Universitatea Bucuresti

Departamentul Credis
Facultatea de Pedagogie pentru Învatamântul Primar si Prescolar

I2UI)~12 ,1

(I~~~VA T()I2I)

culegere de texte si exercitii alcatLiita de

lector dr. Maria Alexe

Bucuresti 2010

"
r.Acest u-materlarue.ste d"estlnat uzuluf u-.studentllor-1
j Departamentului de Învatamânt la Distanta al Universitatii j
; din Bucure sti.
I ,f

1 Reproducerea integrala sau partiala a acestui material este!

! posibila doar cu acordul scris al autorului si al ~

_..Denartamentului
~ _n_..'.r _n H _ 10.
._n_u_.._.._.._.._ _.. _.._.._n_.._.._.._u_.._. _. _.'_.'__'_0'_. _0._.._.i

Universitatea din Bucuresti

Editura CREDIS
Bd. Mihail Kogalniceanu, Nr. 36-46, Corp C, Etaj 1, Sector 5
Tel: (021) 3158095; (021) 3110937,0314057940,0723273347
Fax: (021) 315 8096
Email: credis@credis.ro
Http://www.credis.ro
Dragi studenti,

Educatia la distanta, ce combina utilizarea textelor, transmisiile prin

mijloace media si posibilitatile limitate oferite de programele tutoriale
trebuie sa se adapteze În permanenta nevoilorstudentilor. De aceea am
conceput acest volum care va prezinta o culegere de lectii de engleza
adaptate pentru a va ajuta sa va pregatiti pentru testul de limba straina
de la sfârsitul anului 1. Nu este un manual, ci o selectie a ceea ce am
considetat ca este mai imortant. Necesitatae unui astfel de material se
justifica datorita cererii studentilor de a putea folosi materiale mai
sintetice decât un manual si de a putea beneficiasi de indicatiisumare
În limba româna.

Cum se foloseste
Unitatilemanualului urmeaza programa cursului de limba engleza pentru
facultatea de Pedagogie pentru Învatamântul Primar si Prescolar.
Este structuratÎn doua parti, corespunzator celor doua semestre de-
studiu. Fiecare unitate este Însotita de explicatii privind obiectivele si
metodologia de Învatare si de exercitii aplicative. La sfârsitul se afla
modele de teste. Acestea sunt structurate tematic pentru a va permite sa
le rezolvati pe masura ce parcurgeti ll1itatilede Învatare.

Materialele au fost alcatuite de autor sau au fost reproduse din

urmatoarele manuale : Peter Viney- Survival -English. International
Communication for Professional People, Macmillan,Peter Watcyn Jones
- Test Your Vocabulary- Penguin English, Collins Cobuild- Student's
Grammar

Va doresc succes,

Maria Alexe

2
 /"

UNITS ITEMS
UNIT 1

Topics
. About English
. Introducing people
. My Family
. Describing people, objects, buildingsl
. Grammar Support - to be ; to have; Personal Pronouns, Articles

La sfârsitul acestei unitati studentii vor fi capabili sa:

. Alcatuiascafraze"simpledesprefamiliesi scoala
. Sa se prezinte si sa prezinte pe altii
. Sa descrie pe scurt o persoana, un obiect sau o cladire
. Sa folosesca corect verbele A FI si A AVEA
. Sa alcatuiasca propozitii simple

UNIT 2
Topics
. Housing
. Shopping
. Small Talk
. Verb Tenses

La sfârsitul acestei unitati studentii vor fi capabili sa:

,
. Alcatuiasca fraze simple despre casa, cumparaturi
. Sa se înteleaga o conversatie foarte simpla
. Sa folosesca corect verbele la timpul prezent
. Sa alcatuiasca propozitii simple folosind vocabularul temelor abordate

3
 UNIT 1

1.About English

English is an international language used by 25% of world population. It is to international

communication what Microsoft is to software. Chinese is used by 726 m people, when English is
spoken by 427, but the role of English in global communication is obvious. English is used by science,
business and mass media. Business accelerates the advance of English language. Terms as Internet.
e-mai! or brainstorming are used aIIover the world inside other languages. .

