A Complete Guide to Achieve Fluency in English

Contributed by:
Steve
It is designed to meet the needs of the intermediate-level student in vocabulary, grammar, listening comprehension, idiomatic usage, and pronunciation. It offers a great deal of practice in each of these areas, through both written exercises and recorded materials. The language used in this course is realistic and practical, and the situations in each of its twenty lessons offer a cultural context that will be recognizable and relevant to most intermediate-level students of English.
1. Scan and OCR by maillo
2. LIVING LANGUAGE
English
Written by
Barbara Raifsnider
Edited by
Christopher A. Warnasch
Scan and OCR by maillo
3. Introduction LESSON 3
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? 21
3A Say It Clearly!: Reductions 21
LESSON 1
3B English At Work: Dialogue -Would You
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? 1
Mind if I Looked at Your Resume? 21
1A Say It Clearly!: Pronunciation of-ed Ending 3C Build Your Vocabulary 22
1
3D English Under the Hood:
1B English At Work: Dialogue – Making
1. Questions and Negatives in the Simple
SmallTalk 1
Past Tense 24
1C Build Your Vocabulary 2
2. The Past Habitual: Used to, Didn't Use
1D English Under the Hood:
to, and Would Always 24
1.The Present Perfect Tense vs. The
3. Making Polite Requests 26
Simple Past Tense 3
3E Phrasal Verbs with work 27
2.Verbs with Irregular Forms in the Past
and Present Perfect Tenses 4 3F Real English: Put Your Nose to the
Grindstone 28
3.Using/or and since with the Present
Perfect and Simple Past Tenses 5 3G Bring it All Together 28
1E Phrasal Verbs with pick 6 3H Listen Up! 30
1F Real English: See You Later! 6 3I Why Do They Do That? Shaking
Hands 30
1G Bring it All Together 7
1H Listen Up! 9
1I Why Do They Do That? Greetings and LESSON 4
SmallTalk 9 LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE
BANK 32
4A Say It Clearly!: Y-Vowel Link 32
LESSON 2
DON'T GO AWAYI 11 4B English At Work: Reading - Banks in the
U.S. 32
2A Say It Clearly!:-s Endings 11
4C Build Your Vocabulary 33
2B English At Work: Recorded Message— The
Hotel Royale 11 4D English Under the Hood:
2C Build Your Vocabulary 11 1. Simple Future vs. Immediate Future 34
2D English Under the Hood: 2. The Present Continuous and Simple
Present to Express the Future 35
1. -s Endings in the Third Person
Singular 14 3. The Simple Present Tense with
2. The Negative Simple Present Tense 14 Prepositions of Time 35
4E Phrasal Verbs with pay 36
3. Questions in the Present Tense 15
4F Real English: In the Black 36
2E Phrasal Verbs with turn 16
4G Bring it All Together 37
2F Real English: Hold On! 17
4H Listen Up! 39
2G Bring it All Together 17
4I Why Do They Do That? Debt 39
2H Listen Up! 19
2I Why Do They Do That? Americans on the
Move 19
4. LESSON 5 2. Degrees of Certainty in the Past
THE CUSTOMER'S ALWAYS RIGHT! 41 Tense 64
3. Degrees of Certainty in the Future
5A Say It Clearly!: W-Vowel Link 41
Tense 65
5B English At Work: Dialogue - Did You Phrasal Verbs for Giving and Getting 66
Need Some Help? 4
Real English: Keeping in Touch with
5C Build Your Vocabulary 42 Friendly Advice 67 Bring it All
5D English Under the Hood: 7G Together 68 Listen Up! 70
1. Prepositions of Time, Motion, and 7H Why Do They Do That? Benjamin Franklin
Location 43 and the American Work Ethic 70
2. Adjectives Followed by
Prepositions 44
3. Verbs Followed by Prepositions 45
LESSON 8
YOUR RIGHTS AND
5E Phrasal Verbs for Shopping 46 RESPONSIBILITIES 72
5F Real English: Shop Till You Drop! 47
8A Say It Clearly!: Consonant-Consonant
5G Bring it All Together 47 Linking 2 72
5H Listen Up! 49 8B English At Work: Dialogue - Do You Know
5I Why Do They Do That? Service with a Why I Pulled You Over? 72
Smile 50 8C Build Your Vocabulary 73
8D English Under the Hood:
1. The Passive Voice in the Simple Present
LESSON 6
and Present Continuous Tenses 75
I HAVE GOT TO HAVE A NEW CAR! 51
2.The Passive Voice in the Present Perfect
6A Say It Clearly!: Consonant-Vowel Link 51 and Simple Past Tenses 75
6B English At Work: Dialogue - Let's Go 3.The Passive Voice in the Simple Future
Look at My New Car. 51 and Immediate Future Tenses 76
6C Build Your Vocabulary 52 Phrasal Verbs for Criminal Acts 76
6D English Under the Hood: 8F Real English: You're Busted! 77
1. Modals of Necessity 53 8G Bring it All Together 78
2. Modals of Advisability 54 8H Listen Up! 80
3. Negative Modals 54 8I Why Do They Do That? Some Important
6E Phrasal Verbs with come 55 Driver's Responsibilities 80
6F Real English: I Need Some
New iWheels! 57
LESSON 9
6G Bring it All Together 57 THIS IS PARADISE, ISN'T IT? 8
6H Listen Up! 59
9A Say It Clearly!: Intonation in Tag
6I Why Do They Do That? Americans and Questions 82
Their Cars 59
9B English At Work: Reading - Aloha from
Hawaii! 82
LESSON 7 9C Build Your Vocabulary 83
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE 61 9D English Under the Hood:
7A Say It Clearly!: Consonant-Consonant 1. Tag Questions 84
Linking 61 2. Negative Questions 86
7B English At Work: Reading - A Brief 3. Beginning Sentences with Negative
History of Mail Delivery in the U.S.A. 61 Adverbs 86
7C Build Your Vocabulary 62 9E Phrasal Verbs with look 87
7D English Under the Hood: 9F Real English: Your Island Getaway 88
1. Degrees of Certainty in the Present
Tense 63
5. 9 G Bring it All Together 88 LESSON 12
9 H Listen Up! 90 SHE'LL WIN BY A LANDSLIDE! 114
9 I Why Do They Do That? Travel in 12 A Say It Clearly!: Consonant Clusters 114
America 91 12 B English At Work: Reading-America Divided,
But Always United 114
12 C Build Your Vocabulary 115
LESSON 10
12 D English Under the Hood:
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME! 92
1. The Progressive Form of Modals 116
10 A Say It Clearly!: Intonation in Questions in
2. The Use of would rather 117
Statement Form 92
3. Past Ability 118
10 B English At Work: Dialogue-It's a Great
12 E Phrasal Verbs for Winning and Losing
Day for Baseball! 92
118
10 C Build Your Vocabulary 93
12 F Real English: Does She Have What it
10 D English Under the Hood: Takes? 119
1. Reported Speech: Past, Present, and 12 G Bring it All Together 119
Future 94
12 H Listen Up! 122
2. Using Modals in Reported Speech 95
12 I Why Do They Do That? Religion in the
3. Questions in Statement Form 96 U.S. 122
10 E Phrasal Verbs with keep 97
10 F Real English: A Day at the Races 97
10 G Bring it All Together 98 LESSON 13
10 H Listen Up! 100 PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP 124
10 I Why Do They Do That? The Super 13 A Say It Clearly!: Reductions with should,
Bowl 100 could, and would 124
13 B English At Work: Dialogue — Who Needs
Buyer's Remorse? 124
13 C Build Your Vocabulary 125
LESSON 11
SNAIL MAIL JUST WON'T CUT IT! 103 13 D English Under the Hood:
