Verbs page 6
1)went
2)to get to/getting to
3)had just driven
4)to keep (remind + infinitive)
5)caught on (to catch on = to understand a situation/realise/become familiar with). E.g. At first I didn’t catch on that my friend was only joking and I was a bit offended!
6)was sitting/was sat
7)couldn’t get over (to get over = to recover from e.g. illness, shock, surprise)
8)think about
9)were brought up (to bring sb up = to educate/look after)
10)have been driving/have driven
11)coping (to be used to + verb ing or noun)
12)can’t/won’t/shouldn’t be
13)going (to be up to + verb ing = to be capable of doing something e.g. do you think he is up to managing a large team?)
14)not hiring
15)should have left
16)to make
17)already had
18)did I eventually reach
19)to do
20)running out of
Page 7
1)I’ll ever go
2)to understand
3)to talk
4)to munch
5)are playing/play
6)was/would be/would have been
7)to introduce
8)pointed out
9)putting Raymond off
10)went up to
11)would go out
12)put
13)kept
14)talking
15)was playing/played
16)making/to make
17)to show
18)should/ought to get
19)to leave
20)have never felt
Page 8
1)woke up
2)had come to
3)was called
4)to be haunted
5)made up
6)will let
7)set off
8)will eat
9)get to
10)could make out
11)standing out
12)to take out
13)sounded like
14)shouting
15)dressed in
16)would/could/might find
17)looking for
18)got to
19)ran into
20)saying about
Page 10
1)are still trying
2)had been/were stolen from
3)might/could be
4)are thought
5)to have been taken
6)went
7)to check
8)was
9)was woken up
10)must have come
11)had already gone
12)immediately went down
13)to find out
14)was going on
15)were gone
16)getting
17)will/would probably end up
18)to move horses around
19)noticing
20)to look in on/around for
Page 12
1)to have gone up
2)is expected
3)have been complaining about
4)to be done
5)suggested
6)should/could/might put down
7)to deal with
8)came up
9)has been
10)came in
11)be said
12)cutting off
13)fill with
14)using
15)laying
16)to carry out
17)would be
18)comes up with
19)will just carry on
20)to put up with
Page 13
1)to walk
2)was staying
3)waiting for her
4)had never met
5)seeing
6)went up to = approached
7)held
8)have been looking forward to
9)meeting
10)shook
11)came out
12)couldn’t/can’t have already read
13)picked it up
14)couldn’t put it down
15)might/could/should go
16)would be
17)being disturbed
18)no sooner had they sat down
19)coming
20)heading for = going in a direction
Page 14
1)having
2)to clean up
9)to make
10)feel
4)helping
5)to get
6)lying down
7)hadn’t asked
8)to spend
11)could see
12)coming
13)will/must have fed
14)are they
15)won’t/shouldn’t be
16)to set off
17)will/am going to call
18)to find out
19)carry on
20)are all invited
Page 15
1)using
2)had just inserted
3)was about
4)came up to
5)to do
6)had she said
7)to be out of
8)might/must
9)’d check
10)to be found
11)realised
12)had been tricked
13)have been/am
14)gave up
15)couldn’t keep up with
16)was given
17)to fill in
18)was shocked
19)had withdrawn
20)will I do
Page 16
1)was murdered
2)looked into
3)have been found
4)called on
5)may have
6)to contact
7)speaking
8)were doing/had been doing
9)to run out of
10)to have left
11)makes/will make/is going to make
12)had been
13)had been respected
14)should be given
15)is/was involved
16)hadn’t gone out
17)has been missing
18)investigating
19)are currently looking around/out
20)won’t get out of/away with
Verbs page 17
1)was left/had been left
2)to spread the money out/around
3)referred to
4)got by
5)always broke down
6)went round/over
7)had bought
8)was really looking forward
9)to seeing
10)was clearly taken
11)were
12)bumped into
13)making
14)to speak
15)found out
16)Had complained/complained
17)not having
18)could/should/might
19)do
20)will be punished
Monday, 17 May 2010
Translation: mobile phones
We don’t find it at all strange, nowadays, if we see someone talking to “nobody” whilst walking, whereas ten years ago, we would have thought that person was mad. Of course/naturally, we know that they are on the telephone, even if they are not holding anything. Now that we are used to mobile phones, we have also become much more tolerant of phones that ring at the cinema, restaurant and during a meeting. In the early 90s, there weren’t many mobiles. Now however, those who don’t have one are considered the exception. For/in the case of young people, above all/in particular, life without a mobile is absolutely inconceivable. We have certainly gained a lot in terms of/regarding the comfort and flexibility in organising our daily lives, but could we have lost something? Maybe the capacity not to worry about whoever is not with us: a child on holiday with their friends, for example.
