intro

Welcome! This site is for students to practice their English and keep up to date with environmental issues.

TEN MINUTES OF ENGLISH A DAY!
You can find a mixture of reading, crosswords, videos and short English lessons: these will normally be vocabulary, but I may also treat you to some grammar!

There are now over 260 lessons on this blog. Look through the Blog archive, Post labels and Popular Posts to find what you want.

If you want to print a lesson, click on the lesson title and then look for the Print Friendly icon.

''Let nature be your teacher''
William Wordsworth, poet, 1770-1850

''Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift''
Albert Einstein, physicist, 1879-1955

''... to find the word, or words, by which [an] idea may be most fitly and aptly expressed''
P.M. Roget, lexicographer, 1779-1869

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Friday 23 September 2011

Autumn - crossword

Autumnal equinox? Must be time for the Autumn crossword!
(Apologies to those in the southern hemisphere!).

Thursday 8 September 2011

European Day of Languages

Monday September 26th is the tenth anniversary of European Day of Languages.
Did you know that there are over 200 European languages?!

See the webpages for more information.

Try their language quiz - not easy!!

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Ten minute reading: wolves in France

Level: Advanced / C1

Here is a BBC article about the growing wolf population in France.
Read the article and answer the following questions:
1) How many wolf packs are there?
2) Where did the wolves come from?
3) How many sheep have been killed this year?
4) Who is allowed to shoot wolves?
5) How much compensation do farmers get for each sheep killed?

Answers below!




Answers!


1) About 20
2) Italy
3) 17
4) Government marksmen or by shepherds trained and licensed to defend their flocks
5) 130 Euros

Tuesday 30 August 2011

What is killing Killer Whales? Video lesson 5

BBC Nature has a lot of good material - blogs, short articles, videos, amazing photos, etc.
Have a look at this article on Killer Whales and answer the questions below:
1) What is the scientific name for the Killer Whale
2) What are PCBs?
3) Who is Alex Rogers?
4) How fast can Killer Whales swim? (click on 'Learn more and watch amazing videos')
5) According to the video 'Orcas on the hunt', why is it dangerous for them to hunt rays?

Answers next week!

Saturday 27 August 2011

Invasive species

Level: Advanced / C1

An interesting photo-article in this weeks Daily Telegraph about invasive species in Britain.
Have a look at the article and answer these questions:
1) Where do Zebra Mussels come from?
2) Why was Japanese Knotweed introduced?
3) What does the Signal Crayfish have in common with the Chinese Mitten Crab?
4) When did it become illegal to grow Giant Hogweed?
5) Which of the invasive species has cost Britain the most money?

Answers below!










ANSWERS!

1) Russia
2) As an ornamental plant
3) Their burrowing can cause river banks to become unstable
4) The 1980s
5) The rabbit

Thursday 18 August 2011

How to build a wind farm - video lesson 4

Level: Advanced / C1

Here is an excellent article from the BBC Science and Environment pages.
Some amazing videos of the construction of the biggest wind turbines in the world.
The is also some reading about the wind farm in the Irish Sea.

Read and watch, then answer these questions:
1) How many turbines are there in the Ormonde Wind Farm?
2) Where are the turbines made?
3) How long are the blades of the turbine? (watch 'Journey's start')
4) Who is the captain of the sea jack?
5) By 2020, how much of the UK's energy should come from renewables?



Answers below!




ANSWERS!
1) 30
2) Belfast
3) 61.5 metres
4) Jakob Neergaard
5) 15%

Thursday 4 August 2011

Mountains - crossword

This weeks crossword is about mountains
Some good vocabulary revision for those of you who have been on one of our courses!

Sunday 31 July 2011

Shark finning

Level: Advanced / C1

This week is Shark Week!
Read this article about shark finning and answer the following questions:
1) How much can shark fins sell for?
2) True or false: shark fins are very nutritious
3) Why is demand for shark fins growing in China?
4) According to this article, how many sharks are killed by finning each year?
5) Why do sharks reproduce and mature so slowly?


Answers below!



ANSWERS!

1) $300 per pound
2) False
3) With China's economy growing, more people can afford this luxury symbol
4) 88-100 million
5) Because they are at the top of their food chain and have few predators

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Monday 18 July 2011

European wildlife being illegally killed

Level: Advanced / C1

Read this article about illegal killing of European wildlife, then answer the following questions:
1) Who wrote the report?
2) How many Brown Bears were poisoned in Spain?
3) Data for the report came from how many countries?
4) Where did the European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds take place?
5) What is Boris Barov's job?


