressions in bold to help you. The first one and last one have been done for you.

A.(1) I'm really in two minds about what to do when I leave school. Should I go straight to university or should I spend a year traveling around the world?

B.It is often said that knowledge is the key to power, and I cannot disagree with this.

C.On the one hand, I would experience lots of different cultures.

D.Unfortunately, another point is that if I spent a year traveling I would need a lot of money.

E.And I'm not alone in this opinion. Many consider a sound career and a good salary to be an important goal.

F.However, it could be argued that I would also meet lots of interesting people while I was traveling.

G.Secondly, if I go straight to university, I'll learn so many things that will help me in my future life.

H.First of all, there are so many benefits to going straight to university.

I.But I believe that it would be easy to make a bit while I was traveling, giving English lessons or working in hotels and stores.

J.Moreover, I'll be able to take part in the social activities that the university offers, and meet lots of new friends who share the same interests.

K.The most important point is that the sooner I get my qualifications, the quicker I'll get a job and start earning.

L.Nevertheless, these inconveniences would be an inevitable part of traveling and would be greatly outweighed by the other advantages.

M.In my opinion, starting work and making money is one of the most important things in life.

N.On the other hand, I could end up suffering from culture shock, homesickness, and some strange tropical diseases.

O.Furthermore, if I spent a year traveling, I would learn more about the world.

P.(16) All right, I've made my mind up. Now, where's my nearest travel agency?

Exercise 2.

Using the key words and expressions in bold from the last exercise, present an argument for one of the following issues, or choose one of the essays from the Topics section of the book:

1.A government's main priority is to provide education for its people.

2.The only way to save the environment is for governments to impose strict quotas on the energy we use (for example, by restricting car ownership, limiting the water we use).

3.Satisfaction in your job is more important than the money you earn.

4.Living in a town or city is better than living in the countryside.

Vocabulary General

General Vocabulary

Pronouns and determiners

Exercise 1

Complete these sentences with an appropriate pronoun or determiner (e.g., his, which, there, itself, etc.). You will need to use some pronouns / determiners more than once.

1.The team arrived in Cairo, and from ________________ set out across the desert in a southwesterly direction.

2.Students are allowed to hand in ________________ assignments a few days late if they ask for permission at least a week in advance.

3.The new laws made ________________ easier to get a passport and travel abroad.

4.Someone called for you, but you weren't here, so I told ________________ you would call when you got back.

5.Many playwrights like to act in the plays they have written. Shakespeare ________________

appeared in productions of his own works.

6.Most students spend more time on their assignments than ________________ should.

7.Why did you say that I've missed lots of lessons this semester? Where did you get ________________

idea? I haven't missed a single one.

8.Greek and Latin are languages from ________________ many English words have been taken or adapted.

9.Someone broke the printer, but ________________ looks like nobody is prepared to accept responsibility.

10.The company carried out research into chemical fertilizers and ________________ effect on the environment.

11.The drug works in small quantities, but ________________ efficacy is reduced if used too much and too often.

12.________________ comes a time in everyone's life when a big decision has to be taken.

13.Nuclear energy is far less damaging to the environment than ________________ produced from fossil fuels, but requires far higher standards of safety to be applied.

14.The authors admitted using material from other books, but we had to give ________________ credit for their ability to make an otherwise boring subject lively and interesting.

15.A skilled workforce is essential, ________________ is why regular training programs are so important.

16.The young chick relies on the adult bird for food, and it will be several weeks before it can feed

________________.

17.The vehicle employs a small solar panel, from which ________________ can get enough power to move without the need for turning the engine on.

18.We should give everyone a chance to say what ________________ think.

19.Research in the 1960's often took a lot of time and patience, as there was no Internet in

____________ days.

20.The house stood by ____________ on a small island, cut off from the outside world by a treacherous reef.

Exercise 2

Instructions as above.

1.Her latest book is one ________________ every teenager will enjoy.

2.Help was offered in the first instance to families ________________ homes had been destroyed in the tsunami.

3.The company was forced to cut prices and lay off staff, but the problems didn't end

________________.

4.As it became obvious an economic crisis was looming, the Republicans were divided among

________________ as to the best course of action to take.

5.Bogart's most famous movie was probably Casablanca, ________________ was made in 1942.

6.Prices in New York are roughly 30% cheaper than ________________ in London.

7.People who adopt children tend to be people who have no children of ________________ own but who desperately want some.

8.The voice at the end of the phone was ________________ of a young man.

9.We have tea or coffee: ________________ would you prefer?

10.Most people passed the exam, and ________________ that failed were allowed to retake it a month later.

11.Immigrants often come to the country on their own, and then ask their families to join

________________ at a later date.

12.Those who want to see Las Vegas and sample all of ________________ attractions are going to need a lot of money.

13.AZB Ltd claimed that the invention was legally ________________, and sued their competitor for breaching their design copyright.

14.The Republican Party have come under a lot of pressure, but ________________ refuse to bow down to popular pressure.

15.The winner was a Chinese composer, ________________ composition “Blue String” combined elements of classical Chinese and Western music.

16.We've been thinking about the offer ________________ you made last week.

17.We need to prepare ________________ for the struggle that we are about to face.

18.The software has a few glitches, but the real problem lies in the computer, and not in the software

________________.

19.Fees must be paid in full before the course begins. Alternatively, you can pay ________________ in 6 monthly installments through the first semester.

20.As part of the survey, we asked members of the public questions about ________________ their work, their hobbies, how they spent their vacation, and so on.

Also see Working words on pages 80 – 81

Vocabulary General

General Vocabulary

Similar meanings: Adjectives 1

Here is a crossword with a difference. The words, which are all adjectives, are already in the grid, but some of the letters have been removed. With the help of a dictionary, try to fill in the missing letters. The more letters you fill in, the easier it becomes to complete the grid.

When you have done this, match the adjectives in the grid with a word or expression with a similar meaning which you will find in bold on the next page:

1.A rude reply.

2.A strong and successful economy.

3.Basic facilities.

4.A small charge for services.

5.Traditional medicine.

6.An inquisitive student.

7.Specialist knowledge.

8.An isolated village.

9.A ridiculous idea.

10.Suitable computer software.

11.A valid reason for doing something.

12.Strict economic controls.

13.A calm, peaceful sea.

14.A small margin of opportunity.

15.A secret operation.

16.An insignificant amount of money

17.Dangerous chemicals.

18.An exhibition of modern art.

19.Lasting appeal.

20.Extremely unusual circumstances.

21.Very strange or unusual behavior.

22.A punctual start to a meeting.

23.Old-fashioned ideas.

24.A potential or likely candidate for a job.

25.A thorough investigation.

26.Enough information.

27.Gradual progress.

28.A sudden, sharp rise in prices.

29.A flourishing community.

30.Difficult and detailed instructions.

31.A creative director.

32.A powerful drug.

33.Extreme measures to prevent or achieve something.

34.A superficial person.

35.Unpredictable behavior.

36.Rich agricultural soil.

37.A level surface.

38.Very important information (2 possible words).

39.A diverse program of events. .

40.Essential raw materials (2 possible words).

41.Poisonous gases.

42.Clear and direct comments.

43.Limited natural resources.

44.Extensive unemployment.

45.A determined student.

46.Rough material.

Vocabulary General