1.Past Forms of should and shouldn't 126
11 A Say It Clearly!: The Vowels in seat and
2.Be supposed to and be to 127
sit 103
3.Making Suggestions with could 127
11 B English At Work: Reading — A Brief
History of the Internet 103 13 E Phrasal Verbs for Buying and Selling a
House 128
11 C Build Your Vocabulary 104
13 F Real English: Real Estate 129
11 D English Under the Hood:
13 G Bring it All Together 129
1. The Present Perfect Tense vs. The
Present Perfect Progressive Tense 105 13 H Listen Up! 131
2. The Present Perfect Progressive 13 I Why Do They Do That? The American
Tense vs. The Past Perfect Dream of Home Ownership 132
Progressive Tense 107
3. The Future Progressive Tense 107
LESSON 14
11 E Phrasal Verbs for the Computer 108
HIT THE BOOKS! 134
11 F Real English: Life Online 109
11 G Bring it All Together no 14 A Say It Clearly!: The Preposition to 134
11 H Listen Up! 112 14 B English At Work: Dialogue - He's Always
Been a Good Student! 134
11 I Why Do They Do That? The Internet
Generation 112 14 C Build Your Vocabulary 135
14 D English Under the Hood:
1. Verbs Followed by Infinitives 137
6. 2. Adjectives Followed by Infinitives and 16 G Bring it All Together 162
It Plus Infinitive 138 16 H Listen Up! 164
3. Verbs Followed by Nouns or Pronouns 16 I Why Do They Do That?
Plus Infinitives 139
Watercooler
14 E Phrasal Verbs for School 140 Conversations 165
14 F Real English: Life on Campus 140
14 G Bring it All Together 141
14 H Listen Up! 143 LESSON 17
THIS DIET MAY WORK FOR YOU! 166
14 I Why Do They Do That? American
Teachers 143 17 A Say It Clearly!: Consonant Clusters with /
and r 166
17 B English At Work: Dialogue — What are
LESSON 15 You Going to Get? 166
LET'S GET TOGETHER SOMETIME! 17 C Build Your Vocabulary 167
145
17 D English Under the Hood:
15 A I Say It Clearly!:The Vowels in pull and 1. The Real Conditional in the Present
pool 145 and Future 168
15 B English At Work: Dialogue — Who's That 2. The Unreal Conditional in the Present
Over There? 145 and Future 169
15 C Build Your Vocabulary 147 3. The Past Unreal Conditional 170
15 D English Under the Hood: 17 E Phrasal Verbs about Food 170
1. Verbs Followed by Gerunds 149 17 F Real English: This is Your Cup of Tea
2. Verbs Followed by Prepositions and 171
Gerunds 149 17 G Bring it All Together 172
3. Go plus Gerunds 150 17 H Listen Up! 174
15 E Phrasal Verbs about Relationships 151 17I Why Do They Do That? Food
15 F Real English: She's a Real Knockout! 152 Manners 174
15 G Bring it All Together 152
15 H Listen Up! 154
LESSON 18
15 I Why Do They Do That? Drop by
GET INTO SHAPE! 177
Anytime! 154
18 A Say It Clearly!: Linking Reductions with d,
t, s, or z 177
18 B English At Work: Dialogue-Let Us
LESSON 16 Design a Fitness Program for You! 177
WATERCOOLER CONVERSATIONS
156 18 C Build Your Vocabulary 178 18 D English
Under the Hood:
16 A Say It Clearly!: The Vowel Sound in
man 156 1. Implied Conditionals 199
16 B i English At Work: Dialogue - What Do 2. Using wish in Conditionals 180
You Think About the New Boss? 156 3. Using would to Make Wishes 181
16 C Build Your Vocabulary 157 18 E Phrasal Verbs for Health and Fitness 182
16 D English Under the Hood: 18 F Real English: You're the Picture of
1. Passive and Past Forms of Health! 183
Infinitives and Gerunds 158 18 G Bring it All Together 183
2. Passive Infinitives and Gerunds 18 H Listen Up! 185
after need 160
18 I Why Do They Do That? The Fitness
3. Using Possessives to Modify
Craze 186
Gerunds 160
16 E Phrasal Verbs with take 161
16 F Real English: I Really Work My Tail
Off! 162
7. LESSON 19 2.Verbs of Perception 202
911, EMERGENCY! 188 3.Reflexive Pronouns 203
19 A Say It Clearly!: Dropping Syllables 188 20 E Phrasal Verbs with get 204
19 B English At Work: Dialogue - Isn't This an 20 F Real English: Shooting the Breeze 205
Emergency? 188 20 G Bring it All Together 205
19 C Build Your Vocabulary 189 20 H Listen Up! 208
19 D English Under the Hood: 20 I Why Do They Do That? Body Language,
1.Indirect Objects as Passive Personal Space, and More 208
Subjects 191
2.The Stative Passive 191
APPENDIX A
3.Common Uses of Get 192
IRREGULAR VERBS 211
19 E Phrasal Verbs Related to
Emergencies 193
19 F Real English: Keep Your Cool! 194 APPENDIX B
19 G Bring it All Together 194 ADJECTIVES FOLLOWED BY
19 H Listen Up! 196 PREPOSITIONS 213
19 I Why Do They Do That? HMO's vs. the
Family Doctor 197
APPENDIX C
VERBS FOLLOWED BY
LESSON 20 PREPOSITIONS 214
JUST SHOOTING THE BREEZE 199
20 A Say It Clearly!: English Intonation 199
APPENDIX D
20 B English At Work: Dialogue - A Block Party REAL ENGLISH IDIOMS 215
199
20 C Build Your Vocabulary 200
20 D English Under the Hood: INDEX 221
1. Participial Adjectives 201
8. Fluent English is a high intermediate-/advanced-level course in English as a second or
foreign language. It is designed to meet the needs of the intermediate-level student in
vocabulary, grammar, listening comprehension, idiomatic usage, and pronunciation. It
offers a great deal of practice in each of these areas, through both written exercises and
recorded materials. The language used in this course is realistic and practical, and the
situations in each of its twenty lessons offer a cultural context that will be recognizable
and relevant to most intermediate-level students of English.
The course is divided into twenty lessons covering a range of topics from small talk and
social situations, to telephones and business meetings, to computers, politics, and the
Internet. Each lesson offers essential vocabulary related to its topic, as well as important
phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions that are typically challenging to the intermediate-
level student. The lessons are divided into ten sections, each of which focuses on a
different English language skill:
• Say It Clearly! The first section of each lesson is a recorded pronunciation and
intonation warm-up. These sections focus on aspects of pronunciation and
intonation that are typically challenging for intermediate students of English —
consonant clusters, linking, reduced English, challenging sounds, etc.
• English at Work. The second section of each lesson features English in realistic
contexts, ranging from dialogues to recorded messages to readings. The English
at Work section is the cornerstone of each lesson, where the important
grammatical structures and vocabulary are demonstrated. These sections are all
recorded, giving the student an opportunity to hear and model native speakers.
• Build Your Vocabulary. The vocabulary section of each lesson includes
certain vocabulary from the English at Work section as well as other general
vocabulary related to the topic of the lesson. Each word or expression is
defined in simple English, and an example is given to show realistic usage.
• English Under the Hood. Each lesson focuses on three important grammatical
structures. Explanations are complete and straightforward, and plenty of examples
are given to demonstrate each construction in context. Each grammatical point is
also followed by a practice drill, giving the student a chance to practice and check
comprehension.
• Phrasal Verbs. Each lesson includes a list of important and common phrasal verbs
centered either on a common base verb, such as take or get, or a particular theme.
Each phrasal verb is clearly defined, and examples of usage follow each definition.
• Real English. Important idiomatic expressions related to the topic or theme of
each lesson are included in the Real English section. This section is in the form
of a short paragraph, where idiomatic expressions are used in context. The
student should be able to understand the meaning of each expression from
context, but each idiom is also defined in an appendix at the back of the book.
• Bring it All Together. Each lesson also includes five comprehensive review
exercises. The first exercise focuses on the vocabulary from the lesson, the next
three focus on
9. the grammar and structure, and the last one focuses on the phrasal verbs introduced in
that lesson.
• Listen Up! Each lesson includes a recorded listening comprehension exercise. The
student is directed to listen to a short article or dialogue on a topic related to the lesson,
and then to answer questions written in the book. The Listen Up sections are designed
to use both vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to the theme of the lesson.
• Why Do They Do That? Each lesson includes a culture note that explains an aspect of
American culture related to the lesson's topic. These aspects of culture range from table
manners to home ownership to driving habits to proper behavior while being pulled over
for speeding. The culture notes are designed to be both interesting and relevant to the
student's experiences.
• Answer Key. Each lesson also includes a key to all exercises.
KEY TO SYMBOLS
When you see PLAY CD and listen to the examples or exercises on the audio
portion of the course.
When you see PAUSE CD and return to the book until you seethe next
10. esso
on 1 How Longg Have You
u Been Herre?
AR
RE YOU READY
Y FOR THE LES
SSON?
Lessson 1, How Lon ng Have You Be een Here?, will ta
ake you somew where you may know very
weell: the INS office
e. You'll listen in
n on a conversaation between tw wo people waitin ng in line,
which is something g people unfortu unately do very often, and whic ch is also a situa
ation in
which Americans likel to make "sm mall talk."Then, you'll learn som
me vocabulary th hat will come
in handy
h at the INS
S or anywhere you y have to fill out
o forms. But th hat's not all. Lessson 1 also
inccludes:
• The
e Present Perfec
ct Tense vs. The
e Simple Past Te
ense
• Using/or and sinc
ce with the Prese
ent Perfect and
d
Sim
mple Past Tens ses
• Phrasal Verbs with
h pick
• Idio
omatic Express
sions for Saying
g Goodbye
Fin
nally, at the end of the lesson you'll read a culture note about casual
c greetings and
acq
quaintances. Bu ut let's start with
h a pronunciation warm-up. Reaady?