Answers below!




ANSWERS!
1) BirdLife
2) Seven
3) 38
4) Larnaka, Cyprus
5) European Conservation Manager at BirdLife Europe



Friday 15 July 2011

Tenses and time expressions - grammar lesson 5

Tenses and time expressions – polar test

Level: Pre-intermediate / A2

Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense – Present simple, Present Continuous or future (going to or will). If there is no verb, use if, when, or as soon as.

British explorer Robin Drake says the first international polar expedition 1                          (start) next week. They 2                                    (try) to reach the North Pole on a 65-day, 480-mile journey. 3                                   Drake 4                                      (succeed), he 5                                     (be) the first man to walk to both the North and South poles.

Drake 6                                    (go) on the Icewalk Expedition with navigator Alan Winterson. 7                           they 8                                       (arrive) in Thule, in northern Greenland, walkers from Russia, the USA, Japan, Australia, Canada and Italy 9                          (join) them. 10                                     they 11                                      (get) to their base camp, Eueka, inside the Arctic Circle, they 12                                           (have to) build huts to protect them from temperatures as low as -55 Celsius.

‘We 13                                      (do) a lot of experiments to see how much pollution there is in the area,’ said Robin. ‘The results 14                                      (help) us to understand the effects of pollution on the planet, including the greenhouse effect.’ 15                          the weather 16                         (be) good enough, they 17                                          (make) a film of the expedition. Robin said,’ 18                                we 19                           (get) back home, we 20                            (show) it to people all over the world.’

Adapted from New Headway Pre-intermediate, OUP

Answers below!





ANSWERS!


British explorer Robin Drake says the first international polar expedition 1IS GOING TO START next week. They 2ARE GOING TO TRY to reach the North Pole on a 65-day, 480-mile journey. 3 IF Drake 4 SUCCEEDS, he 5 WILL BE the first man to walk to both the North and South poles.


Drake 6IS GOING on the Icewalk Expedition with navigator Alan Winterson. 7WHEN/AS SOON AS they 8ARRIVE in Thule, in northern Greenland, walkers from Russia, the USA, Japan, Australia, Canada and Italy 9WILL JOIN them. 10WHEN/AS SOON AS they 11GET to their base camp, Eueka, inside the Arctic Circle, they 12WILL HAVE TO BUILD huts to protect them from temperatures as low as -55 Celsius.

‘We 13ARE GOING TO DO a lot of experiments to see how much pollution there is in the area,’ said Robin. ‘The results 14WILL HELP us to understand the effects of pollution on the planet, including the greenhouse effect.’ 15IF the weather 16IS good enough, they 17WILL/ARE GOING TO MAKE a film of the expedition. Robin said,’ 18AS SOON AS       we 19GET back home, we 20WILL SHOW it to people all over the world.’


Wednesday 13 July 2011

The countryside - crossword

Some good vocabulary to practice in this crossword from the BBC Learning English website:

Countryside crossword

How was it? Let me know please.

Monday 11 July 2011

Ten minute reading: Ospreys in England

Read this article about ospreys in England and answer these questions:
1 What is a newly hatched bird called?
2 How big is Kielder Park?
3 Which four organisations have been working on the Osprey project?
4 What does fledge mean?
5 How far do Ospreys migrate

Answers below!



ANSWERS!
1. A chick
2. 62,000 heactares
3. The Forestry Commission, Northumberian Water, the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, the RSPB.
4. The stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fledge
5. 9,000 miles

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Monday 4 July 2011

Serengeti road project

Level: Advanced / C1

A controversial road project through the Serengeti had been cancelled.
Read this article about it and answer these questions:

1 What habitats does the Serengeti national park protect?
2 How many herbivore take part in the mass migrations in the national park?
3 How many bird species can be found in the Serengeti?
4 Who does Dr Markus Borner work for?
5 How many vehicles would have used the new road?

Answers below!




ANSWERS!!

1 Grassland and savannah
2 Two million
3 450
4 Frankfurt Zoological Society
5 800 a day by 2015, 3000 a day by 2035

Wednesday 29 June 2011

Monday 27 June 2011

Tidal energy

Level: Advanced / C1

Renewable energy can have it's own problems. This weeks lessons looks at tidal power in the UK.
Read this article and answer the following questions:

1 Which river was the tidal barrage planned for?
2 The estuary is protected under which European Union designation?
3 Which fish species recently returned to the river?
4 Which other tidal barrage plan was cancelled last year in the UK?
5 What other types of renewable energy do you know?