Students whose native language is not English often have to take courses in a university's ESP
program (English for specific purposes.) These classes are designed to help these learners
performwellacademically.Other Europeans agree that everybody should speak English

Needs Analysis

In order to improve our activity, please answer the following questions

1) Have you studied English before? Where?

2) How much time do you want ro spend on leaming different language skills
?

3) Who do you communicate in English?

4) Which topics are you interested in?
5) How much grammar have You studied before?
6) Do you have a spedal objective for this courxe?
~.

4
 2. Introducing people

Hi, I am Mary answer: Hi Mary, lam John

Hello, my name is Mary answer: Hello Mary, lam John

I am Mary. How are you? answer: My name is John

Hi, how are you? I am Mary answer: Hi, I am John

Hello, I am Dr Smith answer: How do you do

Hello I am John Smith answer: Nice to meet you, Pete

Brown

nswer: Pleased to meet you, Pete

1(\' Hello, I am John Smith a
B
?(JI" , rown

~I f ~/1)Here are some introductions.What are the rightanswen;? If Ihe answer is righl,mari<
~ l4'es. If nof click No

Introduction: Hi, I am Ann.

r r
Answer: Howdo you do? Yes o No
Introduction: Hi, I am Paul.
r< ro'
Answer: How do you do? Yes o No
Introduction: Hello, my name is Mr Blake.
r< .-.
Answer: How do you do? Yes' No
Introduction: Hello, my name is Jane.
C
Answer: Hi Jane, I am Frank. C Yes No
Introduction: Hi, I am Steve.
,....
Î
Answer: How are you Mr Steve? '. Yes No

5
 3. Families
1. Fiiithe gaps with different verb forms
Hello!What your name?
I Jenny, and this is Nick.
He my brother.
We brothers and sisters
He twelve and I twenty. We from Merton
This Henry. He our cousin And this is Chip. It our dog.

2. Draw Ann's family tree. Give names to her parents, brothers, sisters, nephew,
nice, aunt and unele

3.. Complete Ann's description of h-erfamily by writing the correct name in the
gaps. Use your family tree

1 and 2 , my mother and father, (1caII them mum and dad,

by the way), have three children, two daughters, me and 3 , and one
son, 4 . Myolder sister, 5 , is married and has two children,
my niece, 6 , and my nephew, 7 . Her husband's name is 8
. He's my brother-in-Iaw, and he's very nice. My younger brother, 9
, is stil! at school. I have two cousins. One of them, 10 , my
dad's brother's daughter, is a really good friend. The other one, 11 , is
younger than me, and I don't know him very well. He lives in Australia with his
parents, Unele 12 and Aunt 13 . I know aII my other
relatives very well. I visit my grandfather, 14 , and my grandmother, 15
, every. Sunday. I caII them grandad and granny. And my favourite
auntie,16 , who is single, is lots of fun.

3. Read the passage again and tind aII the words that describe people in a family.
Put them in three lists under the following headings.

Male relatives Female relatives Both

e.g. brother

4. Draw your familytree. Include parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts
and uncles, and children - if you have any! Prepare to describe your family to a partner.
Who is married and who is single? Who is nice and who isn't? Who is younger or older
than you?

\.
5. Look at the sentences below. Read them carefully and complete the family tree.
Luke is single.
Mark is divorced.
Karen is engaged to Peter's son.
William is married to one of Claire's children.
Mark's brother is not married.
Claire's youngest son was married, he isn't married at the moment, but he's going to get
married soon.
Peter's wife is not called Sara.
Peter's oldest daughter is called Anne.
John's daughter is Mark's fiancee.

