Saturday, May 16, 2009

FCE Speaking Part 2 Practice 1

Overview




In Part 2 you will be given two photographs and asked to compare and contrast them, and give your opinion about them. You will only have one minute to do this. Try to keep talking; avoid any long gaps.The pictures may show anything, but typically the subject will be: a building, a landscape, a town, a person (or a group of people) doing something. You can keep looking at the photographs while you are talking.




Practice SET 1




Compare and contrast the photographs saying why you think the people are reading newspapers.









Practice SET 2




Compare and contrast the photographs saying how you think the people are feeling about each other.









Practice SET 3




Compare and contrast the photographs saying why you think the people are painting.









Practice SET 4




Compare and contrast the photographs saying how you think the people are feeling about having to wait.





Sunday, May 10, 2009

FCE paraphrasing 12


Juliet finds driving on the left very strange


to


Juliet's not ___________________ on the left.



People in my country usually only have a sandwich at lunchtime


not


They're ______________________a big meal at lunchtime.



I always get up early, so it's not a problem for me.


to


I'm ________________________ up early.



Drinking a lot of tea is new for me.


not


I'm _______________________ a lot of tea.



After two or three days, you don't notice the cold weather so much.


get


In two or three days you _______________________ the cold weather.



We've only had this computer for a couple of weeks.


getting


We're just _________________________ this computer.



In my country it's unusual to queue for the bus.


not


I'm _____________________________ the bus.



Checking the meaning of words in an English-English dictionary is something new for me.


not


I'm not _________________________ words in an English-English dictionary.



Tamara normally eats salad with every meal.


to


Tamara's ______________________ salad with every meal.



At John's new school he has to wear uniform, which he didn't like at first.


getting


John is ____________________________ a school uniform.




Mandy has more experience than Sally


as


Sally doesn't __________________________ Mandy.



Patrick is certainly more punctual than David


not


David __________________________ Patrick.



John isn't as well qualified as Sally.


than


Sally ____________________________ John.



Jill's sister is more polite than Jill.


polite


Jill isn't ___________________________ sister.



My interview lasted much longer than yours.


long


Your interview ____________________________ mine.



Rod has got more experience than Sue.


much


Sue doesn't have as much experience as Rod.



Rachel was more nervous than Sarah.


not


Sarah ___________________________ Rachel.



Steve's clothes weren't as smart as Mark's.


than


Mark's clothes __________________________ Steve's



Lynda seemed more reliable than Liz.


as


Liz didn't __________________________ Lynda.



Sandra was more enthusiastic than Jeff.


not


Jeff ___________________________ Sandra.



I last went to Paris two years ago.


not


I ________________________ Paris for two years.



Mary is better paid than Neil.


as


Neil is __________________________ Mary.



Anne's wearing jeans and a T-shirt, which is unusual for her.


usually


Anne _________________________jeans and T-shirt.



Take a heavy sweater with you because it might get very cold this evening.


in


Take a heavy sweater ________________________ very cold this evening.



I usually only have some hot milk and a biscuit for breakfast.


not


I'm __________________________ a big breakfast.



You might have to carry your bag a long way, so don't take a big one.


in


Don't take a big bag ___________________________ carry it a long way.



I haven't seen Greta since Thursday.


time


The ____________________________ was on Thursday.



I always go to bed late, so it isn't a problem for me.


to


I'm __________________________ to bed late.



Look. Mick's a vegetarian, but he's eating roast beef.


usually


Mick ________________________ roast beef.



Jenny isn't as talkative as Simon.


talkative


Simon __________________________ Jenny.



A shop mended y vacuum cleaner for me.


had


I _____________________________ mended.



Last week, I took my car to a garage to be washed.


had


I ___________________________ last week.



Someone is coming to repair the broken window in my house.


am


I _________________________ in my house repaired.



A famous designer made her clothes.


had


She ____________________ by a famous designer.



I'm having my photograph taken on Monday afternoon.


is


Someone_______________________ on Monday afternoon.



Her hairdresser has coloured her hair green!


had


She ___________________________ green.



A cleaner is coming to clean my house thoroughly.


am


I _____________________ thoroughly cleaned.



The dentist has filled one of my back teeth.


have


I _________________________ back teeth filled.



Someone's painting my kitchen next week.


am


I ____________________________ next week.



Emma's having her wedding dress made by her mother.


making


Her ___________________________ wedding dress for her.




Somebody repaired her bicycle last week.


had


She __________________________ last week.



