Tag: fill in the gaps

HIGHER EDUCATION – Listening activity

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This video is hilarious but at the same time, it reveals a view of our times that I find realistic. It is about the amount of money people spend in order to get an education. They feel it is essential because “What kind of job can you get without a proper education, without a degree?”. 

It is true, in most cases, you will end up unemployed, with a loan to pay out and frustrated. But then, it is up to you. If you are a creative and brilliant person, you will find a way to make a use of the knowledge you acquired, the education you paid for. You cannot find everything on the Internet. I believe the Internet is like an ocean of information, if you do not know how to swim, if you do not know how to row, you will not go far, you will drown.

Higher education gives you a kind of awareness, it gives you the oars which are vital when you know how to use them. At university you learn critical thinking, you have the possibility to meet like-minded people. Chances are, you will also meet teachers that will not be able to arouse your curiosity, arrogant and with narrow minds, or not able to do their jobs. But if you are lucky, you will meet teachers able to guide you. When you become acquainted with these wise individuals, then it will be worth it and it will change your life.

I agree with this man regarding the amount of money we have to pay in order to get an education which I find excessive too. Education should be free, or at least accessible to those deserving it, those willing to commit to studying hard in order to expand their views, to increase their possibilities. 

Then, there is nothing wrong in deciding not to carry on studying after high school, practical jobs are not useless, quite the contrary. We should have the possibility to decide what is the best option for us, depending on our skills, strengths and aims in life.

If you work hard, you like your job and you find it rewarding, you are lucky, not to be judged because you do not have a degree. Being smart has nothing to do with a certificate, with a piece of paper. 

I suggest that you read the vocabulary list before watching the video. 

HIGHER EDUCATION

VOCABULARY

To declare: to say or state (something) in an official or public way.

Innate: a quality you were born with, not one you have learned.

Dependent: decided or controlled by something else — + on or upon.

To achieve: to succeed in finishing something or reaching an aim, especially after a lot of work or effort.

Tuition: the act of teaching something, especially to one person or to people in small groups.

Loan: an amount of money that is given to someone for a period of time with a promise that it will be paid back.

To afford: to be able to buy or do something because you have enough money or time.

Purveyor: a person or business that sells or provides something.

Wisdom: knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life.

Elder: used to refer to the older of two people (such as a father and son) who have the same name; a person who has authority because of age and experience.

Sage: someone, especially an old man, who is very wise.

To set apart: (phrasal verb, separable) to be a quality that makes (someone or something) better than or different from other people or things — usually + from.

Buggy: a light carriage pulled by a horse. buggy-2027141_1280.png

Hire: to employ someone; to give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary.

Entrepreneur: someone who starts a new business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.

To let go:  to make someone leave their job.

To lack: to not have something that you need, or not have enough of it.

Prospects: chances of future success.

Interactive fill in the gaps exercise:

https://www.onlineexambuilder.com/verb-tenses-fill-in-the-gaps-exercise/exam-166046

Downloadable PDF (with answers): HIGHER EDUCATION – fill in the gaps exercise

Listening activity: “Michigan Resident Helps Syrian Refugees Settle In” – AJ+ video

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Michigan Resident Helps Syrian Refugees Settle In - AJ+ Video - Vocabulary List - Listening Activity - Free English Materials For You - femfy(1)

Other words you may not know:

  • Item: an individual thing.
    Ex. An item of clothing.
    An item of furniture.
  • To resettle: to begin to live in a new area after leaving an old one; to settle again.
    Ex. The only way to resettle a Mexican family here is by granting them political asylum.

Watch the video, then try to fill in the gaps in the following sentences:

  1. We give them as much ______________ as we can that they need, depending on how many people are in the house.
  2. We give them ______________, and stoves if they are needed.
  3. We’d been  able to work with these _________________.
  4. They come ___________ to our houses, meet our parents, meet our kids.
  5. They feel that they have a sense of family _____________ because most of these families have been _________________.