Answers below!




ANSWERS!!

1 The River Mersey
2 Special Protection Area (SPA)
3 Salmon
4 The River Severn
5 Solar, hydro-electric, geothermal, wind, wave

Monday 20 June 2011

Global Ocean Legacy Interactive Map

Level: Upper intermediate / B2


As part of World Oceans Day (June 8), Pew’s Global Ocean Legacy campaign launched an interactive map to spotlight some of the most important and unspoiled places in our seas.
Have a look at the map and answer these questions:
1 How much of the ocean is fully protected?
2 How big is the Coral Sea?
3 How many species of fish are found in Kermadec?
4 How many islands make up Chagos?
5 How many species of whale can be found off Bermuda?


Answers below!






ANSWERS!


1 Less than half a percent
2 1,000,000 sq km (one million square kilometres!)
3 431
4 55
5 16

Friday 17 June 2011

Animal idioms - vocabulary lesson

Level: Advanced / C1


A. Match the two halves of the animal idioms. The first one has been done for you.

      1) As blind as           an owl
      2) As stubborn as    a mouse
      3) As sly as              a bat
      4) As busy as        a mule
      5) As wise as          a swan
      6) As quiet as        a fox
      7) As graceful as  a peacock
      8) As proud as      a bee


B. Put the correct idioms from above into these sentences. The first one has been done for you.

      1) I can’t see a thing without my glasses; I’m as blind as a bat!
      2) I couldn’t get him to change his mind; he’s as                                      
      3) She is always rushing around doing things – she is as                       
      4) She is a wonderful ballet dancer – on stage she is as                 
      5) He is as                       about his new car.
      6) I don’t like that politician – he is as                     
      7) She is a very clever teacher and as                    
      8) Your son is very well behaved – he is as                  

C. What animal idioms do you have in your language? Can you translate them into English?!


If you want some more practice, then have a look at this animal idioms crossword.



Answers below!



ANSWERS!

A
1  As blind as a bat  
2  As stubborn as a mule
3  As sly as a fox
4  As busy as a bee
5  As wise as an owl
6  As quiet as a mouse
7  As graceful as a swan
8  As proud as a peacock

B
1 As blind as a bat  
2  As stubborn as a mule  
3  As busy as a bee
4  As graceful as a swan
5  As proud as a peacock
6  As sly as a fox
7  As wise as an owl
8  As quiet as a mouse

Monday 13 June 2011

Leatherback Turtle seen off Scotland

Level: Upper intermediate / B2

Leatherback turtles are occasionally seen in British waters.
Here is a short article about a recent sighting. Read it and then answer the following questions:
1 What is the name of the HWDT ship?
2 What is the captains name?
3 What is a group of dolphins called?
4 What is the conservation status of the Leatherback Turtle?
5 What does it eat?


Answers below!






ANSWERS!


1 Silurian
2 Dave Hanna
3 A pod
4 Critically endangered
5 Jellyfish

Monday 6 June 2011

Ten minute reading: Birds of Prey

Persecution of birds of prey is still a big problem in Britain. This short article looks at the issue.
Read the article and answer the following questions:
1 How much was James Rolfe fined?
2 Which other bird of prey was found in the police investigation?
3 Four leg rings were also found - which species did they come from?
4 When did Red Kites return to Scotland?
5 What do Red Kites eat?

Answers below!







ANSWERS!

 £1,500 
2 Hen Harrier
3 Golden Eagle
4 1989
5 They are scavengers, mainly eating dead birds, rabbits, etc.

Wednesday 1 June 2011

Small mammals - crossword

Here is the weekly crossword for you. Some more interesting idioms, plus a difficult one about cats!
Small mammals crossword

Monday 30 May 2011

Great Gorillas - video lesson 3

Level: Intermediate / B1


On Saturday I took part in the Great Gorilla Run in Prague (for photos, see their Facebook page). So, here is a short, fun video lesson about gorillas.

Here is a video about a Great Gorilla Run (in London, 2006).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-6Hv5T1zG0&feature=player_embedded

Watch it and answer these questions:

1 How long is the run?
2 How many gorillas are running?
3 Fill in the gaps: ''More                      , more                     , and more                           then you have ever seen before!''
4 What does the expression ''I've gone ape!'' mean?
5 How many mountain gorillas are left living in the wild?
6 How much has the population grown with the help of the Gorilla Organisation?