1A SA
AY IT CLEAR
RLY!
Turn on your CD to
t review the pro
onunciation of-e
ed, a very imporrtant ending in
En
nglish.
1B EN
NGLISH AT WORK
W
Dia
alogue: Making
g Small Talk
Sergei, a Russian immigrant, is waiting
w in line att the INS. The line is very long, and it's
mooving very slowly. Peter, an Am merican standin ng in front of Seergei, turns aro
ound and
striikes up a conve
ersation. Sergei is surprised by his friendlinesss.
Peter I guess we didn't have e anything else e to do today, did
d we?
Sergei What?
Peter I said I guess
g they thin
nk that we didn n't have anythiing else to do today.
t It's
just thaat we've been inn this line for a very long time. lt seems likee we
aren't going
g anywhere e very fast.
Sergei Yeah. I know. I've been here since about 9:30. Wha at about you?
Peter I think I got here just a few minutes before you did d. I decided to pick
p up a
green-c card applicationn for my wife. I should've gottten it off the In
nternet.
That wa ay I could havee just stayed ho ome. Say, where are you from m?
Sergei Me? I'mm from Russia.
Peter Oh, whe ereabouts?
Sergei I lived in
n Moscow for most
m of my lifee, but I moved around a little.. I was in
the military.
11. 2 FLUENT ENGLIS
SH
Peter Intteresting. I've never
n been to R
Russia, but I'vee always wante
ed to visit.
It seems
s like suc
ch an interestinng country. How long have yo ou lived
heere?
Sergei I'v
ve lived in San Diego for only a few weeks, but b I've been in
n the U.S.
sinnce August.
Peter We ell, welcome to o San Diego. I g
guess the weather must be a bit
wa armer than whe ere you're from
m, huh?
Sergei Yees, that's true. I've gotten useed to it.
Peter Haave you visited d the zoo or Baalboa Park yet? ?
Sergei Noo, but I really want
w to go to Baalboa Park. I've
e heard about all the
flo
owers and mus seums that are there.
Clerk neext!
Peter Heey. That's me. Gotta
G go. See y
you around.
Sergei Oh h. OK. See you u.
1C BUILD
B YOUR
R VOCABUL
LARY
Perhaps you need
n to go to thee I. N. S. to fill o
out some forms. Here are some e terms you
would see if yo
ou were to fill ou
ut an application n to register for permanent resid
dence.
Many of these words have oth her meanings, b but these are thee usages you will
w see on I.
N. S. forms and other legal do ocuments.
To be cited. ToT be summoned to appear in ccourt. The police
e could cite you
u for littering
if you throw tra
ash out of your car.
c
To be indicted
d. To be charge
ed with a crime. Richard Haywa
ard was indicted
d for
espionage whe
en he was caug
ght selling U.S. d
documents to a foreign governm
ment.
Ordinance. A law or regulatio
on, usually passsed by a local go
overnment. The
e city
council passed
d an ordinance permitting
p the u
use of marijuana
a by cancer patients.
Beneficiary. A person who is or will be the re
ecipient of some
ething of value from
f
someone who has died. Harolld and Gerry we ere the sole ben
neficiaries of the
eir mother's
modest estate..
Rehabilitation n. Treatment to help someone rreturn to regular, acceptable, or
o normal
behavior or abilities. Recoveryy from drug abu
use or physical injuries. It was difficult
d to
convince the governor
g that Saam had been su
uccessfully rehabilitated and wa as ready to
leave jail and return
r to societyy.
Clemency. A lesser
l penalty th
han what a court originally sugg
gested. Thinking that
Ralph Smith ha
ad suffered enoough for the crim
me he committed, the judge graanted him
clemency and gave him a sho orter prison senttence.
Amnesty. A pa
ardon given to a large group off individuals. Th
he government
granted amnes
sty to all illegal immigrants
i who
o had come to work
w in the fieldss.
Procure. To obtain, to buy, to
o take possessio
on of somethingg of value. Profe
essor
Hodges wanteed to procure some ancient artiffacts before retu
urning from his sabbatical
s
in Africa.
To engage in.. To become invvolved in something, to do something. Teresa would
never engage in illegal activitiies, even if she disagreed with a law.
To induce. To o influence someeone to do something. Robbie's
s older brother induced
i
him to steal mooney from their parents.
12. Lesson 1: How Long Have You Been Here? 3
To conspire. To plan together in secret to do harm. Kathy and Jane conspired to make
Mary look foolish.
To solicit. To ask for something of value, usually money. Raymond got a job soliciting
money for his political party.
To sabotage. To destroy or cause to fail. The lab technician sabotaged the experiment
by deliberately mixing up the samples.
Espionage. Spying. Espionage was a common practice during the Cold War, and it still
is today.
Affiliated. To be in close connection. The local television stations are all affiliated with
major networks.
To persecute. To harass, to cause someone to suffer because of a belief. Many people
have come to the United States because they were persecuted in their countries.
To incite. To move to action, to cause. The Prime Minister's latest announcement incited the
protesting crowd to become violent.
Fraud. A false claim, trick; a liar or imposter. Sam Jameson created a false medical
license and began practicing medicine until he was exposed as a fraud.
Waiver. A document that gives up a right or grants unusual permission to someone
else. Juan signed a waiver giving his doctor the right to send his medical records to his
insurance company.
Custody. Having legal guardianship of a child or children, often part of a divorce
settlement. When the Camerons divorced, Mrs. Cameron received custody of both
children, and her husband won weekend visitation rights.
1D ENGLISH UNDER THE HOOD
TOPIC 1: The Present Perfect Tense vs. the Simple Past Tense
Let's take a look at the two most common past tenses in English: the present perfect tense
and the simple past tense.
Present Perfect Simple Past
/ have spoken I spoke
you have spoken you spoke
he, she, it has spoken he, she, it spoke
we have spoken we spoke
they have spoken they spoke
As you can see, the present perfect tense is formed with the verb to have and the past
participle of the main verb, in this case, spoken. The simple past tense is just the past form of
the verb, which in this case is spoke. These tenses are used a bit differently. The present
perfect tense expresses an event that happened in the past when the exact time is not
known, or when there's a result or a connection being made to the present, or when the time
reference is still unfinished, as in so far this week, or up to now, or during my entire life.The
simple past tense, on the other hand, expresses an action that happened when a specific
finished time is given, such as yesterday or last
13. 4 FLUENT ENGLISH
week or in 1995. Sometimes these tenses are interchangeable, depending on what the speaker
wishes to emphasize. Here are a few examples.
Julia has returned from her trip. (No specific time is given or is important, and the speaker is
emphasizing that Julia is now home.)
Julia returned from her trip. (Perhaps this is part of a longer narration of events in the past.)
I finished reading the novel last night. ("Last night" indicates a specific time in the past.)
Has Pam ever been to New York? ("Ever" means "during her entire life.")
/ worked five days last week. ("Last week" is finished time.)
So far this week I've worked three days. ("This week" is unfinished time.)
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1: Complete each of the following sentences with either the present
perfect or simple past tense.
1. _________________ (drive) Mary her new car to Santa Barbara yesterday.
2. __________________ (not try) Sam on his new pants yet.
3. _______________ (buy) We a new house last week.
4. __________ (eat) ________ you ever fried bananas?
5. _____________________________ (not go) Mr. and Mrs. Denton out of town last weekend.
6. ____________ (see) I _____ never The Birds.
7. ____________________ (not speak) He much English during his trip last April.
8. _____________ (miss) ______you me while I was gone?
9. ____________ (dance) you ever the salsa?
10. ________________ (get) Richard a new car last week.
TOPIC 2: Verbs with Irregular Forms in the Past and Present Perfect Tenses
A lot of common verbs have irregular simple past and past participial forms. Here are some of the
more common ones. You'll also find a list of all of the most important irregular verbs in the
appendix on page 211.
Present Past Past Participle
be was/were been
begin began begun
bring brought brought
do did done
eat ate eaten
go went gone
have had had
know knew known
see saw seen
sing sang sung
speak spoke spoken
14. Lesson 1: How Long Have You Been Here? 5
take took taken
write wrote written
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2: Complete each of the following sentences.
1. (sing) Who ______ that last song?
2. (do) Sarah _____ her homework last night.
3. (be) Where ______ you at breakfast?
4. (begin) Madeline ______ already __________ her new job.
5. (know) Henry _______ all of the answers.
6. (write) _______ you _________ that letter yet?
7. (begin) Angel ______ his university education last spring.
8. (sing) She _____ in Las Vegas many times.
9. (see) ______ anyone really ever _________ Big Foot?
10. (take) I had a headache, so I ______ some aspirin.
TOPIC 3: Using for and since with the Present Perfect and Simple Past Tenses
Use since when a specific point in time is given. Use/or when a period of time, rather
than a specific point in time, is given.