Downloadable PDF file: Michigan Resident Helps Syrian Refugees Settle In – Listening Activity

Downloadable PDF file: Michigan Resident Helps Syrian Refugees Settle In – Listening Activity – answers

 

English4Gamers -Episode 7 – Prince of Persia part 2

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The 7th episode of English4Gamers is out. In this episode, Richard and I are struggling a bit. It’s the second level of Prince of Persia, a famous but difficult retro game. It’s not the first episode based on this game, but there are some new words you can learn. I suggest that you read the vocabulary list below before watching the video. There is a fill in the gaps activity that you can try to do afterwards. You can find the answers in the PDF file.

VOCABULARY

TO LEAD = to take someone somewhere, by going with them.
Ex. She led us to the door.

TO ADVANCE = the act or process of moving forward.
Ex. Our plans are to advance toward the city.

TO PARRY = to defend yourself by turning or pushing aside.
Ex.  The big man turned, parried, easily deflecting the swords with his broadsword.

TO SLASH = Cut with a wide, sweeping movement, typically using a knife or a sword.
Ex. The first time I told Madi that I was dating, she slashed my tires.

TO BACK OFF = to move backwards in order to get further away from something.
Ex. Okay, you’re going to have to back off a half step.

SPIKES = Spikes_meaning

TO DEFEAT = to do better than another in a competition or battle; to win; to beat.
Ex. Together we might be able to defeat the witch.

SWORDSMAN = swordsman

ASHAMED = feeling shame or guilt; feeling embarrassed.
Ex. I’m not ashamed to be a servant.

TO PICK UP = to lift (someone or something) from the ground or a low surface.
Ex. You must have picked up his jacket by mistake.

Downloadable PDF version: ENGLISH FOR GAMERS – Episode 7 – Prince Of Persia – Vocabulary


Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the correct words from the box:

Box - words (1)

  1. Richard: We killed the _______________________.
  2. Anna: We have to _______________ the prince out of these _________________________ into the tower where the princess in locked. Because Jaffar _________________________ her.
  3. Richard: With SHIFT you __________________.
  4. Richard: I have one life ___________________.
  5. Anna: There are the spikes and there is the jar with the ________________.
  6. Richard: Maybe there are these ______________ on the ________________ that you can break, I’m not sure.
  7. Richard: Such a small jump and you ______________ your legs.
  8. Richard: It was ___________________.
  9. Anna: ___________________ the opponent, the swordsman!
  10. Anna: Slash! Slash! And then back ____________.
  11. Richard: You have to ________________ when he attacks you, not like … You can’t keep pressing the button. When he attacks, you press it and you ________________________ yourself.
  12. Richard: You are really ________________ at this game, but you have like half ____________ so …
  13. Anna: We have _____________ minutes to save the princess. I don’t think we will do that.
  14. Anna: You can’t change the ______________________.
  15. Anna: Just keep _________________ what you are doing.

Downloadable PDF version (without answers): English4Gamers – Episode 7 – Prince of Persia part 2 – Fill in the gaps exercise

Downloadable PDF version (answers): English4Gamers – Episode 7 – Prince of Persia part 2 – Answers

 

Helena Christensen & Portrait Photographer Mary Ellen Mark Capture™ – Episode 7 LISTENING ACTIVITY

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I suggest that you read the vocabulary list below before watching the video.

VOCABULARY

 

Hitch – hiking: to get a ride in a passing vehicle by holding out your arm with your thumb up as you stand on the side of the road.hitchhiking.gif


Scope: the area or amount covered, reached, or viewed.
Ex. Romance questions are beyond the scope of the language forum.

Standstill: a condition in which all movement or activity has stopped.
Ex. This is an emergency, but the negotiations are at a virtual standstill.

Creepy:   strange or scary : causing people to feel nervous and afraid.
Ex. This is the creepy stalker woman from the surveillance video.

 To broom: to sweep the floor with a broom.

to broom meaning.jpg

To kick in: to start to have an effect or to happen.
Ex. The effects of the tranquilizer should begin to kick in within a few minutes.

Harsh: cruel or unkind.
Ex. She was quite harsh with the kids. She should be nicer to them.

Guarded: very careful about giving information, showing feelings, etc.

