Grammar exercises

■ Ex. 1. a) Insert there was/were or it was/were in the text below:

Through the wall of windows which made up the east side of his office suite Alex could see New York spread before him. ... a business centre of downtown ... closest to hand. Beyond the downtown district ... an S-coiled river. Its colour ... pollution grey. ... industrial complexes and suburbs in the distance. But nearer than the industry and suburbs, though beyond the river ... an inner residential city. ... a labyrinth of sub-standard housing. Some people labelled it the city's shame. In the centre of this last area ... a new large building. ... Forum East. Forum East ... an ambitious local urban development. The Forum East complex ... a community with low-cost living accommodation. ... sports facilities, a cinema, a theatre, as well as shops and cafes there. FMA financed the project. Alex Vandervoort was directly in charge of the bank's involvement. The main downtown branch handled construction loans and mortgage details.

b) Render the text in the form of a dialogue by asking general and tail questions.

ACTIVITY

Pair off with a student in your class. Try to get as much information as possible about his/her neighbourhood. Report what you have found out to the group.

■ Ex. 2. Paraphrase the sentences below making use of the structure there is/are:

1. The time was 10.30. Traffic on the street was light.

2. The street was deserted.

3. Eastin's house was a three-storey structure.

4. It contained two dozen or so apartments.

5. No doorman was visible.

6. Inside the hall Nolan Wainwright could see some letter boxes and buzzers.

7. Double glass doors opened from the street to the hall.

8. Wainwright saw a speaker-phone next to the letter boxes.

9. Wainwright saw the name Eastin, pressed the button, but didn't get any response.

10. Wainwright caught sight of a staircase to the right and went up it.

ACTIVITY

1. Go over Ex. 2 Grammar Exercises Unit III once again. Draw up the layout of Eastin's flat.

Show the exact location of the furniture mentioned in the text. Report the results to the group.

2. You are looking for accommodation. Another student in your class is a landlord. You make a telephone call to your prospective landlord. Ask him/her about the apartment she/he lets.

■ Ex. 3. Study the two pictures of bank reception areas. Bring out the points of difference and similarity.

ACTIVITY

Go over Ex. 2 Grammar Exercises Unit II once again. Draw up the layout of FMA's main downtown branch.

■ Ex. 4. Compare the two pictures. Write what is different in picture B. There are seven differences between picture A and picture B. Try to find them. Use there is/are in your answers.

A B

ACTIVITY

How, in your view, a model office should be equipped? Describe it.

SECTION С

Chairing a meeting

Opening the meeting

Good morning ladies and gentlemen/colleagues.

If we are all here shall we start/make a start/ get started.

Ladies and gentlemen, are we ready to begin?