General English for University Students

3. To express annoyance at repeated actions

Usually the present simple is used for repeated actions. For example: He always gets up before 7 o'clock. But the present continuous is the correct choice when the speaker wants to express annoyance at a repeated action.
Note how often the word "always" is used in such statements.

• You are always interrupting me when I'm talking and I don't like it!
• She's always tapping her pencil on the desk and it's getting on my nerves!
• My ESL teacher's always giving detentions; how can anyone be so mean?
• I'm getting tired of you always coming late to class.
• Why is it always raining in Germany?
• Why are you always criticizing me?

F-1) Exercise

I. Put the verb in brackets in the correct form to make different forms of the present continuous tense:

1. John (read) a book now.
   → John is reading a book now.
2. What (you do) tonight?
   → What are you doing tonight?
3. Jack and Peter (work) late today.
   → Jack and Peter are working late today.
4. Silvia (not listen) to music.
   → Silvia is not listening to music.
5. Maria (sit) next to Paul.
   → Maria is sitting next to Paul.
6. How many other students (you study) with?
   → How many other students are you studying with?
7. The phone (not ring).
   → The phone is not ringing.

C) Comprehension Test – Continued

I. Read the following statements and check True or False:

• 2. When Majid went abroad, his English was good.
  Answer: False
• 3. Majid felt homesick in the foreign country.
  Answer: True
• 4. He went to the restaurant with a friend.
  Answer: False
• 5. He enjoyed the food.
  Answer: True

II) Check (✓) your answers to the following questions:

• 1. How much English do you know?
  ✓ not bad
• 2. What things about visiting another country is the most amazing for you?
  ✓ different people
  ✓ different customs

III) Summary Completion

Visiting a foreign country can be wonderful since one learns about different kinds of food and things. When Majid went abroad to continue his studies, he had many problems. After two months that he felt almost well, he tested himself by going to a restaurant alone. The menu was completely strange. After he tried an unusual delicious food, he realized it was turtle soup. It takes a long time to learn everything about a new culture.

D) Vocabulary (New Context)

Words: culture(s), customs, wonderful, upset, strange, abroad, anxious

1. She was upset that he had left without saying goodbye.
2. Becoming a father was the most wonderful experience of his life.
3. Smoking a peace pipe at ceremonies is a common American custom.
4. The international conference aims to bring together people from many different cultures.
5. They found it difficult to get used to living abroad.
6. She usually wears jeans. It's really strange to see her in a skirt.
7. Parents are naturally anxious for their children.

II. Vocabulary in Use

Write sentences using the following verbs:

1. buy
   I want to buy a new laptop for my online classes.
2. can / be able
   She can play the piano and sing at the same time.
3. cancel
   We had to cancel our trip because of the storm.

4. change
   He changed his clothes before dinner.
5. clean
   We cleaned the kitchen after cooking.
6. comb
   She combed her hair carefully before going out.
7. complain
   They complained about the noise in the hotel.

E) Grammar 1

Verbs which form their past tense by adding -ed are regular verbs. Those which do not are irregular.

The past tense form of irregular verbs may:

• Be the same as their present tense form:
  I cut the cheese every day. (present tense)
  I cut myself yesterday. (past tense)
• Change to another word:
  I come home at 1:00 every day. (present tense)
  I came home at 2:00 yesterday. (past tense)
• Have the same spelling but a different pronunciation:
  I read /rid/ novels every night. (present tense)
  I read /red/ a short story last night. (past tense)

E-1) Exercises

I. Make negative statements using "yesterday":

Example: He's sneezing now.
He didn't sneeze yesterday.

1. Mr. Brown is teaching us now.
   Mr. Brown didn't teach us yesterday.
2. I am writing to my uncle now.
   I didn't write to my uncle yesterday.
3. You are carrying the package now.
   You didn't carry the package yesterday.

II. Ask questions using the words given:

Example: Reza ate lunch at noon. (When)
When did Reza eat lunch?

1. She met them last year. (When)
   When did she meet them?
2. Elena came to Tehran by bus. (How)
   How did Elena come to Tehran?
3. Ali bought a lot of bread. (How much)
   How much bread did Ali buy?
4. She went to the movies. (Where)
   Where did she go?
5. Artin read a few novels. (How many)
   How many novels did Artin read?