4. Describing people
adapted
@Macmillan Publishers Ud 2005
Downloaded from the vocabulary section in www.oneslopenQlish.com

1. Match the adjectives in A below to the adjectives in B. Example: middleaged

is closest in meaning to old/young:
A 8 C
petite short good-Iookinq
well-built fat stim

overweight young kind

elderlv small of medium heiqht

middle-aqed qenerous skinny
chubbv stronq attractive
muscul.ar thin gorgeous
handsome beautiful plain
biq
mean
ugly
old
taII

2. Which of the words above have a negative, critical meaning?

3. Which of the words in list Acan be used to describe the people below?
a. a man b. a woman
c. a personover 50 d. a personover 70
e. a bodybuilder f. a supermodel

7
 4. Match the adjectives below to the word which means the opposite

taII ancient

weak mean

young small

fat short

beautiful thin

generous old

big strong

new uqly

Describing people, buildings and objects. Appearance (II)

Read the passage below

A young man drove a car into a car park. He hadjust thought how badly lit it
was when a man appeared next to the car and said: "Give me the keys". The
owner of the car reluctantly handed over a large bunch of keys. The car was
driven away at speed. Shortly afterwards, a police officer arrived.

1. Decide whether the statements that follows are TRUE or FALSE

a. The car was driven into the car park

b. The young man parked the car.
c. An old man demandedthe car keys.
d. The car was stolen
e. The police was called after the incident.
;
f. The police arrived after a long time.
g. Three persons are involved in the story.
h. The car was taken by somebody from the garage staff

2. Is the text describing a car robbery? If not what do you think the situation might be?

8
3. Neither the young man nor the other character is described. Imagine how they look
like

4. When the police arrived they asked for a description of the car. Can you make Qne?
Look at the images bellow, pick up a car and describe it. Give reasons for the robbery.

IMAGE 1

IMAGE 2

IMAGE 3

IMAGE 4

9
5. Answer to the following questions:

YOURJOB

What do you do?

How long have you done it for
Did you need to study a lot to do it?
Have always wanted to do this job?
Does anybody else in your family do the same job?
What do you most enjoy about thatjob?
Is there anything else you would like to do?

YOUR HOME TOWN

Do think you will ever live your town?
How long have you lived there?
Has your family lived there for generations?
What is your favourite place in town? Why?
At what time ofthe year the town looks best?
Is it famous for anything?
Can you add something particular about your home town?
What about your home?

TOUR FAMIL Y
Do you come from a big family?
How many brothers or sisters do you have?
Who do you get on with nest of aII?
Are you a close knit family?
What kind ofthings do you do together?
Do you prefer spending time with your family or with your friends?
Do you go on holiday with your family?
Is there anything else you want to add?
Do you live in a big house/an fancy apartment in down town or in the suburbs?
According to your answers you may decide if you identify mostly with your job, your
hometown, or your family? Give arguments.

6. Work with a partner. Make a list of five complains girlfriends and boyfriends make
about each others.

Use some ofthe expressions bellow

Had enough, on my own, we argued just the other night, don't care,
mad at me, talked me out, lovely to somebody,
doesn't understand, nothing can change you, how can she/he be so
stubborn

10
Nowadays one of the most important thing is THE IMAGE

Read the following dictionary note

image / B 'ImldZ / A DOUD***

1. [countor uncount] an opinion that people have about someone or something, which
may not be a true one:
image of: We have an image ofthe US as a very rich country.
shake off/get away from/shed an image: The company needs to shake off its outdated image.
la. the opinion ofyourself, your company, or your communitythat you deliberately try to
create in the minds of other people:
image of: media images of young women
project/present/promotean image: They present an image ofthemselves as experts in this
area.
positive/negative image:The charity is trying to promote positive images of mental handicap.
2. [count] a picture or idea of something in your mind:,the strong visual images of the
. Catholic church
conjure up an image (=create an image): Their name conjures up images of shiny new office
buildings.
mental image: 1had a sudden mental image of Robert waiting for me with flowers.
2a. the picture that you see on a computer or television screen, or in a cinema:
the flickering black-and-white images on the first movie screens
software for manipulating images after you have scanned them
2b. a photograph, painting, or other work of art that represents a person or thing:
Images of strange-lookinganimals are carved into the rocks.
2c. what you see when you look in a mirror: REFLECTION:
Mrs Carson was peering cIosely at her own image in the mirror.
3. [count]a description of somethingthat uses language or combines ideas in an interesting
way:
The book paints an image ofthe human being as alone in a crowded world.
be the image of, to look very much like someone or something

7. Speak about your own image and how important this is to you.

What do you think, to what extend does your society expect boy and girls to fulfill different
rules?