Hope you enjoy it!
(Read more about Great Gorilla Run)

Answers below!





ANSWERS!

1 7km ('seven k')
2 1,000
3 hair, sweat, bananas
4 I've gone crazy
5 700
6 20%

Friday 27 May 2011

Global warming - FCE lesson

Level: FCE / B2

Global warming

Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

0          A  recognised              B  regarded                 C  registered                D  represented

The Earth's climate is a very complicated system. What's more, it is now widely (0) ..A.. that human activity is having an effect on it. The pollution which (1) ..... from the use of oil and coal in industry, (2) ..... the increased use of private cars, is causing significant changes in temperature in many parts of the world. These changes often have a knock-on effect on other aspects of the climate, (3) ..... to things like extreme weather (4) .....  and rising sea levels.

Studying the changes which are taking (5) .....  and predicting those that are (6) ..... to happen in the future is now a major area of scientific research. The information which the scientists (7) ..... is very useful in helping governments to (8) .....  the effects of climate change and so be better prepared to (9) .....  with them.

A much more (10) .....  problem, however, is how to prevent the situation from (11) .....  worse. This depends on how quickly, and to what extent, the (12) ..... of pollution in the atmosphere increases. Although many countries have now agreed to try and limit the pollution they create, much more (13) ..... to be done. If no further action is (14) .....  , then temperatures are set to rise by about 0.2% per decade (15) .....  the 21st century. Such a rate of warming is greater than anything that has occurred over the last ten thousand years.

 1          A  recovers      B  concludes    C  results          D  happens
2          A  as far as      B  as soon as    C  as long as    D  as well as
3          A  leading        B  causing        C  finishing      D  producing
4          A  examples    B  conditions    C  cases            D  instances
5          A  point           B  part              C  path             D  place
6          A  surely         B  probably      C  likely            D  possibly
7          A  provide       B  progress       C  prove            D  propose
8          A  prevent       B  pretend        C  predict          D  prefer
9          A  handle        B  face              C  manage        D  cope
10        A  serious       B  determined   C  thoughtful   D  anxious
11        A  going          B  giving           C  getting         D  gaining
12        A  addition     B  amount        C average         D  account
13        A  needs          B  wants           C wishes          D  hopes
14        A  held            B  taken            C made            D  carried
15        A  already       B  during          C while             D  still

Adapted from Fast Track to FCE, Longman




Answers below!






ANSWERS!
1  C results
2  D as well as
3  A leading
4  B conditions
5  D place
6  C likely
7  A provide
8  C predict
9  D cope
10 A serious
11 C getting
12 B amount
13 A needs
14 B taken
15 B during



Wednesday 25 May 2011

Friday 20 May 2011

Reading: The White Carpathians


Something a bit different today. I want to show you an exercise from a course I am running this weekend in the White Carapatian (Bílé Karpaty) Protected Landscape Area (PLA) in the Czech Republic. This was sent to the students before the course as homework and we went through it today in the classroom.


Bílé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area

A         What is the name of the PLA we are close to?


B         What is so special about it?


C         Check the meaning of these words before reading the article:
     1         Quail (Coturnix coturnix),
     2         Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
     3         Corncrake (Crex crex)  
     4         calcareous  
     5          impermeable
     6          run-off
     7          landslide
     8          orchard
     9          orchid
     10        meadow

D         Read the article and answer these questions:
    1          What is special about Bílé Karpaty PLA?
    2          What type of soil is most common?
    3          True or false: the area is over 1,000 metres above sea level.
    4          What is different about the area around Valašské Klobouky?
    5         When was the area designated as a Biosphere Reserve? 
    6         Why have the meadows been disappearing?
    7         Which is larger – the Czech or Slovak PLA?
    8         How many other protected areas are within Bílé Karpaty PLA?


 Bílé Karpaty PLA


1. The Bílé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area (PLA) is situated in the South-Moravian Region and Zlín Region. Its management is seated in the spa town of Luhačovice.  


2.The PLA borders the Slovak Biele Karpaty PLA (435 sq km). The SW-NE oriented mountain range represents the westernmost outshoot of the Carpathians. It is a country of rolling hills intersected with stream valleys, and lies between 175-970 m above sea level. It represents an extraordinary area for reason of its vast areas of species-rich calcareous meadows with an exceptionally rich flora and entomofauna, and its old-growth beech forests.

