1. Fill in the gaps with a/an or the or put a cross if no article is needed.

…local legends say that … Borneo’s few thousand wild elephants are descendants from those brought to … from India or Malaysia as … gift to … sultan in … eighteenth century. Biologists from … Columbia University’s Centre for Environmental Research and Conservation compared DNA samples from Borneo elephants with Asian elephants in Sumatra, India and elsewhere. … findings confirmed their suspicions: Borneo’s elephants are genetically different. In fact … DNA differences are so great between them and their closest relatives (elephants in Peninsular Malaysia) that … populations may have separated up to 300,000 years ago, say … scientists. The animals became isolated when … island became totally cut off from the mainland due to … rise in sea level. Borneo’s elephants are, therefore, … important, separate population.

2. Complete using a/an, the or – (zero article).

… tea is …evergreen plant. It was accidentally discovered by … Emperor … Shen Nung of … China. Whilst on … trip, he was boiling … pot of … water when … tea leaf fell into it. … British sailors, returning from … Far East, brought packets of … tea back …home as presents for their relatives. … first advertisement for … tea appeared in … newspaper called Mercurius Politicus in 1660. … advertisement in … newspaper said that … tea could cure … colds and other illnesses. … poor were prepared to pay as much as … third of their weekly wage to have tea. … tea has been … most popular drink in … Britain for three hundred years. … average Briton drinks thirty cups of … tea … week. In fact, … British import almost twenty-five percent of all … tea exported in … world.

3. Using the words given and other words, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do not change the word given.

1. Julie said that her tooth was aching, so her father took her to the dentist 's.

had Julie said that she had a toothache, so her father took her to the dentist's

2. Connor has become a very good saxophone player.

learnt Connor …………… saxophone very well.

3. He had to catch a bus to work this morning because his car had broken down.

go He had to ……………… this morning because his car had broken down.

4. As a student, I couldn't afford a car other than that old Mini Cooper.

only That old Mini Cooper ……………. I could afford as a student.

5. Did you know that a lot of rice is consumed in China?

Chinese Did you know …………………… a lot of rice?

6. My weekly wage is $120, which isn't a great deal.

week I get ……………….. which isn't a great deal.

7. The government should help the people who are out of work, don't you think?

unemployed The government should ……………………….. don 't you think?

8. I'm really disappointed that he didn't win the race.

pity It is …………… he didn't win the race.