8. This is the title of a famous book. Can you interpret it?

!Menarefrom !Mars
Women arefrom llenus

11
9. Which of the following items do you think can be associated with men and which with
women?

Uniforms, self-help books romance sports c10thes

Communication gadgets power sensibility spirituality
Roughness emotion understanding

Do you identify yourself with some of those aspects?

10. Which are the best /worth qualities for a perfect girl/boy?

Do these sentences refer to boys or women?

1. _ value power and achievements

2. The issue of competence is very important to
3. - values love, communication, beauty and relationships
4. experience fulfillment through sharing and relating
5. feel satisfaction when they win a race, achieve a goal or solve a problem.
6. _take pride in being considerate of needs and feeling of others.
7. _are always doing things to prove themselves and develop their power and skills

Curriculum Vitae

A good CV pushes you to the most desired interview

Personal data
Name
Address
Telephone
Fax
Email
Nationality
Marital status1
Birth date

Profesional experience
Start with your last professional experience -
per iod ,the name of the enterprise, activity, position, main responsibility

1 There are some feminist organizations which argue against the fact that marital status should be
mentioned. They consider it irrelevant for professional environment.

12
Education - the list starts with the most recent institution/course
Personal Skills and Competences- name that skills and describe the way in which
you get them
Technical skills
Managerial skills

Interests
Mention other area of interest in connection with the job you apply for.

fi ·

..
words are useful:
Some people like ta mention their personal characteristics. The following .,

Highly motivated creative friendly sociable excellent communication

skills efficient team-worke:;perform under pressure taking initiatives
Most of us recognise that creating a positive first impression is essential In a
competitive job market. A good CV/resume makes a good impression. Which of the
following aspects are more important?
· Content

· Style
· Lay-out

Arrange the following tips for writing a CV under the headings

Mention your bad points or failure

Sound enthusiastic
Se funny or too formal
Emphasise your good points and embellish them when possible
Sound desperate
Use decorative devisesor lots of different fonts
Check your typing, spelling and pronunciation
Use family or friends as references
Include data
Include irrelevant information
Use real results
Use action verbs
Stating your current salary

13
 DOs DON'Ts

Look at the list of common mistakes.

· Using long sentences
. Focusing on skills/abilities and forgetting about achievements
· Making the document too long
· Using too many character style with the word processor, this becomes
confusing.
Look at the CV bellow. Does it follow the advice given above? There are a lot of gaps
In the example. Write your name at the top and fiII the gaps with real or imaginary
information.
Name
Address
Telephone nr.
Date of birth
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Current employment
_-present(years) (company name) (job title)

··
During my
managing
years at have been responsible for

·· supervising
negotiating contracts

· preparing reports,
planning marketing campaigns
Previous employment

··
_present(years) (company name)
developed a new product_
Planned a marketing campaign
(job title)

EDUCATION
_(year) Type of school (qualification
, car' Type of school (qualification
SKILLS ANO OTHER EXPERIENCE
Computer Skills. Comprehensive knowledge of
Lan!!.ua!!.es.Level (Spoken and written according to the European
Personal and Professional References orovided on reauest

14
Application Letter
Accordingto MacmillanDictionary,application leUers are: a printed list of questions
that you answer in order to try to get a job, borrow money, get a place at university
etc.

