Vocabulary Tasks

1 Which words describe positive qualities, which describe negative qualities, and which describe qualities which could be positive or negative (neutral)?

impatient active energetic restless ambitious selfish fun-loving calm cool easy-going sociable stupid indecisive shy boring moody forgetful disorganized nervous absent- minded articulate anxiety willpower hard-worker self-confidence

Positive	Negative	Neutral

2 Match these adjectives with opposites from the list in the above task.

lethargic

confident

clever

magnanimous

excitable

lazy

3 Match these words with their opposites.

1. clever a) introverted

2. extroverted b) tight-fisted

3. rude c) courteous

4. cruel d) gregarious

5. generous e) kind-hearted

6. unsociable f) half-witted

4 Supply the best words. -ed/-ing

1. I found the film very..................... a) boring b) bored

2. I got so................... waiting for you to arrive. a) boring b) bored

3. John is the most .................. man I've ever met. a) boring b) bored

4. Don't look so................... ! a) surprising b) surprised

5. Mother looks very..................... a) worrying b) worried

6. The rise in crime is very ..................... a) worrying b) worried

7. Don't you find shopping....................? a) tiring b) tired

8. Don't you find John rather ...................? a) tiring b) tired

5 Supply the best words.

1. She entertained us with a lot of ...................stories. a) amusing b) amused

2. I can't think of the................... word to describe him. a) just b) exact

3. My granny cooks a really................... meat pie. a) tasty b) tasteful

4. Please be ...................to the customers. a) polite b) gentle

5. You have to be ...................to survive the army. a) hard b) tough

6. You'll get on well with her. She's really..................... a) sympathetic b) likeable

7. He got a medal for being so..................... a) brave b) nice

8. Michiyo is really .................. about fresh food. a) difficult b) fussy

9. Have you ever taught really...................children? a) lively b) vital

10. Long skirts are the...................fashion. a) newest b) latest

11. They've no money. They're terribly..................... a) poor b) miserable

12. He's not very clever; in fact, he's a bit .................... a) dull b) dim

13. The hours are long and the food is ...................... a) bad b) evil

14. She's very...................with her money. a) large b) generous

15. I think it was ...................decision. a) a fair b) an exact

16. Tina is a very................... woman. a) pretty b) tasty

17. They had a very................... life together. a) glad b) happy

18. I'm really...................with your results. a) content b) pleased

6 Fill the gaps with an adjective from the box. Use each word once only.

selfish bad-tempered tough crafty sensitive sensible strict trustworthy dull shy mean reliable stubborn silly nice cheerful sympathetic clumsy loyal gentle

1. Janet is incredibly________. She always arrives on time and does her job well.

2. It’s impossible to say anything to his grandmother. One word and she starts crying. She is so_________.

3. I wonder why he is so _______. He’s got lots of money but he hates spending it.

4. When she was a child, her parents were incredibly ______. Whenever she did the smallest thing wrong they would send her to bed.

5. Ann is such a __________ girl. She is always laughing and smiling.

6. You can’t go on a country walk wearing high heels. Do be __________ for once.

7. I’ll give you a lift home if you are __________ to me.

8. She was so _____________. When I told her my problems, I immediately felt better.

9. In westerns the hero is always __________. He always beats his enemies and can put up with any hardship.

10. That’s the second plate you’ve broken this week. Why do you have to be so _______?

11. I think he is an extremely ___ boy. He laughs at stupid things and never concentrates in class.

12. Children are often really ________. They hide behind their mothers when guests come.

13. Don’t be ________, Cathy. You’ve got to learn to share things with other children.

14. She is 100% __________. I’d leave my money, car, anything, for her to look after.

15. When I broke my leg, the nurse was so _______ that she hardly hurt me at all.

16. Why do you get angry all the time? You are so _________.

17. Bob is my best friend. He remained ________ through all my problems.

18. He is such a ________ person with his boring little job and his boring little wife.

19. He is terribly ________. Once he has made up his mind, it is impossible to change it even if it’s obvious that he’s wrong.

20. The general was really ________. Just when the enemy thought they had won the battle, he played his best card.

SPEAKING

1. The statements were made by three different people. Choose adjectives from the list below which best describe each of the three characters. Discuss your answers in groups.

First character:

1. I was never very good at school but I always tried to do my best.

2. I was nervous that I made lots of mistakes in my first job.

3. I always make an effort to be nice to people.

4. I find it difficult to make friends.

Second character:

1. I rarely did homework when I was at school.

2. I should make more effort to get a job but I’m not bothered about a career.

3. I can’t stand people who make a fuss about punctuality.

4. I prefer to let other people make decisions.

Third character:

1. I did very well at school and I always knew I would be successful.

2. I can’t afford to make mistakes in my job, and I never make excuses if I do.

3. If you want to be successful, you’re bound to make enemies.

4. I believe in speaking my mind. It doesn’t do any good hiding tour feelings.

lazy shy self-confident arrogant vague dynamic modest ambitious weak ruthless easy-going frank boring practical selfish honest unreliable

2. Now think about your own character and personality. Make statements about yourself and let your group mates choose adjectives from the list which best describe you.

Text 3

DISCUSSION POINTS

1) Think of someone you met recently who was in a particular mood and then nearly or completely lost their temper. What signs did they give of their mood or temper?

2) Say how people think they felt when they:

a) got their exam results

b) heard the news of an earthquake

c) found out that they were going to be an aunt or uncle

d) heard terrible laughter coming from the loft of their house in the middle of the night

e) discovered that their friend had taken their car without asking and crashed it into a lorry

f) found a note saying that their partner had gone off with another man/woman

g) answered the door to find a man telling them that they had won a lottery

Choose one of the situations and make a conversation in which the person rings up their best friend to tell them about it. You might use the following idioms:

It got me down. -to make someone feel unhappy and tired

It took me completely by surprise. -to happen unexpectedly

I was bowled over. -to surprise, please, or excite someone very much

I was caught off balance. -to surprise

I'm really over the moon about this. -to be very happy about something

READING

Read this description of a famous 18^th century British writer, who was one of the first to write about women’s rights.

A harsh and unhappy childhood, dominated by an unstable and drunken father whom she never respected, gave Mary Wollstonecraft an unusual sense of her own independence and reliance on her own judgment; and a corresponding lack of respect for all kinds of male authority that she did not feel had been genuinely earned , whether in life or in literature. At the same time this passionate, ebullient and frequently opinionated woman was given to terrible swings of mood, from hectic, noisy enthusiasm to almost suicidal depression and a sense of futility and loneliness.

(Richard Holmes Footsteps)

Comprehension check

1) What kind of person was she?

2) List the words and phrases in the text that describe Mary Wollstonecraft. Which of these words and phrases imply that the author approves of her character, and which may indicate weaknesses?

3) Would you have admired her if you had met her? Why? Why not?