3. The north-eastern part of the area, in the surroundings of Valašské Klobouky and Brumov-Bylnice, is called South Wallachia after their colonisers. The landscape is of a more mountainous nature. The large areas of semi-natural beech forests around the Vlára pass are among the best conserved woodlands of the Czech Republic.

5. The White Carpathians are based on Magura flysch - impermeable sedimentary rock consisting of mainly calcareous clay and sandstone. The impermeability of these formations causes rapid surface run-off resulting in minor groundwater accumulation and the occurrence of many small flushes and some mineral springs. Almost the entire area is subject to water erosion and landslides. The predominant soil types are brown soils (Cambisol), with rare occurrence of Chernozem and Phaeozem soils. In floodplains Fluvisol and around springs Glaysol soils occur.

7. Old orchards and solitary fruit-trees form an indivisible part of the countryside. These are, however, gradually disappearing and being replaced by modern cultivars. Since the beginning of the 1990s, local varieties have been identified and preserved. So far, more than 600 trees of local or rare old cultivars of apple, pear, cherry, plum and service tree (Sorbus domestica) have been documented.

8. The meadows are the most outstanding feature of the area. At the beginning of the 20th century they were many more than today. After World War II a considerable part was ploughed up or excessively fertilised, but also lack of management contributed to their degeneration.

9. What makes them unique is their diverse and plentiful orchid assemblage. Most common are Gymnadenia conopsea, Listera ovata, Platanthera bifolia, and Traunsteinera globosa. Neither Orchis mascula nor O. militaris are rare. In the north-eastern part, Dactylorhiza sambucina and Orchis morio are quite abundant. Real jewels are Anacamptis pyramidalis  and Ophrys fuciflora, scattered all over the White Carpathians but altogether absent from the rest of the country.

10. They also provide refuge to a number of rare birds, e.g. quail (Coturnix coturnix), corncrake (Crex crex), meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), corn bunting (Miliaria calandra), whinchat (Saxicola rubetra), and stonechat (Saxicola torquata). A common bird of prey throughout the area is the honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus).

Designated: 1980
Area: 747 km2
Small-scale protected areas in the PLA:
    - 5 National nature reserve
    - 15 Nature reserves
    - 1 National Nature monuments
    - 31 Nature monument
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves 1996

http://www.bilekarpaty.cz/pages/eng-intro.htm


Answers below!




ANSWERS!


    1          What is special about Bílé Karpaty PLA?
its vast areas of species-rich calcareous meadows with an exceptionally rich flora and entomofauna, and its old-growth beech forests.
    2          What type of soil is most common?
brown soils (Cambisol)
    3          True or false: the area is over 1,000 metres above sea level.
False - the maximum altitude is 970 metres.
    4          What is different about the area around Valašské Klobouky?
The landscape is of a more mountainous nature with large areas of semi-natural beech forests.
    5         When was the area designated as a Biosphere Reserve? 
1996
    6         Why have the meadows been disappearing?
After World War II a considerable part was ploughed up or excessively fertilised, but also lack of management contributed to their degeneration
    7         Which is larger – the Czech or Slovak PLA?
Czech is 747 km2, Slovak is 435 km2 
    8         How many other protected areas are within Bílé Karpaty PLA?
52

Friday 13 May 2011

Comparatives and superlatives - grammar lesson 4


Comparatives and superlatives

Level: Intermediate / B1

What are the comparative and superlative forms of these adjectives?

long             longer        longest

big

busy

popular

far


What are the rules for one-, two- and three-syllable adjectives?



Can you think of two more irregular adjectives like far?



Complete these sentences:

1.         The Nile is only                                                            (long) than the Amazon.

2.         Tokyo is the                                                                 (populated) city in the world.

3.         Mexico City is a little                                                               (big) than Mumbai.

4.         New York is the                                                                       (big) city in the world.

5.         The coast of Canada is                                     (long) than the coast of Indonesia.

6.         Los Angeles is a                                                           (far) south than San Francisco.

7.         India has a                                                        (big) university than any other country.

8.         France is much                                                 (popular) with tourists than the USA.

9.         London has                                                                  (busy) airport in the world .

10.       Japan has the                                                    (popular) theme park in the world.


Answers below!




ANSWERS!



long             longer        longest

big              bigger        biggest

busy           busier         busiest

popular       more popular  most popular

far              farther/further        farthest/furthest


1   slightly / a little longer
2   the most populated
3   bit bigger
4   fourth biggest
5   much longer
6   a lot farther
7   much bigger
8   more popular
9   the busiest
10  most popular






Wednesday 11 May 2011

Insects - crossword

This weeks crossword is on insects and arachnids. There are some good idioms in there!
Insects crossword

Friday 6 May 2011

Energy - vocabulary lesson 4

Level: Advanced / C1


Replace the words and phrases in italics with words of similar meanings:

1)         Companies are being encouraged to develop alternative  renewable  energies.