A leUerof application, also called Cover lefter accompanies the CV/Resume and
serves both as an introductionof yourself and as a strategy to interest employers to
read your CVand to caIIyou for an interview.2

Application letters are written if you want to

1. get a job
2. get a place in a university course
3. borrow money, open an account at the bank. '1
4. offer a product
Look at the table below to learn about application leUers content.
Present position ( including your work experience)
Qualification/ Education (What sort of school you graduated; Do
you speak any foreign language? Do you have any special skills?
Do you have a post graduate degree?)
Training.

Work Experience - Have you worked in the field? What do you

do at present? (Present responsibilities)
Interests

Make it as attractive as possible and convince the receivers. It is

not your autobiography. Write about what you consider to be
advantageous for you.

Identify the gap in company life and try to

suggest that you can fiII

2 JudithS. VanAlstyne - Professional and Technical Writing Strategies. p 71

15
 5. Describing places

Action 9 Background
Describe places
Ask for and give information
Vocabulary: \Vork in pair". Think ahout thl: main !caturI:" 01 to\\'ns and citil:",
features of a location () LI"I \\'Iad" ;11,,11'l1l.l'o" III"kl 111\"" 1I";1\bn,~'"
Grammar:
question forms Geography Climate People Business activities
-- north wet warm tourist industry
hills windy population fishing

b I )j'Cl!"- 111,' k:ltlll," III II", III\\n ,h:1I \'Ol! ;lIl' li\'Hlg 111, Make noI," 1111

jnlorll1;1I\!ln Ih;1I \\'lIllI1ll:I,"1 \i"l\lIr',

( \Vh;l! do \'\ll! ,hin!.: 1\lllIi", di,ld,,' ;Ihlllli \ \1li I 1\I\\'n:

7 I.ook at thl: photog,raphs l J - 3 I and thl: texls IA - CI hei o\\'o

" \Vh;1\ d" Il1l' plll)I'I,~r;lph, ,h,)\\<
b R,":ld 111l'1,',\1' ql!id,k \\.1I\'h ,';Ilil Il'.\1 \\ ilh ;1 1'11tI10,~r:!ph,
C l~l':ld 111,' 111'1 Il',\1 .I,~;l!I1, 1111\\ l' .-\lIl;1I11,' dllkl,'lll 110111"ollr ,I\\'n I\ll\ 11:'

- The cit)' ol/\Iicantc lies bCl\n:en thl: mountains ami tllc Sl:a 011the
fJ cast coast oi Spain, It h;1S;1 I'opulation oi I()(),OOO ami mOsi oi its
incoll1,' is lrom thc tourist industry, Alicantc has allthe lacilitics 01
a cit)' - slHJps, hars. rcstaurants ami parks - hut moSI IOlirists con1l'
lor the bLllililul hcaches ami thc wonderiul dimatc, The aVera.~e
it., ,.,.
tCll1peratlln: is I X"(~ami there' ;lI'C,102 sunn)' th)'s cacll )'c;1I',

." I
Alicante ;tirport i" 10 kiIOllH.:tn.:sirom thc cit)' centrl:, Four million
peopk use thc airpmt ,'ach year - tourists ami an increasing
)
numbn oi busincss peopk,

1s;lhd and Andr,'\" ;lI'e the m;1I1ager ;lIld depuIY m;lnag,l:r oI W II

Smllh. oile III tl1l' airport shop", Isahd is irum Barcdona, in Spain.
and t\ndrc\\' is British, They \\'ere hoth In Bmain in the carly Il)l)()s
but thL')' movcd to t\licamc alHl opl:ncd thc "hop in \l)l):'),

16
Speaking and Writing: asking tor information Talking point
3 Work În pair", -.....
11 I
i'v\.1kL';1 qll,'''liOI1 101 ",1t"l1 ,111-..\\".. hd,)\\'. \\ill1 :î
:, \
..clL"Il' 11Cc' 10 ;tll tin,'" tl'X""'. lJ..-,' OII,' 01111,'"'' qlll'''liOI1 t.

\\'llI'd,,:

When? How many? Why? Who?