He is not strong enough to do that job.


too


He is __________________________ that job.



Keith is not as well qualified as Sue.


than


Sue ________________________ Keith.



I haven't spoken to Mr Williams before.


time


This is the________________________ Mr Williams.



Somebody is repainting our house at the moment.


are


We _________________________ at the moment.



Linda hasn't got as much experience as Graham.


than


Graham __________________________ Linda.



The carpet still needs cleaning, doesn't it?


not


The carpet has _________________________, has it?



One advantage of living in the country is clean air.


favour


One point _________________________ the country is clean air.



I haven't been to the cinema for two months.


since


It's ____________________________ the cinema.



It's ages since I saw him last.


for


I __________________________ ages.




The plane was losing height ready for landing.


about


The plane was ___________________ land.



It was such a cold day that I wore an overcoat.


so


The day was _________________ I wore an overcoat.



I met Nigel by chance in the supermarket.


happened


I ________________________ Nigel in the supermarket.



Her voice was so quiet that I couldn't hear her.


a


She had ____________________ that I couldn't hear her.



Daniela should arrive at five o'clock.


supposed


Daniela _______________________ at five o'clock.



That man was so rude that I didn't reply to him


a


He was _____________________ that I didn't reply to him.



I would like to learn hang-gliding very much.


keen


I __________________________ learning hang-gliding.



We had such a dirty room that we checked out of the hotel.


so


Our room ______________________ that we checked out of the hotel.



I was just leaving when the phone rang.


about


I was just ____________________when the phone rang.



I can't wait to go on holiday.


forward


I'm ______________________________ on holiday.



These vegetables are too hard; they're undercooked.


have


These vegetables ________________________ enough.



This salad is too oily.


oil


There ___________________________ this salad.



This cake is too stale to eat.


enough


This cake __________________________ to eat.



This hotel is too expensive for a large family.


much


This hotel ________________________ for a large family.



There's too little cheese for four people.


enough


There __________________________ for four people.



There are too few glasses for everyone to have a drink


enough


We _________________________ for everyone to have a drink.



It's not warm enough to eat outside this evening.


too


It's ___________________________ this evening.



Joanne doesn't speak loudly enough on the telephone.


too


Joanne speaks ____________________ on the telephone.



There's too little sugar in this coffee for me.


sweet


This coffee _______________________ for me.



This restaurant is too quiet. Let's try another one.


people


There are____________________ restaurant. Let's try another one.




They are designing a new machine.


is


A new machine __________________________ designed.



They have to switch on the photocopier ten minutes before using it.


be


The photocopier ______________________ ten minutes before use.



A mechanical breakdown caused the delay.


by


The delay _______________________ a mechanical breakdown.



Someone will meet you at the airport.


be


You ___________________t at the airport.



Personal computers are changing our working lives.


by


Our working lives ____________________ computers.



We must keep the ovens at a constant temperature.


be


The ovens ___________________ a constant temperature.



They freeze the pizzas in batches of twelve.


are


The pizzas _________________ batches of twelve.



Children are going to eat most of our pizzas.


be


Most of our pizzas ______________________ by children.



We put the pizzas in boxes for delivery.


are


Our pizzas ____________________s for delivery.



You can buy either frozen or chilled pizzas in most shops.


be


Either frozen or chilled pizzas _______________ in most shops.



I regret going to bed so late last night.


wish


I _____________________ to bed so late last night.



If only I had taken that job in the bank.


regret


I ______________________ in the bank.



Jenny regrets not buying some sunscreen before her holiday


wishes


Jenny ____________________ some sunscreen before her holiday.



He regrets not telling people it was his birthday.


wishes


He ____________________ people it was his birthday.



I regret not booking the seats in advance.


only


If ____________________ the seats in advance.



I wish I'd gone on holiday with my friends.


regret


I _____________________ on holiday with my friends.



They regret ever getting married.


never


They wish ______________________ married.



If only I had been more careful


regret


I ___________________g more careful.



I wish I hadn't gone to that party.


only


If ___________________ to that party.



Larry regrets not telling his girlfriend where he was going.


had


Larry ___________________ his girlfriend where he was going.




I'm sorry that you can't come to the party.


wish


I ____________________ to the party.



He keeps interrupting me, which is very annoying.


wish


I _____________________ interrupting me, it's very annoying.



Ingrid would like to be able to swim, but she can't.


wishes


Ingrid ______________________ swim.



I hope that you are successful in your exams.


luck


I wish ____________________ in your exams.