2)      A steep rise in the price of oil could be devastating c                           for large numbers of businesses.

3)         Energy companies claim there is currently no lack s                           of oil.
           
4)      The increase in energy use c                              is resulting in high levels of pollution throughout the world.

5)         The price of getting oil out of the ground e                             looks set to soar.

6)         Many countries are reliant d                           on fossil fuels.

7)         We need to find new origins s                                    of energy.

8)         What will be the effects c                                            of limited oil supplies?

9)         Reserves will be used up d                              within the next 20 years, experts predict.

10)       Discharges e                             of pollution have never been so high.


Answers below!







ANSWERS!

1  renewable
2  catastrophic
3  shortage
4  consumption
5  extracting
6  dependent
7  sources
8  consequences
9  depleted
10 emissions

That was a tough one! Let me know what you thought of it.

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Geography - crossword

This is a great crossword - lots of useful words (and one really difficult one!).
It is also a test for those of you who did the geography listening lesson (The Flatmates)!

Geography crossword

For more practice with geographical words, try the geographical words vocabulary lesson.

Monday 2 May 2011

Geographical words - listening lesson 3

This week I want to have a closer look at the BBC's Learning English website.
One of their regular items is The Flatmates. You can listen to a short episode (just over a minute) and also do a quiz and some reading.
This particular episode (204) looks at geographical vocabulary. On the right you can see links for the episode and quiz as well as downloads of the material.

For more practice with geographical words, try the geography crossword, or the geographical words vocabulary lesson.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

The weather - crossword

The weather is always a topic of conversation! But do you know the vocabulary? Try this week's quiz:
Weather crossword

Friday 22 April 2011

Articles - grammar lesson 3

Level: Pre-intermediate/ A2


1. Complete the following text with the, a, an or Ø (no article).

(1)   The   Peak District

If you enjoy (2)                walking and climbing, come and spend (3)                 weekend in (4)                 Peak District - (5)                 Britain's most popular national park! Situated in (6)                 north of Derbyshire, (7)                 Park is (8)                 real ‘adventure’ country and has some of (9)                 Britain's most picturesque walks, including (10)                 world-famous Pennine Way.

And it's all just four hours from (11)                 London by (12)                 train! For more information about (13)                   train and (14)                 bus services, visit (15)                 Tourist Information Office.



2. Complete the following sentences with the or Ø (no article).

1.   Ø     France,                   Italy and                   United Kingdom are all                  members of                   European Union.
2.                  Nile is                  longest river in                  Africa.
3.                  longest mountain range in                   world is                   Andes in                   South America.
4.                  Hawaii,                   Tahiti and                   Fiji are all                  islands in                   Pacific Ocean.
5.                   Lake Superior, on                  border between                   Canada and                  United States, is                   largest lake in                   world.
6.                  river Rhine flows through                  five countries in                   Europe.


Answers below!







ANSWERS!


 The Peak District

If you enjoy 2  Ø  walking and climbing, come and spend 3    the / a *    weekend in 4    the   Peak District - 5  Ø  Britain's most popular national park! Situated in 6   the  north of Derbyshire, 7   the   Park is 8  Ø  real ‘adventure’ country and has some of 9  Ø  Britain's most picturesque walks, including 10   the   world-famous Pennine Way.

And it's all just four hours from 11  Ø  London by 12  Ø  train! For more information about 13   Ø    train and 14   Ø  bus services, visit 15   the / a *  Tourist Information Office.

(* depends if you are referring to a specific weekend or weekends in general)


2. Complete the following sentences with the or Ø (no article).

1.  Ø   France,   Ø  Italy and     the    United Kingdom are all   Ø  members of    the     European Union.
2.   The     Nile is    the   longest river in  Ø   Africa.
3.   The  longest mountain range in   the   world is   the    Andes in  Ø   South America.
4.  Ø   Hawaii,   Ø    Tahiti and   Ø   Fiji are all   Ø  islands in   the   Pacific Ocean.
5.   Ø   Lake Superior, on    the  border between   Ø   Canada and   the  United States, is   the   largest lake in   the    world.
6.  The    river Rhine flows through   Ø  five countries in   Ø   Europe.