II. Complete with a/an or some.

1. I’m afraid the boss has got ____ bad news for you.

2. Can you lend me ____jeans? Mine are dirty.

3. We’ve had ____ really bad weather recently.

4. Have you got ____ iron? I need to press my shirt.

5. Could you buy me ____ paper – the Guardian?

6. I’ve got ____ advice for you: don’t do it!

7. My brother’s given me ____ interesting information.

8. We’ve got ____ luggage, a really big suitcase.

9. I’ve just bought ____ furniture for my new flat.

10. I’d like ____ glass of water, please.

III. In which sentences in task II could you also use a piece of?

IV. Choose the correct form.

1. People today is/are very stressed.

2. Most of the furniture in our flat is/are awful.

3. The traffic was/were terrible this morning.

4. What do you do when people give/gives you clothes that doesn’t

/don’t suit you?

5. We had a terrible holiday. All the accommodation was/were awful and

the weather was/were terrible.

6. Why is/are the news always about politics? Politics is/are boring!

7. The police have/has just phoned about a robbery.

8. Mathematics is/are my favourite subject at school.

READING

TEXT 4

I. Do you know anything about the philosophy of feng shui? Where is it

from? What is it about?

II. In pairs, read the text and remember how you can put feng shui ideas

Into practice. A read about the living room, b read about the

bedroom. Then cover the text. Use the key words below.

A tell B about: B tell A about:

• arranging the furniture where to put your bed

• light where not to put pictures/lights/mirrors

• bookcases lighting

• plants and flowers paintings

• mirrors plants and TV

• family harmony studying in your bedroom

• finding a partner cupboards/open shelves

• being tidy being tidy

Feng Shui

Change your room to change your life!

Your living room

Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy.

A bookcase is bad feng shui as its sharp corners generate negative ‘arrows’, and if you have one you should put a climbing plant on it to combat this effect.

Put plants in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your wealth, but not ones with sharp leaves. Fresh flowers also bring good energy, but throw them away as soon as they begin to die, and don’t have dried flowers.

Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round or oval ones are best, but they should not be opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it.

To promote harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. If you want to find a partner, energize the south-west corner of your living room or bedroom by placing a floor light at least 1.75 m high there, and turn it on every evening. Surround yourself with ornaments and objects in pairs, such as ducks or birds.

To avoid blocking the positive energy, keep everything tidy. Don’t accumulate many unnecessary things. Take a look at every object and ask yourself, ‘Do I really need it? Do I like it?’ If the answer is ‘no’, get rid of it.

Your bedroom

The head of your bed should be placed against a wall, as this gives a sense of security. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger and bad energy from outside. If this is impossible, use blinds to cover the window. Never sleep in a place where you can’t see the door – you should always be able to see someone who’s coming in.

Avoid hanging pictures or lights above our bed, as this leads to a feeling of threat. Don’t put mirrors opposite the bed either, as they ‘break up’ the image, and therefore the relationship reflected in them.

Keep lighting low and soft, and decorate preferably with dark colours. Do not hang paintings of fierce animals, abstract subjects, or water. Water is good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Make sure you don’t put plants in the bedroom and don’t have a TV facing the bed.

Don’t use the same room for your bedroom and your study, as the different energies will be in conflict. If you have to do this, separate the areas symbolically with plants or with a screen. Cupboards are better than open shelves. Put away files or unfinished work – don’t leave them on your desk. Being tidy promotes positive energy. Wherever you study make sure your desk is in the north-east corner, especially if you are preparing for exams, as this area symbolizes education.