Grammar 2: Present Simple (I do)

Alex is a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep.
He is not driving a bus. (He is asleep.)
But he drives a bus. (He is a bus driver.)

Drive(s) / work(s) / do(es) etc. is the present simple:

• I / we / you / they drive / work / do, etc.
• he / she / it drives / works / does, etc.

We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether the action is happening at the time of speaking.

• Nurses look after patients in hospitals.
• I usually go away at weekends.
• The earth goes round the sun.
• The cafe opens at 7.30 in the morning.

Remember that we say he/she/it -s. Don’t forget the s:

• I work ... but He works ...
• They teach ... but My sister teaches ...

Questions and Negatives:

We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:

• Do I/we/you/they work?
• I/we/you/they don’t work
• Does he/she/it come?
• He/she/it doesn’t come

Grammar 2: Present Simple

• I come from Canada.
  Where do you come from?
• I don't go away very often.
• What does this word mean? (not What means this word?)
• Rice doesn't grow in cold climates.

Using do as the Main Verb:

• 'What do you do?' 'I work in a shop.'
• He's always so lazy. He doesn't do anything to help.

Talking About Frequency:

• I get up at 8 o'clock every morning.
• How often do you go to the dentist?
• Julie doesn't drink tea very often.
• Robert usually goes away two or three times a year.

Speech Acts: I promise / I apologize etc.

Sometimes we do things by saying something. For example, when you promise to do something, you can say "I promise..."; when you suggest something, you can say "I suggest...":

• I promise I won't be late. (not I'm promising)
• 'What do you suggest I do?' 'I suggest that you ...'

In the same way we say:

• I apologize ...
• I advise ...
• I insist ...
• I agree ...
• I refuse ...

F-1) Exercise

I. Complete the sentences using the following verbs:

Verbs: cause(s), connect(s), drink(s), live(s), open(s), speak(s), take(s)

Example: Tanya speaks German very well.

1. I don’t often drink coffee.
2. The swimming pool opens at 7:30 every morning.
3. Bad driving causes many accidents.
4. My parents live in a very small flat.
5. The Olympic Games take place every four years.
6. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

II. Put the verb into the correct form:

Example: Julie doesn’t drink tea very often. (not / drink)

1. What time do the banks close here? (the banks / close)
2. I’ve got a car, but I don’t use it much. (not / use)
3. ‘Where does Ricardo come from?’ ‘From Cuba.’ (Ricardo / come)
4. ‘What do you do?’ ‘I’m an electrician.’ (you / do)
5. It takes me an hour to get to work. How long does it take you? (take)
6. Look at this sentence. What does this word mean? (this word / mean)

7. David isn't very fit. He doesn't do any sport.

Grammar

II. Use the following verbs to complete the sentences. Sometimes you need the negative:

Verbs: believe, eat, flow, go, grow, make, rise, tell, translate

• The earth goes round the sun.
• Rice doesn't grow in Britain.

1. The sun rises in the east.
2. Bees make honey.
3. Vegetarians don't eat meat.
4. An atheist doesn't believe in God.
5. An interpreter translates from one language into another.
6. Liars are people who don't tell the truth.
7. The River Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

III. Ask Lisa questions about herself and her family:

Example: You know that Lisa plays tennis. You want to know how often.
Ask her: How often do you play tennis?

1. Perhaps Lisa's sister plays tennis too. You want to know.
   Ask Lisa: Does your sister play tennis?

Grammar

2. You know that Lisa reads a newspaper every day. You want to know which one.
   Ask her: Which newspaper do you read?
3. You know that Lisa's brother works. You want to know what he does.
   Ask Lisa: What does your brother do?
4. You know that Lisa goes to the cinema a lot. You want to know how often.
   Ask her: How often do you go to the cinema?
5. You don't know where Lisa's grandparents live. You want to know.
   Ask Lisa: Where do your grandparents live?

V. Complete the sentences using the following:

Phrases: I apologize, I insist, I promise, I recommend, I suggest

Example: Mr. Evans is not in the office today. I suggest you try calling him tomorrow.