Where? What?

On thc ca,,1 CO;)',1 oi \p;1 111 ,

2()O,OI)()
HCGHI"l' tlK'\" hk,. Ihl' hcachl'" ;1l1d tlle' clim;Hl',
,iO:..
I S" CCI1I1,~la,k.
~ ,(100, I)(){) ;1 \"".1r.
ljmli"',, ;1I1d hll"II1C"" "copie.
Thc mal1agcl ;lI1d dcpulY m;1I1agu oi WH Smith,
From Harcdol1a.
What do YOIl lhink;
In Britail1.
111 1')<)::;.
5 Write ten queslions th;1t you would like to asI<
b Nu\\' writc thc qllc"liol1" du\\'n. Isabel ami Andrew about themselves and about the
shop, Keep your questions until you reach the end
Grammar: question forms of Onil 4. Write the ;lI1swers wlten you arc 1;iven
the in(ormation.
4 Look al your queslÎons from Exercise 3.
a \Vhich \'l'I"h lorm... lolhJ\\' Ihl' qUl'''IIlH1 \\'lIIds in \'our
Writing: giving informatian
quc"tion< vVhal othl'l n:rh tornh 1:;111tullo\\"
quc"tion \\'unl,,: ,I\\;tkc a li,,\. 6 Work in pairs. Prepare a writtcn text for a lOurist
brochure about the Wwn that you arc living in.
When Compare il with the texts of other students. Can
How many (people) you improve yours;
Why
Who
Where
What

b Ho\\" arc the tlllms oI the queslions hei o\\" dillerent

irom each other: Why ;lre the)' diiierent;
. Ho\\' many peopk Ii\"e in Alicantc!
. Wherc tlocs [,,;Ihcl (omC îrom:

c W..ite qucstiol1s ;lhOlIl Ihe ll'xt" un p;lge 6 lor lhese

;1nSWers. Thls IImc, do 1101 usc queslion worLis.
Nu, it isn'l. !\ A/ico11le il! PortI/goi:
Yes, il has.
Ycs, lhcy dn.
Ycs, she is.
No, hl' \\';bn'l.
No, il didn'\.

II p,12 Grammar backup

17
UNIT 2

1. HOUSING

This text describes different types of

houses.

Celtic Houses

The Celts lived in round houses with

thatched roofs of straw or heather.
The walls of their houses were
made from local material. Houses in
the south tended to be made from
wattle (woven wood) and daub
(straw and mud) as there was an
ample supply of wood from the
forests. The houses in the north
were made with large stones held
together with clay. The photographs
below show both types of
houses.

The Celts would light a fire in the

middle of the roundhouse for
cooking and heating. It must
have been very smoky inside.

Most Celts lived in scattered

farming communities surrounded
by a banks with wattle fencing
and a ditch to keep out intruders
and wild animals. Sometimes
groups of houses were built on
the top of hills. These are called
hill-forts.

As well as small communities, there were also large settlements and heavily
defended forts. Colchester was one such large Celtic settlement.

18
Anglo Saxon Houses
We know what Saxons houses may have looked like from excavations of Anglo
Saxon villages, such as the one at West Stow in the east of England. Here, an early
Anglo-Saxon village (c.420-650AD) has been carefully reconstructed where it was
excavated. Using clues from the what was discovered, archeologists have
reconstructed the houses as they may have looked about 1,500 years ago.

We know that the Saxons built mainly in wood, although some of their stone
churches remain.

Anglo-Saxons houses were huts made of wood with roofs thatched with straw. Much
of Britain was covered with forests. The Saxons had plenty of wood to use.

There was only one room where everybody ate,

cooked, slept and entertained thetr friends. The
biggest house in an Anglo Saxon village was the
Hali, the Chiefs house. He lived there with his
warriors. The houses were built facing the sun to
get as much heat and light as possible. The Hali
was long, wide and smoky, with the fire on a
stone in the middJe. The smoke from the fire
escaped through a hole in the reof.