Monday, 10 May 2010
Translation:Immigration
Leaving your (one’s) own country and deciding to go and live in a different country, where the language, the customs and even the money (currency) is different from your (one’s) own, is hardly ever a free choice. In most cases, (the) foreigners (who are) in Italy have come to find work (a job). There are others, however (instead/on the other hand), who have had to flee (run away from) their country/countries (homeland) because of war or poverty. In Italy there are 191 different races (ethnic groups). There is no other European country (no other country exists) where so many people of different races (ethnic groups) live (are living) together. This makes Italy/our country a special place. Most of the foreigners who come to our country find a job (work) without much difficulty (many problems). Many (of them) work in the agricultural (farming) sector. Many other foreign citizens work in the catering sector (trade), many in the building sector (industry), and others devote their time (themselves) to helping the elderly (old people/the old) or take care of (look after) the homes and children.
Translation: The Public Telephone
The public telephone (payphone) is a species threatened with extinction (an endangered species). There are fewer and fewer on the streets and many of those that have survived only work with a prepaid card (perhaps because it costs too much to send someone to collect the coins). Should we be sorry about their disappearance? We can say that those who own a mobile/cell phone no longer need a landline in public places. Indeed/in fact, hardly anyone would stay outside in the cold when they can sit comfortably in a bar, have a drink and contact friends and relatives by pressing just one button/a single button without even having to remember the number. The United Kingdom, though, has a particular reason to regret the loss of the public telephone. For nearly/almost a century, the traditional red phone box has been part of the country’s image, along with the red buses and black taxis, icons that are now gradually being replaced by more modern models.
Translation: TV Technology
Few people today are able to imagine a world/life without T.V. What do you do, then, if there is only one television set at home and someone wants to watch a film, while someone else has “booked” a football match? In the past you would have argued or recorded the programme on video, but of course in that case you could only see it after, and who would want to miss out on all the fun of watching the live match? Maybe a solution has already been found: a new type of screen that shows a different picture depending on the position (right or left) from which you are watching. It is not known when this new technology, developed in Japan, will be available for all, but it’s use in cars has already been thought about. The driver follows the navigation system whilst the passenger relaxes with a film.
Modals
Modal Verbs
Present & Future
Must = ‘internal’ obligation
Have to/don’t have to = ‘external’ obligation
No obligation e.g. you don’t have to insure your car for theft.
Need to/needn’t or don’t need to = weaker obligation
Must not = negative obligation e.g. you mustn’t speak to your father like that!
Should/ought to = advice, duty
Past Modals
Should / shouldn’t have + PP
= (1)criticize past actions
e.g. you should have bought the milk!
= (2)to talk about events that you expect/were supposed to happen.
e.g. I should have done a test today, but I was ill.
Must/ mustn’t have + PP = very strong deduction/possibility e.g. She mustn’t have passed the exam, she is upset.
Had to = past obligation
e.g. I had to pay lots of tax last year.(external obligation)
We had to wash the car, it was very dirty.(internal obligation)
Will have to = future obligation
Couldn’t or wasn’t/weren’t allowed = past prohibition
e.g. I couldn’t use my ID card for travelling.
Needn’t have + PP = action completed, but wasn’t necessary e.g. I needn’t have hurried because the lesson started late.
Didn’t need to + inf = action (performed or not) wasn’t necessary
e.g. I didn’t need to hurry because I was early.
Can, could, be able to = ability
Past (positive): could = general ability e.g. I could never understand my teacher when she spoke.
Was/were able = specific instances of ability e.g. I was able to finish the race.
Past (negative): wasn’t/weren’t able to/couldn’t, have same meaning.
Present & Future
Must = ‘internal’ obligation
Have to/don’t have to = ‘external’ obligation
No obligation e.g. you don’t have to insure your car for theft.
Need to/needn’t or don’t need to = weaker obligation
Must not = negative obligation e.g. you mustn’t speak to your father like that!
Should/ought to = advice, duty
Past Modals
Should / shouldn’t have + PP
= (1)criticize past actions
e.g. you should have bought the milk!
= (2)to talk about events that you expect/were supposed to happen.
e.g. I should have done a test today, but I was ill.
Must/ mustn’t have + PP = very strong deduction/possibility e.g. She mustn’t have passed the exam, she is upset.
Had to = past obligation
e.g. I had to pay lots of tax last year.(external obligation)
We had to wash the car, it was very dirty.(internal obligation)
Will have to = future obligation
Couldn’t or wasn’t/weren’t allowed = past prohibition
e.g. I couldn’t use my ID card for travelling.
Needn’t have + PP = action completed, but wasn’t necessary e.g. I needn’t have hurried because the lesson started late.
Didn’t need to + inf = action (performed or not) wasn’t necessary
e.g. I didn’t need to hurry because I was early.
Can, could, be able to = ability
Past (positive): could = general ability e.g. I could never understand my teacher when she spoke.
Was/were able = specific instances of ability e.g. I was able to finish the race.
Past (negative): wasn’t/weren’t able to/couldn’t, have same meaning.
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