Since... For...
yesterday one day
last week a week
last month three months
Richard has lived in Chicago since 1985.
Richard has lived in Chicago for twenty years.
Notice that you can use for and since with either the simple past tense or the present perfect
tense, depending on whether or not the action is still happening.
I've worked for Green Enterprises for three years. (I still work there.)
/ worked for Green Enterprises for three years. (Now I work somewhere else.)
PRACTICE EXERCISE 3: Complete each sentence with either since or for.
1. We've lived in Los Angeles _________ before Barry was born.
2. We've lived in Los Angeles _________ ten years.
3. There's been a roadblock on the freeway __________ three days.
4. I haven't seen you _________ I was in high school.
5. Why haven't you called __________ two weeks?
6. Susan hasn't gone to work __________ last Tuesday.
7. They stayed at this hotel __________ three nights.
8. Roger and Martin have been gone __________ hours!
9. Have you been waiting for me __________ 7:30?
10. She hasn't spoken to me ___________ the night we got into an argument.
15. 6 FLUENT ENGLISH
1E PHRASAL VERBS WITH PICK
Pick up.
a) To take something up off of a surface. Pick your coat up off the floor.
b) To meet and collect a person from a specific location. Who's going to pick Henry up at
the airport?
c) To buy something Jordan picked up some milk on the way home.
*Note that to pick up a person can also mean to meet someone, usually at a public place such as a bar or
night club, and to become sexually involved with him or her after spending only a short time together.
Pick out.
a) To select, to choose. Melissa picked out a shirt and brought it to the dressing room.
b) To separate from. If you break a wine glass, make sure you pick all of the glass out of the
carpet.
Pick over.
To take the best of something and leave what is not so good. The shirts have been on
sale so long that they've really been picked over.
Pick on.
To tease. My sisters and brothers always picked on me because I was the youngest.
Pick from.
To choose from a group of something. Mrs. Stefanson picked a new assistant from the
group of applicants for the job.
Pick at.
a) To take only very small amounts of food. Jessica ate almost everything on her plate, but
she only picked at her peas.
b) To scratch or irritate something, such as a cut or scrape. Don't pick at that cut! Let it heal.
Pick up on.
To understand something, especially something that isn't intended to be understood.
They spoke in Spanish in front of Dorothy, so she didn't pick up on what they were
talking about.
*Note that pick up, pick out, pick from, and pick over are separable. This means the two words can be
separated and a pronoun or noun can be inserted between them. Billy picked out the raisins or Billy picked
them/the raisins out, but not Billy picked out them. Pick on, pick at, and pick up on are not separable. You
cannot separate the verbs from the prepositions.
1F REAL ENGLISH
SEE YOU LATER!
Saying "good-bye!" is only one way to end a conversation. There are a lot of idiomatic
expressions that people use when a conversation is over or when they have to leave.
Here are some important ones, listed from most to least formal: Have a good day. Take
care. Take it easy. (I'll) See you later. (I'll) See you around. See ya! Catch you later. Gotta go.
Note that these expressions are often preceded with Well. Well, have a nice day!
16. Lesson 1: How Long Have You Been Here? 7
1G BRING IT ALL TOGETHER
Now let's review everything we've covered in this lesson.
REVIEW EXERCISE 1: Vocabulary
Place the correct vocabulary word in each space. Use each of the following words
once: solicit, beneficiary, indicted, procured, waiver, persecuted, incited, affiliation,
espionage, amnesty, conspired, rehabilitation, clemency, sabotage, cited, induce,
fraud, custody, ordinance, engaging.
1. When we found out that Dr. Wells hadn't gone to medical school, we knew he was a
________.
2. Learning new skills is essential to the successful ________ from a life of crime.
3. For some people, working is much harder than ________ in crime.
4. The well-known International is an organization dedicated to encouraging
governments to free their political prisoners.
5. Bill Jackson feltbecause he had received a dishonorable discharge from the army and
few employers would hire him.
6. The soldiers sneaked in behind enemy lines to ______ the next shipment of weapons.
7. ______ by jealousy, Roberto accused his wife of having an affair.
8. If you let your dog walk around without a leash, you are violating a city.
9. I want to show you some new gems we've recently .
10. The senator was forced to resign when his with a racist organization was uncovered.
11. A sixteen-year-old cannot attend adult school without a from high school.
12. Tammy went to several companies to ______ money so that she could afford to travel
to the swimming competition.
13. Ralph was ______ for breaking and entering.
14. Mary was ______ for driving with her lights off.
15. The Rangels filed for ______ of their daughter's son.
16. A governor has the power to give to a condemned criminal, commuting a death
sentence to life in prison.
17. The boys ______ to scare all the girls in class on Halloween.
18. Wiretaps were placed on the ambassador's phone line in an act of.
19. Tony named his wife, Susan, as the _________ on his life insurance policy.
20. The labels of many poisonous products warn not to ______ vomiting in case of
accidental ingestion.
REVIEW EXERCISE 2: The Present Perfect Tense vs. the Simple Past Tense
Complete each of the following sentences with the correct form of the verb given in
parentheses.
1. (arrive) The plane _________on time yesterday, but traffic was awful.
17. 8 FLUENT ENGLISH
2. (be) It _________ a long hot summer, and it's only August 3!
3. (not call) No one can believe he _________ you yet.
4. (put) Who __________ my keys under the couch last night?
5. (eat) We _________ dinner at six.
6. (go) Christian _________ to school already this morning.
7. (visit) We _________ the Metropolitan Museum when we were in New York.
8. (see) I _________ the Eiffel Tower several times, but never in the spring.
REVIEW EXERCISE 3: Irregular Verb Forms
Fill in the spaces with the missing verb forms.
Present Past Past Participle
1. __________ was/were __________
2. Do __________ __________
3. __________ __________ gone
4. __________ gave __________
5. __________ ate __________
6. Write __________ __________
7. __________ __________ begun
8. __________ __________ seen
REVIEW EXERCISE 4: For and Since
Fill in each sentence with since or for.
1. I don't think I've seen you _________ high school.
2. They didn't speak to each other __________ several weeks.
3. How long has it been __________ you left?
4. We haven't spoken _________ three years!
5. Why did you keep silent __________ so many months?
6. I can't believe you've been in Boston__________ September!
7. I'm not sure why he hasn't called ___________ last week.
8. It hasn't rained __________ six months.
REVIEW EXERCISE 5: Phrasal Verbs
Place the correct phrasal verb with pick in the blank space in each sentence.
1. What time do you want me to ___________ you __________ from the airport?
2. Alex's mother and sister helped her __________ her wedding dress.
3. Look how you __________ your food. You eat like a bird.
4. Johnny,__________all your toys and put them away.
18. Lesson 1: How Long Have You Been Here? 9
5. Evelyn _________ the label on her sweater because it irritates her.
6. Mrs. Russell told the class bully not to __________ the younger children.
7. Barry's a pretty smart little boy; he seems to __________ whatever anyone says.
8. I've a beautiful crystal vase for Bill and Cindy's wedding gift.
1H LISTEN UP!
Now let's work on your listening comprehension. Turn on your CD and listen to Section 1H. In
this exercise, you will hear someone describing a situation. As you listen, choose the phrasal
verb that could be used in the situation.
pick out, on, up pick
over, up, at pick at, on,
upon pick up, from, at
pick on, up, over pick
up on, at, over
1I WHY DO THEY DO THAT?
Greetings and Small Talk
Have you ever heard a complete stranger say hello to you as you pass him or her on the
street? Don't worry. That's not unusual. Americans often greet people they don't even know.
They may talk to strangers while waiting in line, or comment on the weather when standing in
an elevator, or even strike up a conversation while sitting next to someone at a public event.
It's true that this kind of behavior may seem too casual—or even just plain strange—toothers,
but many Americans consider it friendly. Of course, these little pieces of "small talk" aren't
meant to discuss anything very serious or personal or make new friendships. When they end,
the participants go their separate ways and rarely commit to any kind of social involvement.
This is normal for Americans, who often have a lot of acquaintances—at work, in their
neighborhoods, at stores and restaurants, at the gym. But Americans also make an important
distinction between casual acquaintances and close friends.
Lesson 1: Answer Key
Practice Exercise 1 1. drove. 2. hasn't tried, 3. bought, 4. Have/eaten, 5. didn't go. 6. have/seen, 7. didn't speak.