1. I won’t tell anybody what you said. I promise.
2. You must let me pay for the meal. (in a restaurant) I insist.
3. I apologize for what I did. It won’t happen again.
4. The new restaurant in Hill Street is very good. I recommend it.

Unit 3
– Saving Time

A) Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions:

• 1. How much free time do you have?
• 2. What do you usually do to save time?

Stop judging others
in order to meet composure.
– Deepak Chopra

B) Reading

Saving Time

In big cities, many people try to save time. In many families, both the husband and wife work full-time, so their free time is very important to them. They look for quick and convenient ways to do their shopping and the other things they need to do so that they will have free time for the things they want to do.

Nowadays, most people go to just one place to shop. They can buy fruit, bread, meat, fresh vegetables, and frozen foods at their local supermarket. They can also buy things for the house such as pots and pans, and brooms and buckets.

When these people eat out, they often go to fast food restaurants. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are always ready. People order their meals at the counter and wait for their food for just a few seconds or minutes. Then they carry the food to a table, eat it, and throw their trash away. It takes only twenty minutes or so to eat a meal at a fast food restaurant.

Supermarkets and fast food restaurants are important to people in modern big cities. They are quick and convenient, and that's what people want when they are looking for ways to save time.

C) Comprehension Test

I. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. The pronoun "it", in line 14, refers to:
   a. meals
   b. table
   c. food
   d. counter
2. On line 3, the word "convenient" means:
   a. important
   b. time-saving
   c. interesting
   d. slow
3. At a fast food restaurant people usually wait for their food for:
   a. twenty minutes
   b. thirty minutes
   c. a very short time
   d. two minutes
4. These people usually prefer fast food restaurants because:
   a. they want to save time
   b. the food there is delicious
   c. it is near
   d. the food is cheaper
5. They throw their trash away. Here "trash" means:
   a. remains
   b. food
   c. garbage
   d. glass

II. Read the summary of the story below and add the missing words by yourself.

Free time is very important to people in modern cities. They work hard and have less free time. These people usually eat in fast food places and shop in local supermarkets. It takes them very little time to eat and do shopping. These places are very convenient and quick and the people are always looking for such ways to save time.

Vocabulary Completion

1. You will find these meals quick and convenient to prepare.
2. I asked the woman behind the counter if they had any postcards of the church.
3. I have saved almost $100 so far.
4. It was difficult to understand the local dialect of the city.
5. She brushed the living room with a broom.
6. My mother fried the chicken in the pan.
7. Is there any more tea in the pot?
8. How many buckets of cement do you think we will need?

Vocabulary in Use

1. I started to cough badly after walking through the dusty room.
2. The teacher asked us to count the number of chairs in the hall.
3. Please cut the paper into small pieces for the project.
4. They danced happily at the wedding ceremony.
5. Can you draw a picture of your favorite animal?
6. We sat by the fire and drank hot chocolate.
7. He drove to the university in less than twenty minutes.

Grammar 1

Quantifiers are words like few, little, some, many, etc. They show how many things/people or how much of something we are talking about. Some are used with countable nouns, others with uncountable nouns.

E-1) Exercises

Example: I can't do the job. I don't have energy. → I have little energy.

1. Let's go and have a drink. We have time. → We have some time, so let's go and have a drink.
2. I couldn't get a taxi last night. There were not enough taxis. → There were few taxis last night, so I couldn't get one.

3. She has some money, so she can buy three magazines.
4. He can't speak English because he doesn't know many words.
5. She is lucky because she doesn't have many problems.

II. Answer the following questions with negative answers using "none"

1. Are any of the cookies fresh? → No, none of the cookies are fresh.
2. Are any of the dishes clean? → No, none of the dishes are clean.
3. Is any of the milk cold? → No, none of the milk is cold.
4. Is any of the meat raw? → No, none of the meat is raw.
5. Are any of the girls clever? → No, none of the girls are clever.

III. Answer the following questions using the words given

Example: Is any of your furniture modern? (a lot of) → Yes, a lot of my furniture is modern.

1. Are any of the students intelligent? (plenty of) → Yes, plenty of the students are intelligent.