My hair's short and dark, but I'd prefer long blonde hair.


wish


I ____________________ long blonde hair.



Eric doesn't see his grandchildren very often.


wishes


Eric __________________________ more often.



I'm sorry that he won't accept the job he's been offered.


wish


I ______________________ the job he's been offered.



I have very little patience, which is a shame!


were


I __________________________ patience.



This continual rain is making me feel depressed.


stop


I ___________________ raining – it makes me feel depressed.



The print in this book is so small that I'm afraid I can't read it.


was


I wish the print in this book __________________, then I could read it.



'What time is it, Frances?' said Tim.


asked


Tim _____________________ it was.



'Are you coming to the party tonight, Joanna?' said Adam


if


Adam asked Joanna ___________________ to the party.



'Can I borrow your pen please, Sam?' said Jill.


if


Jill asked Sam ____________________ pen.



'Do you know what's on at the cinema, James?' said Pam.


knew


Pam asked James if ___________________ on at the cinema.



'Have you finished your homework yet Robin?' said Sandra.


whether


Sandra asked Robin _________________________ homework yet.



Julia asked Phil if he would feed her cat while she was on holiday.


you


Julia said: '_____________________ while I'm on holiday?'



Sara asked me to get her some stamps from the post office.


me


Sara said: '________________ some stamps from the post office, please?'



Karl asked me what time the meeting would end.


will


Karl said: '_______________________ end?'



Elena asked the waitress for another knife.


could


Elena said: '_________________________, please?'



Luke asked Valerie if she had got a car.


you


Luke said: '_________________ a car, Valerie?'




You should make the most of being in Paris and visit the Eiffel Tower.


advantage


You should ___________________ being in Paris and visit the Eiffel Tower.



What is your sister's job, Miranda?


for


What does your ______________________, Miranda?



She described the robber to the police.


description


She _____________________ the robber to the police.



I hope you enjoy yourselves this evening.


time


I hope you ______________________ this evening.



I want you to try as hard as you can, Jenny.


do


I want _______________________Jenny.



Your are making yourself look ridiculous.


fool


You _____________________ yourself.



We found it difficult to turn the key in the lock.


difficulty


We ________________________ the key in the lock.



Paul always expected his mother to be there for him.


granted


Paul always ___________________________.



Wait your turn like everybody else.


queue


Don't _________________________ like that.



I thought people wouldn't be able to understand my Spanish.


myself


I thought I wouldn't be able ________________ in Spanish.



Listen carefully to what I am about to say.


attention


Please ____________________ what I am about to say.



Someone told the boys it was dangerous to play by the lake.


warning


The boys ______________________ about playing by the lake.



Jenny and her mother argued over the wedding dress.


argument


Jenny ___________________ her mother over the wedding dress.



He finally managed to get over his wife's death.


terms


He succeeded _______________________his wife's death.



I am going to get very angry in a minute.


temper


I am going to ____________________ in a minute.



If you don't try hard you won't succeed.


effort


Unless _______________________you'll fail.



What they say doesn't change anything.


difference


It ______________________ what they say.



She assumed control of the business when her father retried.


charge


She ______________________ the business when her father retired.



I couldn't speak to her.


word


I wasn't _____________________ with her.



We should always keep our word.


promise


We should never _______________________.




The dog barked all night but we still managed to sleep


fact


Despite ________________ dog barked all night we still managed to sleep.



The cat can't catch the mice. They run too fast.


for


The mice run too __________________ the cat to catch them.



Cats aren't as expensive to keeps as dogs.


more


Dogs are __________________________ cats.



Man is the cruellest of all animals.


cruel


There isn't ________________________ man.



His canary sings better than mine


well


My canary doesn't ______________________ his.



Is this the cheapest pet food you've got?


anything


Is _________________________ this pet food?



Most of the animals survived the hard winter.


though


Even _____________________, most of the animals survived.



I have never seen a dirtier dog.


ever


This must be the _______________________ seen.



She couldn't afford the Persian cat.


expensive


The Persian cat was ___________________ buy.



The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world.


as


No animal runs _________________ the cheetah.



We need to find an imaginative solution.


need


What we _________________ an imaginative solution.



They didn't let her watch TV.


allowed


She ________________________ TV.



They have made the castle a tourist attraction.


turned


The castle _____________________ a tourist attraction.



It hasn't rained for two years.


time


The _______________________ two years ago.



She wouldn't let me pay the bill


paying


She __________________________ the bill.



Asthma cases have gone up.


increase


There has ______________________ asthma cases.