8. Did/miss, 9. Have/danced, 10. got
Practice Exercise 2 1. sang. 2. did, 3. were, 4. has/begun, 5. knew, 6. Have/written, 7. began, 8. has sung, 9. Has/
seen, 10. took
Practice Exercise 3 1. since, 2. for, 3, for, 4. since, 5. for, 6. since, 7. for, 8.for, 9. since, 10. since
Review Exercise 1 1.fraud, 2. rehabilitation, 3. engaging, 4. Amnesty, 5. persecuted, 6. sabotage, 7 Incited,
8. ordinance, 9. procured, 10. affiliation, 11.waiver, 12. solicit, 13. indicted, 14. cited, 15. custody, 16.
clemency, 17. conspired, 18. espionage, 19. beneficiary, 20. induce
Review Exercise 2 1. arrived, 2. has been, 3. hasn't called, 4 put, 5. ate, 6. has gone, 7. visited, 8. have seen
19. 10 FLUENT ENGLISH
Review Exercise 3 1. be /been, 2. did/done, 3. go/went, 4. give/given, 5. eat/eaten, 6. wrote/written,
7. begin/began, 8. see/saw
Review Exercise 4 1. since, 2.for, 3. since, 4.for, 5.for, 6. since, 7. since, 8. for
Review Exercise 5 1. pick/up, 2. pick out, 3. pick at, 4. pick up, 5. picks at, 6. pick on, 7. pick up on, 8. picked out
Listen Up! 1. out, 2. up, 3. up on, 4. at, 5. on, 6. over
20. Lesson 2 Don't Go Away!
ARE YOU READY FOR THE LESSON?
Lesson 2, Don't Co Away!, will take you on that paradise vacation you've been waiting for!
You'll read a brochure for a world-class resort hotel and listen to recordings about some
exciting vacation spots. Then you'll learn some helpful vocabulary for an exclusive hotel.
But there's more. Lesson 2 also includes:
• Helpful Hints for the Present Tense
• Questions and Negatives in the Simple Present Tense
• Phrasal Verbs with turn
• Important Idioms for Using the Telephone
We'll finish off Lesson 2 with a culture note discussing why Americans move around so
much. But first, let's start with a pronunciation warm-up. Ready?
2A SAY IT CLEARLY!
Turn on your CD to practice another very important ending,-s.
2B ENGLISH AT WORK
Recorded Message: The Hotel Royale
Listen to the following recorded phone message from The Hotel Royale in Florida.
Hello, and welcome to paradise at The Hotel Royale, Florida, where an exciting
adventure beckons. Located near world-famous Disney World in Orlando, Florida, our
world-class hotel features well-appointed accommodations designed to pamper you
with luxurious amenities. Don't go away. For more information and for rates and
reservations, please stay on the line. We'll be right with you.
Now let's take a look at a brochure for The Hotel Royale, Florida on the next page.
2C BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY
Once again, let's take a look at some vocabulary related to the topic of this lesson.
Accommodations. A place to stay, food and services. Because we were poor college
students, we chose inexpensive accommodations for our trip through New Mexico.
Amenities. Attractive and convenient material comforts. Whenever Nancy showed the
smallest townhouses to her clients, she always pointed out the many wonderful
amenities, hoping no one would notice the size.
Amidst. Among, between. Meredith found one black gumdrop amidst the many yellow,
red, and orange ones.
21. 12 FLUENT ENGLISH
FLORIDA'S LEGENDARY HOTEL ROYALE
is the perfect vacation destination.
We are conveniently located just minutes from Disney World,
Universal Studios Florida, Sea World Adventure Park, and the
dazzling Orlando nightlife.
AT THE HOTEL ROYALE, we strive to make your stay
memorable. Enjoy a resort atmosphere where you can stroll
among the terraced gardens, sip your drink beside the grotto
pool, pamper yourself at our luxurious European-style spa,
and savor the exceptional cuisine at the Royale Inn.
The Hotel Royale, Florida, features such amenities as:
• Deluxe appointed guest rooms
• A spacious fitness center
• Panoramic views
• A rooftop botanical garden
• Kitchen suites
• Banquet and meeting facilities
Your stay at The Hotel Royale, Florida, will be a fantasy
adventure. We simply have everything: an exciting location,
beautiful accommodations, and fabulous service. This just
might be paradise.
For rates and reservations call 1-800-555-2000.
Appointed. Arranged; furnished, provided with what is needed. No one could help
but notice how tastefully appointed the mansions were.
Beckon. To call someone or something to come towards you, often with the use of
a hand or finger gesture that means"come here." Mrs. Applebee beckoned Tommy
to her desk where they could discuss his mistakes in private.
Cuisine. Manner or way of preparing food, a tradition of cooking particular to a
region or country. There are so many wonderful restaurants from around the world
that it's hard to choose a favorite cuisine.
Dazzling. Something exciting or beautiful; blinding light. The local baseball team
often puts on a dazzling fireworks display during its games.
22. Lesson 2: Don't Go Away! 13
Grotto. A cave or cavern, an artificial structure made to look like a cave. The zoo had to
fashion a variety of grottos for the animals to hide in when they wanted privacy.
Legendary. Similar to a story handed down from the past; something that is spoken of by
many people over many years. The children love to read stories about legendary heroes,
such as Robin Hood or King Arthur.
Luxurious. Expensive, rich, abundant, magnificent; something that appeals to the senses.
The hotel rooms were luxurious with their king-size beds, whirlpools, and sun decks.
Nightlife. Places to go and things to see and enjoy at night, e.g., restaurants, theaters, bars,
clubs, cafes, movies, etc. Most people who do a lot of traveling like to sample at least a little
of the nightlife in any city they visit.
Pamper. To give a lot of care and attention to someone. When Sally is depressed she
pampers herself with a shopping spree.
Panoramic. A view that can be seen from all sides. The Empire State Building offers a
panoramic view of New York City.
Savor. To find delicious; to taste or smell with pleasure. Elwin finds Indian food so
delicious that he savors every bite.
Sip. To drink slowly in small amounts. We sat in the coffee shop and sipped our coffee for
hours.
Spacious. Having a lot of space; very large and open. Being used to a tiny apartment, Bill
found Marie's home quite spacious.
Strive. To work toward a goal with great effort. It is difficult to believe that some people
never strive to improve.
Stroll. To walk slowly and in a relaxed way. Mr. and Mrs. Oglesbee strolled through their
garden every evening.
Terraced. With levels arranged like stair steps. Villages in mountainous regions have had to
raise their crops in terraced gardens.
World-class. Among the best in the world. The city council decided to build a world-class
stadium in the hopes of attracting a national football team.
2D ENGLISH UNDER THE HOOD
Many students of English feel that one of the most challenging tenses in English
is the present tense. Perhaps this is simply because it's the first tense students
learn, or that it has so many different uses. But whatever the reasons, there are
three areas that often need to be reviewed:
• The -s ending of the third person singular
• How to form negatives
• How to form questions
23. 14 FLUENT ENGLISH
TOPIC 1: -s Endings in the Third Person Singular
Only the third person singular, or the he/she/it form, of a verb in the simple present
tense has an ending,-s. All other forms are the same as the basic form of the
verb:/ speak, you speak, we speak, they speak, but he speaks, she speaks, it speaks.
The -s ending becomes -ies if the verb ends in a -y-. Ifly,you,fly, we fly, they fly, but
he flies, she flies, it flies.
The -s ending becomes -es if the verb ends in one of these letters or letter
combinations:-s (you dress, she dresses),-sh (I wish, he wishes),-ch (they touch, it
touches), or -x (you fix, she fixes). And don't forget that the ending is pronounced -iz.
Notice that some verbs end in a silent -e in spelling, but have as their last sound a -j
(manage, judge),-z (lose, cruise), or -zh (massage). These verbs will only add an -s
in spelling, but the ending will be pronounced as an -iz: she manages, he cruises,
she massages, it loses. (You've already seen this in Section A, Say It Clearly!)
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb.
1. (spread) The tree branches over the sidewalk.
2. (begin) When it's very cold, my teeth ___________ to chatter.
3. (run) Cedric __________ in a marathon twice a year.
4. (bark) The neighborhood dogs ___________ most of the night.
5. (sell)The little girl ___________ lemonade on hot Saturday mornings.
6. (take) It __________ a lot of money and good credit to buy a house in some parts of
California.
7. (taste) Red apples usually __________ sweet and delicious.
8. (shine) The full moon ___________ clear and bright on warm summer nights.
9. (expect) Meredith ___________ to have another baby before she is 38 years old.
10. (want) All the employees _____ to take a vacation in August.
TOPIC 2: The Negative Simple Present Tense
As you know, the basic negative simple present tense is formed with not. But you
also need to use an auxiliary, or "helping," verb with not, either do or does. The
pattern is:
subject + auxiliary verb do or does + not + main verb (without -s!) Here are some
pairs of examples, first affirmative, and then negative:
/ drive a car. I do not drive a car.
She takes the bus to work. She does not take the bus to work.
Mr. Nasser likes this hotel. Mr. Nasser does not like this hotel.
Sabrina has a new car. Sabrina does not have a new car.
The not comes between do or does and the main verb. It's often attached to do or
does in a contraction:
I don't drive a car.
She doesn't take the bus to work.