Vocal: expressing opinions and complaints in a public and forceful way.
Ex. Residents became vocal in their opposition to the plan.

To blow up: to make a photographic enlargement of.

Dull: boring, not exciting or interesting.

To tear up: to damage, remove, or effect an opening in.

Mind-blowing: extremely exciting or surprising.
Ex. The special effects in this film are pretty mind-blowing.

Goosebumps: small bumps on your skin that are caused by cold, fear, or a sudden feeling of excitement.

Downloadable PDF file: Helena Christensen & Portrait Photographer Mary Ellen Mark Capture™ Ep. 7 – VOCABULARY

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences:

  1. Helena Christensen: I ____________________ around the world when I was about 18-19 years old and I think my interest and passion for photography probably started on that trip. And then almost immediately that trip ended my _______________ _________________ started and so then I got to see the world.
  2. Voice-over: I’ve had the rare opportunity to meet many amazing photographers who moved through the different _________________ to create powerful images.
  3. Mark Seliger: I’m here with Mary Ellen Mark photojournalist and portrait photographer ___________ work has changed, I think, the _________ of modern photography.
  4. Mark Seliger: It was very ________________ to me because there was photojournalism but there was also this very ____________ and creative way that images were presented.
  5. Mary Ellen Mark: Magazines were like ______________ for me, they gave me this amazing opportunity to do my own work.
  6. Helena Christensen: When I’m behind the camera I seem to stop breathing because I get so ______________ by the moment. It’s almost like everything just came to a standstill.
  7. Mary Ellen Mark: The guy that ran the ______________ … We called him doctor death.
  8. Helena Christensen: You know what is strange about this photo? I don’t even know where I took it and the negative was ______________ together with a piece of paper so when I _______ it ____________ obviously all that white stuff which looks like ice on a window […].
  9. Helena Christensen: We don’t live in these areas so we are not ______________ the same ways. When you are in it, you feel it in a way that’s inexplicable.
  10. Helena Christensen: And it was one of those moments when you are like … your adrenaline … just … you know … __________ ________, because you’re like … oh, this is one of those.
  11. HelenaChristensen: It’s very harsh as Mary Ellen was saying. People are very ______________, more and more.
  12. Helena Christensen: That’s kind of what I feel you do with your portraits. You get the ___________ essence of these people no matter of how they are dressed up, no matter how they’re made up. You go right through to the _____________ of them.
  13. Mary Ellen Mark: When you are working with an actor you have to __________ control.
  14. Mary Ellen Mark: I think I have so much stronger pictures. For some reason, that picture became an ____________ picture.
  15. Helena Christensen: It’s very important and I feel with contact sheets which we are now losing because no one ever get contact sheets back anymore and sits with 24 or 26 images. But now that I _______ __ _____ at my old contact sheets, I see something completely different in some of the photographs that I would have never even … you know … been the least excited about maybe fifteen years ago …I’m now … Why didn’t I __________ this up?!?
  16. Mary Ellen Mark: Right when I was taking that picture the ____________ of the high school walked in … I thought he was gonna like throw me out … But he didn’t.

Downloadable PDF file (without answers):Helena Christensen & Portrait Photographer Mary Ellen Mark Capture™ – Episode 7 FILL IN THE GAPS

Downloadable PDF file (ANSWERS):Helena Christensen & Portrait Photographer Mary Ellen Mark Capture™ – Episode 7 ANSWERS

Listening activity – English4Gamers

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Watch the first episode of English for gamers and fill in the gaps with the missing words

  1. A: You are the good gamer […] you __________________.
  2. A: He ____________________ . I _____________ like ten times.
  3. R: I didn’t get the ____________ score. That’s ________.
  4. A: So, this is a _________ of cake.
  5. R: With the flower you can _________________ fire.
  6. R: You have ____________  the second controller.
  7. R: Can you say it? Restart? That ____________  like Richard.
  8. R: You are too ____________ you can’t break it _____________ now.
  9. A: I _____________  my ________________. […] I would like you _____________ me when there is a mushroom somewhere maybe.
  10. R: Time is running ___________.
  11. A: These creatures are blue. What’s the __________________?
  12. R: There is no light so it’s all in ___________________.
  13. R: On the sides of the ______________ the game doesn’t exist. So if you go ____________________, you can’t go back.
  14. R: How do you say it? The ______________ on the back of the turtles?
  15. A: You _______________________  fun of me.
  16. A: Okay guys, __________ _____ it for today. So … See you next week!