Someone must find the answer.


must


The _________________________ by someone.



Do you know the story of Frankenstein?


familiar


Are _______________________ the story of Frankenstein?



She didn't find his behaviour at all surprising.


hardly


She ___________________________ his behaviour.



The air is clean since they fitted filters.


used


The air ________________________ they fitted filters.




Carol: Could you be a little quieter, Peter?


such


Carol told Peter ______________________ noise.



Sue: If I were you Richard, I'd take the train not the bus.


instead


Sue advised Richard _____________________ of the bus.



The doctor advised me to take more exercise.


idea


The doctor told me it ____________________ to take more exercise.



Robin advised me to buy shares in Sony.


I


Robin suggested _____________________ shares in Sony.



He told me it was the first time he had ever flown.


never


'I _________________________,' he said.



Porter: Sorry, the train left five minutes ago.


missed


He told them they _____________________ five minutes.



'I'll deliver the puppy the day after tomorrow' he promised.


in


He promised to deliver _______________________ time.



'Do you know where my tennis racquet is, Mum?' Sharon asked.


seen


Sharon asked her mother _______________________ tennis racquet.



In my opinion he should have a haircut.


am


As _______________________ he should have a haircut.



Why do you think you are superior to the people?


look


What makes _____________________ other people?




This room hasn't been cleaned for ages.


time


It's ______________________ cleaned.



The college has not been redecorated for years. It really needs doing.


time


It's ________________________ redecorated.



I haven't had anything to eat all day. I'm very hungry.


had


It's time_________________________ to eat.



It's late, I should have left for home an hour ago.


high


It's ___________________________ for home.



My car's filthy, I really should have it cleaned.


time


It's _______________________ my car cleaned.



It's months since James Had his hair cut.


time


It's ___________________________ cut.



Rosemary hasn't been on holiday for years.


high


It's ____________________________ on holiday.




Laws encourage people to use the mother tongue instead of English.


discourage


Laws ______________________ English instead of the mother tongue.



A few centuries ago almost nobody spoke English.


hardly


A few centuries ago English was ______________________ anybody.



I hope people will understand me.


make


I hope I'll be _________________________ understood.



I don't like it when foreigners use English expressions in their own language


approve


I do not ________________________ English expressions in their own language.



It was hard to live on my own but I eventually became accustomed to it.


used


It took me a long time to _________________________ on my own.



I don't want to use English all the time.


rather


I _________________________ use English all the time.



Some people can't understand her at all.


impossible


Some people find ________________________ her.



People say the bast way to learn a language is by living in the country.


supposed


Living in the country ____________________ the best way to learn a language.



He speaks too quickly for me to understand him.


enough


He ___________________________for me to understand him.



Knowing English is useful.


know


It ________________________ English.



Bob still finds his new contact lenses uncomfortable.


used


Bob ________________________ his new contact lenses yet.



His mother never let him go out.


allowed


He _______________________ out.



It doesn't need to be finished this evening


finish


It isn't ________________________ this evening.



He has probably spent all the money he won.


likely


He ______________________ spent all the money he won.



She didn't want to join in the dancing at the party.


take


She didn't want ___________________ the dancing at the party.



You had better not touch that switch.


would


If I ________________________ touch that switch.



This fruit is a new experience for me.


time


It is the ________________________ this fruit.



What a pity I broke the vase.


wish


I ________________________ the vase.



Remind me to water the plants.


forget


Don't let __________________________ the plants.



As I see it, someone should tell her the truth.


in


She should be ________________________opinion.




I'd rather you didn't smoke in here.


mind


Would _______________________ in here, please?



The accident injured a lot of people.


number


A ________________________people were injured in the accident.



It was the most embarrassing experience of my life.


so


I had never ________________________ before.



If you're not sure how to spell the word, consult the dictionary.


up


You should _____________________ a dictionary if you're not sure how to spell it.



Very few people knew the full story.


known


The full story _______________________ many people.



As the town council's representative I would like to welcome you


behalf


I would like to welcome you ________________ the town council.



You'd better take an umbrella. It might rain this evening.


case


Take an umbrella _______________________ this evening.



We couldn't find a parking space anywhere.


find


We weren't _________________________ to park.



We were given the directions by Paul


who


It was ___________________________ the directions.



They were still walking after two hours.


been


They ___________________________ two hours.



The bus comes in two hours; let's have lunch before it comes.


in


The bus comes in two hours; ______________________, let's have lunch.