Mr. Nasser doesn't like this hotel.
Sabrina doesn't have a new car.
24. Lesson 2: Don't Go Away! 15
Remember that you shouldn't put the -s ending on the main verb in negatives. Also
remember that you should use only one negative in English:
I don't speak Spanish. (Not: *l don't speak no Spanish.)
She doesn't have any money. (Not: *She doesn't have no money.)
/ never walk to work in the rain. (Not: *l don't never walk to work in the rain.)
And finally, remember that you need do or does in front of not with every verb except be:
I am on vacation. I am not on vacation.
They are spending a week at the They aren't spending a week at the
new resort. new resort.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2: Make the following sentences negative.
1. Tammy rides her horse to school.
2. We pay a lot to take the bus.
3. The children do what the teacher says.
4. Most women like to give their clothes away.
5. Darren and Tom care about the rules of good sportsmanship.
6. Maddie gets as much exercise as she used to.
7. It gets better than this!
8. Many flowers bloom all summer long.
9. The yard gets enough water.
10. The mountains have a lot of snow this time of year.
TOPIC 3: Questions in the Present Tense
Questions in the present tense are a lot like negatives, because you always need to
use the auxiliary do or does, except with be:
Sandro studies English at the community center.
Does Sandro study English at the community center?
They are in New York this week.
Are they in New York this week?
Remember to begin questions in the simple present tense with do or does, then the
subject, and then the main verb (again, always without an -s ending!).
Does Tom know Mary?
Do the children enjoy reading?
Does Maxime have many friends?
The exception is questions with a main verb is, am, or are:
Am I wrong?
Are you happy with the meal?
Is Gary at work right now?
16 FLUENT ENGLISH
PRACTICE EXERCISE 3: Change the following sentences into questions.
1. Harold likes to go bird watching.
2. Carolyn understands Spanish.
3. Mockingbirds sing very early in the morning.
4. You catch the bus at Fourth and Broadway.
5. I write to my mother at least once a week.
6. Tina teaches with the Peace Corps.
7. Minnie hides the cookies from her children.
8. The companies send their products through the U.S. mail.
25. 9. The Smiths hear a catfight in their yard almost every night.
10. Taka's party begins at noon.
2E PHRASAL VERBS WITH TURN
Turn around.
To go back in the opposite direction. Turn around! We just passed the theater.
Turn down.
a) To lower the power of something, such as lights or volume. Turn down the TV! It's too loud.
b) To enter a road, especially a secondary road thought of as leading to a lower place. You need to
turn down this road and continue to the bottom of the hill.
c) To refuse. It was a great job offer, but I had to turn it down because it was too much
work.
Turn in.
a) To leave a street or highway and enter a driveway, parking lot, etc. / think you can turn in here,
where the sign says PARK.
b) To go to bed. Lawrence usually turns in around 70.00 P.M. because he wakes up so early.
c) To give an assignment or paperwork to a boss or a teacher; to submit. Bethany turned in her
paper just as the professor was leaving.
d) To report someone to the police. When Robert heard about his brother's crimes, he turned him
in.
Turn into.
To become (used with nouns) Jason got a promotion and turned into a real jerk!
Turn off.
a) To stop an electronic device. Turn off the TV, because I can't sleep with it on.
b) To exit a road or freeway. / think you should turn off at the next exit.
c) To be unappealing. This music is horrible! It really turns me off.
Turn on.
a) To start an electronic device. Our show is on in two minutes, so turn on the TV.
b) To drive onto a street, highway, or freeway. Why don't we turn on this road and just see where it
goes?
26. Lesson 2: Don't Go Away! 17
c) To be appealing or exciting. (Also used to mean "sexually stimulating.") Dancing really turns
me on and puts me in a great mood.
Turn out.
To come to a party, event, etc. Wow! So many people turned out for your party!
Turn over.
To reverse the position of something from right-side up to upside down. Can you turn over
my pancake before it burns?
Turn up.
a) To appear somewhere, to be found. Don't worry, your earring's not gone forever; it'll turn up.
b) To increase the power of something, such as lights or volume. Turn up the lights a bit. It's
so dark in here I can't read.
c) To enter a road, especially a secondary road thought of as leading to a higher place. Maybe
if we turn up this road we'll be able to get to the top of the hill.
2F REAL ENGLISH
Hold On!
Just about everyone knows that the expressions hello and good-bye are used to begin and
end phone conversations in the United States. Here are some other expressions that are
commonly used on the phone.
If you need to leave the phone momentarily but don't want to end the conversation, you can
say, don't go away, hang on, stay on the line, hold on a minute, or hold the line. In business
settings, where there is a hold button on the phone, you can say let me put you on hold,
please. This is often followed with /'// be right with you.
If a receptionist is very busy, instead of answering the phone and waiting for a response, he
or she may say right away please hold or we'll be right with you. And then you'll be put on
hold.
2G BRING IT ALL TOGETHER
REVIEW EXERCISE 1: Vocabulary
Place the correct vocabulary word in each space. Use each of the following words once:
accommodations, amenities, amidst, appointed, beckon, cuisine, dazzling, grottos, legendary,
luxurious, nightlife, pampered, panoramic, savor, sips, spacious, strive, strolled, terraced,
world-class.
1. Mr. and Mrs. Bunch _________ to the end of the pier to watch the fisherman.
2. Mrs. Peabody _________ her tea and reads the paper each Sunday afternoon.
3. If you climb to the top of a mountain, you can have a ___________ view of the valley
below.
4. Many people around the world consider Chinese to be their favorite ___________ .
27. 18 FLUENT ENGLISH
5. When Karen got engaged she chose the most __________ diamond ring.
6. I just have to go to Hawaii; the islands ___________me!
7. We drove most of the night to find the cheapest ___________ .
8. A lot of people _________ to lose weight in a short time.
9. Karen insisted that her wedding reception be held at a ___________ hotel.
10. Most English-speaking people know the __________ story of Camelot.
11. Martha has the smallest classroom, and Richard has the most ___________ one of all.
12. Little Gloria fell asleep with her head nestled ___________ the pillows on the couch.
13. The _________ banks alongside the freeway are planted with flowers.
14. Don't eat so fast. You need to learn to __________ this delicious food.
15. Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland has lots of _________ for children to play in.
16. Karen insisted on purchasing the most __________ wedding gown.
17. Las Vegas is known all over the world for its exciting __________ .
18. This hotel costs a lot of money per night, but the rooms are very well ___________ .
19. Greg had the flu, so he left work, went home and __________ himself on the couch
all day.
20. We rented a lovely cabin in the mountains that had all the ___________ of home.
REVIEW EXERCISE 2: The Simple Present Tense
Fill in the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in the present tense.
1. (burst) The party balloons are cheap, so they ___________ easily.
2. (cling) Baby Meredith often _____________ to her mother's skirt.
3. (bend) The trees sway and the branches____________ in the cool breeze.
4. (freeze) Oranges and lemons ___________ when the temperature drops.
5. (quit) Gerald always ___________ before he gets fired.
6. (sweep) Marta _____________ her kitchen floor everyday.
7. (stick) This window ____________ whenever you try to open it.
8. (rise) Bill and Adriana ____________ at 6:00 A.M. to go to work.
REVIEW EXERCISE 3: Negatives in the Present Tense
Make these sentences negative.
1. Our local weathermen forecast the weather correctly.
2. Janey grinds her teeth when she's nervous.
3. The washing machine spins the clothes until they are dry.
4. Terrence winds his wristwatch everyday.
5. The boys spread too much butter on their toast.
6. Gladys and Henry mistake the sugar for the salt.
7. Cats creep up on their prey before they attack.
8. Sharon feeds birds in the park.
28. Lesson 2:
2 Don't Go Awa
ay! 19
REVIE
EW EXERCISE 4:
4 Questions in
n the Present Tense
T
Chang
ge the following statements into
o questions.
1. The le
eaves fall off the
e trees every autumn in this cityy.
2. Joe an
nd Tom split the
e money for eacch job they do.
3. Mrs. Warren
W goes to the
t store nearly every day.
4. Jenna is part Cherokee.
5. This sttore has nice things.
6. Edwina's clothes hang neatly in her closet.
c
7. Jorge sometimes leavves his keys in his
h car.
8. This bank is open late
e on Thursdays.
REVIE
EW EXERCISE 5: Phrasal Verb
bs
Place the correct phra
asal verb with tu
urn in the blank space in each sentence.
s
1. A huge
e crowd ______
_____ wheneve
er the Rolling Sttones play.
2. The ne
ext exit is one-a
and-a-half miles away. Let's ___
_________ therre and get some
ething to eat.
3. You ha
ave exactly one
e hour to finish writing
w and ____
_________ you
ur exams.
4. I'm pre
etty tired. I thinkk I'll __ early.
5. Jackie
e had to _______
_____ the job offfer, but she wou
uld have made a lot of money.