Downloadable PDF file: Episode 1 – English4Gamers – Fill in the gaps

Answers: Episode 1 – English4Gamers – Fill in the gaps – Answers

A brief history of video games (part 1) – Safwat Saleem – video + fill in the gaps exercise

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VOCABULARY

  • Interface: a system that is used for operating a computer.

  • To spread: to become known by many people.
    Ex. The news spread quickly.

  • Patent: an official document that gives a person or computer the right to be the only one that makes or sells a product for a certain period of time.

  • Mouthful (US): something said that has a lot of meaning or importance.

  • To wonder: to want to know something or to try to understand the reason for something.
    Ex. I wonder if she’ll call him.

  • Release: the act of making something available to the public.
    Ex. The release of her article for publication is scheduled for tomorrow.

  • Hit: success
    Ex. The song is a hit.

  • To heat up: to increase or become more active or intense.

  • To feature: to include someone or something as an important part.
    Ex. I consider the measures featured in the report to be insufficient.

  • To kick off: to begin, to get started.
    Ex. The game kicks off at 2:00.

  • Milestone: an important event in the development or history of something or in someone’s life.
    Ex. Your poem will be a milestone in the literature of your Country.

  • Damsel in distress (old-fashioned): a young woman who is not married and needs to be rescued.

  • Sales: the number of items sold.

  • Merely: only, just.
    Ex. It was merely a suggestion.

Downloadable PDF file: A brief history of videogames (part 1) – Vocabulary

Here you can watch this video with subtitles: Ted Ed

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the correct form of the words from the vocabulary list written above:

  1. In 1972, Bear’s idea to get video games out of the science lab and into the living room led to the _____________ of a game console called Odyssey.

  2. A video game is an electronic game that has an ______________ designed for human interaction on a video device.

  3. Space Invaders also helped ____________ what is known as the Golden Age of Arcade Games.

  4. In fact, the earliest U.S. video game ______________ on record was in 1948, and at the time it was referred to as a cathode-ray tube amusement device. That’s a ______________ !

  5. This all changed when a man named Ralph Baer looked at his television screen and ______________ how else it might be used.

  6. By 1978, competition between Atari and another game company called Midway was _______________.

  7. While arcade games continued to decline in ________________ over the years, the popularity of video games was ________________ beginning […].

  8. By 1980, color came to arcade games, and this was also the year that another video gaming _________________ was born.

  9. It was an immediate ___________________ and it’s credited as the first commercially successful video game.

  10. Video games are used by scientists, the military, and people like you, and their evolution has ________________ across arcades, consoles, computers, smartphones, and all kind of other electronics.

  11. It was released in 1987 and, like Donkey Kong, it ___________________ a _______________________ storyline, a storyline common in many video games.

Downloadable PDF file: A brief history of videogames (part 1) – Fill in the gaps exercise with answers

Answers: 

1) Release; 2) interface; 3) kick off; 4) patent; mouthful; 5) wondered; 6) heating up; 7) sales; merely; 8) milestone; 9) hit; 10) spread; 11) featured; damsel in distress.

 

SIMPLE PRESENT OR PRESENT PROGRESSIVE?

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Simple present or present progressive?

Answers

Taken from Alexander, L. G. (1998), Longman English Grammar Practice for intermediate students, Harlow, Longman

UNTIL, BY, or BY THE TIME? What’s the difference?

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UNTIL._BY,_BY_THE_TIME

A video made by EngVid about this topic (for intermediate students):

If you think you master this topic try to fill in the gaps in these sentences:

qUIZ_8-05Tomorrow the answers will be available on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-English-materials/887420337968020 . (Album Quizzes’ answers)