The job was too badly paid so she didn't accept it.


down


She _________________________ it was too badly paid.



I took my overcoat but it wasn't necessary.


taken


I _________________________ my overcoat.



The film wasn't worth seeing.


time


The film was a complete _____________________.



Who is looking after the children this afternoon?


of


Who is _____________________ the children this afternoon?



They climbed out of the room using some bedsheets.


means


They climbed out of the room ________________ some bedsheets.



They believe the criminal has had plastic surgery.


believed


The criminal _______________________ plastic surgery.



He plays the piano and sings beautifully too.


play


Not ________________________ piano but he also sings beautifully.



I last saw him at my 21st birthday party.


since


I __________________________ my 21st birthday party.



'You've broken my radio, Frank!' said Jane


accused


Jane ________________________ her radio.




My car really needs to be repaired soon.


must


I really _____________________ repaired soon.



Susan regrets not buying that house.


wishes


Susan ______________________ that house.



I could never have succeeded without your help.


you


I could never have succeeded _____________________ me.



I thought I might run out of cash, so I took my cheque-book with me.


case


I took my cheque-book with me _______________________out of cash.



Linda's plans for a picnic have been spoilt by the weather.


fallen


Linda's plans for a picnic ___________________ because of the weather.



The bread was too stale to eat.


fresh


The bread _______________________to eat.



Perhaps Brian went home early.


may


Brian ________________________ home early.



I can't possibly work in all this noise!


impossible


It ___________________________ work in all this noise!



The thief suddenly realised that the police were watching him.


watched


The thief suddenly realised that ________________________ by the police.



Do you know who this coat belong to?


coat


Do you know ________________________ is?



Jo's training accident meant she couldn't take part in the race.


prevented


Jo's training accident _________________________ part in the race.



Cyclists are not allowed to ride on the station platform.


must


Bicycles _______________________on the station platform.



To Alan's amazement, the passport office was closed when he arrived.


find


Alan ____________________________ that the passport office closed when he arrived.



It isn't necessary to book tickets for the show in advance.


need


You ___________________________ tickets for the show in advance.



The top shelf was so high that the children couldn't reach it.


high


The top shelf was ______________________ the children to reach.



I'd prefer you to start work next week.


rather


I __________________________ work next week.



'Do you remember what you have to do?' the teacher asked her class.


what


The teacher asked her class if __________________________ to do.



It's unusual for Carol to get angry with her staff.


hardly


Carol ___________________________ temper with her staff.



There is no ice-cream left.


run


We ______________________ ice-cream.



There's no point in asking George to help.


worth


It ______________________ George to help.




Although he overslept, Clive wasn't late for work.


up


Despite _____________________ on time, Clive wasn't late for work.



I haven't eaten food like this before.


time


This is the______________________ this sort of food.



After a long chase, the police finally succeeded in arresting the thief.


to


After a long chase, the police finally _____________________ the thief.



Diane was supposed to write to her parents last week.


ought


Diane _____________________ to her parents last week.



His handwriting is so small I can hardly read it.


such


He has ________________________ I can hardly read it.



Somebody has to pick the visitors up from the airport.


up


The visitors ______________________ from the airport.



I wish I hadn't told him what we were planning to do this evening.


regret


I regret ________________________ for this evening.



Everyone was surprised to see Geoff leave the party early.


surprise


To ___________________________ the party early.



All the witnesses said the accident was my fault.


blame


All the witnesses said that _______________________ the accident.



Harry couldn't get his parents' permission to buy a motorbike.


let


Harry's parent __________________________ a motorbike.



'Where have I left my sunglasses, David?' asked Susan


where


Susan asked David where ____________________sunglasses.



John's behaviour at the party annoyed me.


John


I was annoyed by ___________________at the party.



It's a good thing you lent me the money or I would have had to go to the bank.


you


I would have had to go to the bank __________________me the money.



Matthew didn't listen to what his doctor told him.


notice


Matthew took _________________________ advice.



Sheila had to finish the account and write several letters as well.


addition


Sheila had to finish the accounts _____________________ several letters.



When he was a child in Australia, Mark went swimming almost every day.


his


Mark went swimming almost every day ___________________ in Australia.



Let's visit the museum this afternoon.


go


Why ______________________ the museum this afternoon?



Valerie fount it hard to concentrate on her book because of the noise.


difficulty


Valerie _______________________ her book because of the noise.



Why don't you wait by the phone box, Brenda?' said Laslie.


Brenda


Leslie suggested _______________________ by the phone box.