6. You ju
ust missed your exit, so ______
___ and go backk the other way.
7. It's pretty
p foggy, butt I think you can
n __ to this parkin
ng lot on your le
eft.
8. Hank loses his wallet all the time, but it always ____
____ in the stran
ngest places.
2H LISTE
EN UP!
Listen to the recorded
d telephone reco
ording and answ
wer the following questions.
1. How la
ate does the park stay open?
2. What happens if it rains?
3. How much
m do daily pa
asses for two ad
dults, one six-ye
ear-old child, an
nd one three-year-old
child cost?
c
4. Which
h pass has the best
b rate if you want
w to go to the
e park twice in one
o week?
5. What street
s is the parrk on?
6. How much
m does the parking-lot
p shutttle cost?
2I WHY DO THEY DO
D THAT?
Ameriicans on the Move M
You've e probably noticced that America ans tend to movve around a gre eat deal during their
lives. This
T begins you ung, often right after
a high schoo
ol, with the first separation
s from
ma
person n's family. It's a tradition for you
ung people to move
m away from their
29. 20 FLUENT ENGLISH
hometowns to go to college, often going to a college or university on the other side of the
country. But even if they decide not to continue their education, young Americans usually
get a job and move out of their parents' home after high school graduation. This fast
separation and movement is in keeping with the independence and individuality that the
American culture fosters. It's also a matter of job opportunity. Americans will often go
wherever their jobs take them. This may include moving far away from extended family
and friends, and could mean making several different moves from city to city or state to
state. It's also common for Americans to live rather far from where they work, commuting
hours by car or train to their jobs. All of this is in keeping with a tendency toward
movement that many Americans demonstrate.
Lesson 2: Answer Key
Practice Exercise 1 1.spread, 2. begin, 3. runs, 4. bark, 5. sells, 6. takes, 7. taste, 8. shines, 9. expects, 10. want
Practice Exercise 2 1. doesn't ride, 2. don't pay, 3. don't do, 4. don't like, 5. don't care, 6. doesn't get, 7. doesn't get,
8. don't bloom, 9. doesn't get, 10. don't have
Practice Exercise 3 1. Does Harold like...?, 2. Does Carolyn understand...?, 3. Do mockingbirds sing...?, 4. Do you
catch... ?, 5. Do I write... ?, 6. Does Tina teach... ?, 7. Does Minnie hide... ?, 8, Do the
companies send... ?, 9.D0 the Smiths hear... ?, 10. Does Taka's party begin... ?
Review Exercise 1 1. strolled, 2. sips, 3. panoramic, 4. cuisine, 5. dazzling, 6. beckon, 7. accommodations, 8. strive,
9. world-class, 10. legendary, 11. spacious, 12. amidst, 13. terraced, 14. savor, 15. grottos,
16. luxurious, 17. nightlife, 18. appointed, 19. pampered, 20. amenities
Review Exercise 2 1. burst, 2. clings, 3. bend, 4. freeze, 5. quits, 6. sweeps,7. sticks, 8. rise
Review Exercise 3 1. don't forecast, 2. doesn't grind, 3. doesn't spin, 4. doesn't wind, 5. don't spread, 6. don't
mistake, 7. don't creep, 8. doesn't feed
Review Exercise 4 1. Do the leaves fall... ?, 2. Do Joe and Tom split... ?, 3. Does Mrs. Warren go... ?, 4. Is Jenna... ?,
5. Does this store have... ?, 6. Do Edwina's clothes hang... ?, 7. Does Jorge sometimes leave... ?,
8. Is this bank...?
Review Exercise 5 1. turns out, 2. turn off, 3. turn in, 4. turn in, 5. turn down, 6. turn around, 7. turn in, 8. turns up
Listen Up! 1.8:00 P.M., 2. The park is closed, 3. $104.85, 4, A five-day pass, 5. Olympia Road, 6. free
30. esso
on 3
Whhat Would
d You Likee To Do?
ARE YOU
Y READY FOR THE LESSO
ON?
If you''re interested in finding a job in the U.S, Lesso on 3, What Wou uld You Like To Do?,D can
help. This
T lesson will take you on a job interview and show you a sa ample resume. You'll also
learn some
s importantt vocabulary for jobs and job hu unting, and you''ll listen to a job hotline in
Listen
n Up! Here are a few more thing gs you will learn
n in Lesson 3:
• Ques
stions and Nega
atives in the Sim
mple Past Tense
e
• Habittual Action in th
he Past
• Polite
e Requests
• Phras
sal Verbs with work
w
• Idiom
ms for On the Jo
ob
We'll finish
f the lesson
n by discussing handshakes—ffor example, wh hen to offer a
handsshake and the proper
p handshakke technique. But let's begin the lesson by pra
acticing
pronunciation in Say It Clearly! Readdy?
3A SAY
Y IT CLEARL
LY!
Turn on
o your CD to practice some Ennglish reduction
ns, which are ch
hanges that you make to
sounds in natural spe
eech when they're combined. Reductions
R are an
a important parrt of
natura
al-sounding Engglish.
3B ENG
GLISH AT WO
ORK
DIALO
OGUE: Would You
Y Mind if I Lo
ooked at Your Resume?
Qing Zhang
Z was trainned as a computter programmerr in China, so sh he'd like a job in
n the same
field here in the U.S.AA. There's a lot ofo competition for
f computer proogramming positions, but
Qing iss well qualified. Let's listen to an
a interview betwween Qing and the Director of Human
Resou urces at a majorr telecommunica ations companyy.
Ms. Pe
eterson Helloo, Ms. Zhang. I'mm Maria Peterso on. Have a seat, please.
Qing Thannk you.
Ms. Pe
eterson Would you like sometthing to drink? Coffee? Tea? Water?...
W
Qing Yes, I'd like some water, please, tha ank you.
Ms. Pe
eterson Woulld you mind if I looked at your resume?
Qing Of co
ourse not. Here e it is.
Ms. Pe
eterson Well, now. I'd like too know a little biit more about your
y backgroun nd. How long
have you been here? ? Where did you u study? You do o have a green card,
c don't
you? Yes, here it is. I see it here on your resume. And
A what would d you like to
do he
ere at Collcom Communication
C ns?
Qing Um, I've been here e for about threee weeks... may ybe a little over three
weekks. I used to live
e in Massachus setts before I ca
ame here. I was there for a
year and
a a half, I thin nk. And yes, I do have a green card. I studied
31. 22 FLUENT ENGLISH
computer programming at Beijing University. And I would like to be a
computer programmer here at Collcom. Collcom is world famous, and I
hear you treat your employees very well. So I'd really like to work for
such a famous and wonderful company.
Ms. Peterson Yes, I see you worked at Pellcorp in Massachusetts... very
impressive. Your resume looks great, too. You really are well
qualified. We need someone to start right away. How soon would you
be able to start?
Qing I could start next week, or maybe sooner. I'd just like a few more
days to get a little more settled in my apartment before I start work.
But I'm flexible.
Ms. Peterson All right, Qing. That sounds great. Well, I'll be in touch within the
next couple of days.
Quing Thank you, and it was nice meeting you.
Now take a look at Qing's resume on the next page.
3C BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY
Background. Education and work experience. Can also mean family, ethnicity,
religion, etc. The applicant's background was in education; she'd always worked as a
teacher.
Candidate. An applicant for a job or position. There are nine candidates for the office
clerk position.
Deadline. The date when something is due or must be finished and turned in. Daniel
Dean had only one more week to meet his deadline and turn his manuscript in to the
publisher.
Detail oriented. Capable of paying careful attention to details. Many positions require
that candidates be detail oriented.
Document. To keep evidence or a written record, such as photocopies, notes, e-
mail, etc. Helen documented every instance of lateness or poor performance by
her staff.
Entrepreneurial spirit. Enthusiasm for business, especially one's own new business.
Linda has great entrepreneurial spirit; she opened her own business and has had a
great deal of success.
Headhunter. An employment scout. A person who matches jobs with applicants.
Debbie was a skilled computer technician, so she went to a headhunter to find a
better-paying job.
Inception. The beginning or start. This company has had only the finest employees
since its inception.
Interface. To communicate directly, to meet and interact. One of your responsibilities is
to interface with other employees in the company.
K. One thousand dollars. The starting salary for this position is 55K.
Liaison. A person who establishes and maintains communication, a link. The
U.S. Secretary of State acts as a liaison between the President and other
governments.
32. Lesson 3: What Would You Like To Do? 23
Qing Zhang
2506 Brighton Manor Road
San Diego, California 92106
(619) 556-2030
q_zhang@xpres.com
OBJECTIVE
Position as computer programmer in a busy, productive office.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Experienced working in demanding office environment with heavy phone traffic
• Proficient in Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Basic, Power Builder, Visual C++/MFC
• Some experience in Java Script, J Script, VB Script, HTML/XML/SGML
• Bilingual Mandarin Chinese (native) and English (fluent)
• Strong research skills
• Detail oriented
EXPERIENCE
• July 2002 - February 2005
• Pellcorp International, World Center for Communications,
• Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
• Computer Programming Assistant—Compiled code into
• programs, corrected errors detected in compiling process.
• October 2000 - May 2002
• Internationa] Student Services, Beijing Institute of Technology,
• Beijing, China
• Office Assistant—Prepared documents for mailing, answered
• phones, provided information to students, filed documents
• and student files, made photocopies.

June 1998 - August 2000

English Language Institute, Beijing, China

Test Administrator—Gave tests to English as a Second Language students and assessed level, answered
phones, performed administrative functions and assisted teachers in office.
EDUCATION
• September 1998 - June 2002 Beijng Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Programming
REFERENCES Available upon Request
33. 24 FLUENT ENGLISH
Multitasking. Working on several projects at the same time, usually of different
natures. Brad is great at multitasking, often doing filing, answering the phone, and
scheduling appointments for his boss at the same time.
Pending. Waiting, something not yet decided Jordan has a lot of pending projects;
he doesn't know if they'll be approved or not.
Perseverance. The ability to persist in an undertaking. Even though Natalie isn't the
least bit interested in Jack, his perseverance is amazing. He never gives up!
Prioritize. To organize or accomplish according to importance, to be able to do
projects in order of importance. Sometimes it helps a person's stress level if he or she
prioritizes everything that needs to be done and sets aside what is less important.
Proficient. Thoroughly capable in a skill. Do you feel proficient in Spanish yet, or are
you still learning?
Prospective. Potential or expected in the future. I'd like you to meet my prospective
assistant. I'd like to know what you think of him before I decide to hire him.
Recruit. A new comer to an organization. Someone persuaded or convinced to join
an organization. The army is always looking for new recruits.
Team player. Someone who works well with others. Most companies like to hire
team players because they know that these individuals will promote a good working
environment for everyone.
Work ethic. Responsible moral philosophy or code of conduct at work. Elbert was
fired because he didn't have a good work ethic. He always got to work late, and he
didn't take his duties seriously.
3D ENGLISH UNDER THE HOOD
TOPIC 1: Questions and Negatives in The Simple Past Tense
You reviewed the formation and use of the simple past tense in Lesson 1, where you compared it to
the present perfect tense. Now let's take a closer look at questions and negatives in the simple past
tense. Just like questions and negatives in the simple present tense, questions and negatives in the
past tense require a helping verb: did instead of do or does. Let's start with questions. Questions in
the simple past tense use did, following the same pattern as questions in the simple present tense,
did + main verb in base form + rest of sentence.
John writes well. Does John write well?
John wrote well. Did John write well?
Notice that both writes and wrote become write, the basic form of the verb, in questions. It's up to
does or did to show you whether the question is in the present or past tense.
Greg sailed to Block Island. Did, Greg sail to Block Island?
Federica went to work by train. Did Federica go to work by train ?
They saw a great movie. Did they see a great movie?
34. Lesson 3: What Would You Like To Do? 25
To form a negative in the simple past tense, use the auxiliary verb did before the
main verb, and insert not between the two verbs. The pattern is: subject + did +
not (didn't) + main verb. Again, remember that the main verb is not in the past
tense, but reverts to its root or basic form just as in questions.
She talked to him. She did not talk to him.
I went to the store. I didn't go to the store.
Kenneth bought a new car. Kenneth didn't buy a new car.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1: Change the following statements into questions.
1. Paul studied in the library all last night.
2. Yuri had a beer with his meal.
3. Marilyn left her books at home.
4. Joe and Rich ran a mile and a half to the park.
5. The Jones family lived in Kentucky before moving to Arkansas.
Now make the following sentences negative.
6. We all visited Mother in the hospital last week.
7. They gave me their phone numbers.
8. Tomas withdrew his name from the contest.
9. The phone rang all day long.
10. A bee stung me after the ball game.
TOPIC 2: The Past Habitual: Used to, Didn't Use to and Would Always
Used to expresses something about the past that is no longer true, but was once a
habit or a regular, repeated action or activity. In this case, the verb use does not
mean the same as employ, but rather has a special meaning in the construction
used to.
I used to believe in ghosts when I was a kid.
Sandy used to jog along the river every morning.
I used to smoke cigarettes, but I quit three years ago.
The negative of used to follows the same rules as any negative past verb. The
auxiliary did comes after the subject and before the main verb and not is inserted
between did and the main verb (use). Use, the main verb, will be in the root form.
The formula is: subject + did (didn't) + not + use to + verb.
/ didn't use to live in L A. I moved when I was in my twenties.
He didn't use to drink coffee, but now he does all the time.
Questions with used to are formed in a similar way. Just put the auxiliary verb did
in the first position, then the subject, then the basic verb use, and finally the rest of
the sentence.
Did you use to live in LA. before you moved to Buffalo?
Did he use to drink so much coffee?
35. 26 FLUENT ENGLISH
Another way to express the past habitual is to use would (always) plus the verb. This
construction means the same thing as used to, but it can only be used to express a
repeated action, and not a specific situation or condition in the past.
/ would always sleep with the light on when I was a kid. (Because I used to be afraid of
the dark.)
She would go to Prospect Park every day when she lived in Brooklyn. (Because she used
to live so close.)
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of used to or
didn't use to plus the verb given.
1. (live) I ________ with my aunt.
2. (call) Marilyn _________ her boyfriend on the phone.
3. (live)Tamara _________ with her boyfriend, but now she does.
4. (be) Local elections _________ so boring, but now they're so boring that few
people vote.
5. (be) The radio _________ as important as the television is today.
6. (have) A long time ago, people ________ as much free time as they have today.
Now let's try using would (always.)
7. (lie) When Candy was a child, she _________ in the grass and watch the clouds.
8. (ask) I_________ for a doll for every birthday until I was about thirteen.
9. (pick up) When Jacobo was in high school, he __________his friends and drive them
to school.
10. (eat) The Richardson children _________ cereal in front of the TV after school.
TOPIC 3: Making Polite Requests
Would is also used to make polite requests. Here are a few examples:
Would you get me a cup of coffee, please?
Would you please stop by my office at three tomorrow?
Of course, the simple command form in English is: Get me a cup of coffee or Stop by
my office at three tomorrow. But this can sound a bit abrupt or even rude to American
ears, so it's common to soften commands by using a polite request construction.
You can also make polite requests using could or can. These all have the same
meaning, but would is the most polite. Could and can imply more familiarity than
would. Finally, you can form polite requests with would you mind + verb + -ing, which
is also a less formal construction.
Could you get me a cup of coffee, please?
Can you pass me the salt and pepper?
Would you mind getting me a juice glass from the cupboard?
There's another common polite expression with would you mind that asks permission
rather than makes a request.
Would you mind if I came with you?
36. Lesson 3: What Would You Like To Do? 27
Would you mind if Brian borrowed your car?
Notice that the verb in the if clause is in the past tense: came and borrowed.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 3: Complete each of the following sentences
with the correct form of the verb given in parentheses.
1. Would you mind (shut) _______ the door?
2. Would you mind if I (close) ______ the window?
3. Could you (get) ______ me an aspirin?
4. Would you mind if I (take) ______ your dictionary for a moment?
5. Would you mind if I (drive) ______ your new car?
6. Would you mind (let) _______ me sit in on the class this afternoon?
7. Can you (fix) ______ me some tea?
8. Could you (take) ______ me to the doctor's office on Tuesday?
9. Would you mind (make) ______ dinner for us?
10. Would you (get) ______ me some bananas, please?
3E PHRASAL VERBS WITH WORK;
Work around.
To be flexible. To make adjustments to someone's schedule or needs. Karen,
don't worry about your kids. We can work around your schedule so that you'll be
home when they leave school.
Work at.
To put a lot of effort into something. To pay attention. The only reason I speak
French so well is that I work at it. It doesn't just come naturally.
Work for.
a) To put effort into achieving something. In the present day economy you really
have to work for the job you want, because it doesn't just come to you.
b) To be employed by a person or company. What company do you work for?
Work in.
a) To fit into a schedule, especially a busy schedule. Yes, Mr. Schmitz, it looks like we can
work you in at 1:30 today for an appointment.
b) To blend into or add gradually, especially using your hands. After you make the dough
you have to work in the other ingredients until everything is blended.
c) To add or introduce, especially a topic in a conversation. / wanted to talk about the
money Dan owed me, but I couldn't work it into the conversation.
Work on.
To focus on something, to do something attentively. He just may be up
all night working on this report.
Work out.
a) To work to resolve a problem, especially in cooperation with someone else. Ray
and Jolene are seeing a marriage counselor to try to work out their marital
problems.