LUONG THE VINH HIGH 

SCHOOL       IMPROVING EXERCISE – E10

UNIT 1: MY FAMILY LIFE
LANGUAGE FOCUS
Phonetics
Consonant clusters /tr/, /kr/ and /br/: trash, create, breakfast ...
Grammar
Review: the present simple Vs the present continuous
I am thinking about grandmother. We hardly ever visit her. Let's visit her tomorrow.
Why are you smelling the food? Do you think it has gone off?
Vocabulary
Words to talk about household chores and roles in the family: homemaker, nurture, lay the table...
PRACTICE TEST UNIT 1
I. PHONETICS
1. Find the word which has a different sound in the part underlined.
1. A. homemaker B. family C. grateful D. table
2. A. nursing B. nurture C. turn D. future
3. A. society B. sociable C. groceries D. finance
4. A. heavy B. breadwinner C. cleaning D. breakfast
5. A. laundry B. iron C. ingredient D. cream
6. A. brothers B. cousins C. works D. areas
7. A. neighbors B. friends C. relatives D. photographs
2. Choose the word which has a different stress pattern from the others.
8. A. breadwinner B. homemaker C. washing-up D. equally
9. A. routine B. laundry C. household D. finance
10. A. enormous B. extended C. ungrateful D. elderly
11. A. vulnerable B. psychologist C. society D. responsible
12. A. grocery B. enormous C. consumption D. financial
II. GRAMMAR
1. Complete the sentences using the Present Simple or the Present Continuous.
1. I (leave) _____ ____ home at 7 o'clock every morning.
2. She (work) __ ___ in the Sales Department in London, but at the moment she (do) __-------- __ a training course in
Bristol.
3. Linda (clean) _____ _____ her house every weekend.
4. He (try) ____ ______very hard in every game that he (play) __________.
5. Excuse me. I think that you (sit) _____ _______ in my seat.
6. (you, listen) _______ to the radio very often?
7. Don't talk to me now. I (write) ______ ________ an important letter.
8. Why (they, drive) _____ _______ on the left in Britain?
9. It usually (rain) ___ _____ here a lot, but it (not rain) _____ ____ now.
10. What are you doing? - I (bake) _____ _______ a cake at the moment
11. A: What ________! (you/ do)?
B: I ________ (write) to my parents. I ________ (write) to them every weekend.
12. A: Look, it ________ (snow).
B: It’s beautiful! This is the first time I’ve ever seen snow. It ________ (not snow) in my country.
13. A: Oh, that’s Adrian. He’s new here.
B: Really? Where ________ (he/ live)? ________ (you/ know)?
A: Yes. He ________ (live) in Milan, but now he ________ (stay) with his aunt on Shirley Road.
14. A: What time ________ (you/ usually/ finish) work?
B: Normally I ______ (finish) work at five o’clock, but this week I ________ (work) until six to earn a bit more
money.
15. A: How ________ (you/ travel) to work?
B: I haven’t got a car at the moment, so I _____ (go) to work on the bus this week. Usually I ________ (drive) to
work.
16. A: I think we’re going the wrong way.
B: I don’t think so. The sun ________ (rise) in the east, remember. It’s behind us, so we ________ (travel) west.
17. A: (you/ look) ________ for someone?
 B: Yes, I ________ (need) to speak to Neil. Is he in?
A: Yes, but I ________ (think) he’s busy. He ________ (talk) to the boss at the moment.
18. A: I (want) a new computer. I (save) up to buy one.
B: But computers ________ (cost) so much money. What’s wrong with the one we’ve got?
A: It ________ (get) out of date now.
19. A: Your new dress ________ (look) very nice.
B: Thank you. The trouble is it ________ (not/ fit) properly. I ________ (not/ know) why I bought them, really.
20. A: What ________ (you/ do)?
B: I ________ (taste) the sauce. It ________ (taste) too salty.
2. Fill in with the Present Simple or the Present Continuous
1 A: I ________ (think) about visiting Jane this afternoon.
B: I wouldn’t bother. I ________ (think) she’s away on holiday.
2. A: Mr. Jones ________ (have) a telephone message from his wife.
B: Can it wait? He ________ (have) a business meeting and I don’t want to disturb him.
3. A: The police ________ (still/ look) for fingerprints.
B: It ________ (look) as if they won’t find the criminal.
4. A: Why ________ (you/ taste) the soup? Is there any wrong with it?
B: Yes, it ________ (taste) too sweet. I think you’ve used sugar instead of salt.
5. A: Why ________ (you/see) the baby’s forehead, Mum?
B: I think she’s got a temperature. She ________ (feel) rather hot.
6. A: I ________ (see) my boss about a pay rise this afternoon.
B: I ________ (see). That’s why you’re wearing a suit and tie.
7. A: Why ________ (you/ smell) the inside of your car?
B: Because it ________ (smell) of petrol and I want to check for leaks.

III. VOCABULARY
1. Fill in each blank with the correct word/phrase from the box.
breadwinner heavy lifting iron chores .responsibilities
.share .nurture homemaker groceries .laundry

1. If your partner has agreed to buy the ________, you might plan the week’s meals and make the shopping list.
2. As a housewife, she stays at home and ____ her children. She takes care of them, feeds them and protects them to
develop.
3. Past studies have shown that couples who ________ household chores report feeling happier overall.
4. Couples who share ________ at home are happier overall.
5. It takes a housewife a lot of time to ________ clothes for the household.
6. I have watched my husband and children take over much of my role as a ________.
7. The husband replaced the light bulbs while the wife did the ________.
8. Nowadays in nuclear families, homemaker and ________ roles have evolved into something that makes it impossible
to define exactly.
9. Many couples find that they look at the division of ________ differently.
10.Men and boys do most of the ________ in the family
2. Word form: Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
1. To be fair, we need to divide the tasks .................. 6. Her ....... to the company is enormous. CONTRIBUTE
EQUAL 7. In order to maintain peace, we should not be ........... of
2. My mom and dad are checking the ......................... for each other. CRITICIZE
their gold wedding anniversary. PREPARE 8. I want to see the very cute and lovely children at ..........
3. Heavy lifting is an action which requires................ school. NURSE
strength. PHYSIC 9. Mary and her husband always join hands in ............ their
4. It is good for them as individuals and good for all daughters. EDUCATE
the ............ within the family. RELATE 10. A person will be considered ..................... if he or she
5. ................ say that a lot of young people are not aware of does not take good care of his or her parents. GRATE
these advantages. PSYCHOLOGY
3. Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. Do you have to do ________?
A. the mess B. your bed C. the washing-up D. the cook
2. My mother ________ the responsibility for running the household.
A. holds B. takes C. runs D. bears
3. We share the house with our grandparents and our uncle’s family. It is a(n) _________family.
A. nuclear B. extended C. crowded D. multi-generation
4. Are you free on Sunday evening? I’d like to ________ to the cinema?
A. ask you B. ask out you C. ask you out D. ask you away
5. My mother is very good at ________ her time between work and family.
A. leaving B. splitting C. sharing D. taking
6. When a couple can ________ chores in a way that both spouses feel satisfied with the outcome, they are showing
mutual respect for one another.
A. cut B. run C. take D. divide
7. The children, all three, have done__________, mopped, dusted, helped on the house and in the yard
A. laundry B. clothes C. groceries D. rubbish
8. My responsibility is to wash the dishes and ________the rubbish.
A. take up B. get out C. get up D. take out
9. The father typically works outside the home while the mother is ________domestic duties such as homemaking and
raising children
A. suitable for B. capable of C. responsible for D. aware of
10.When both our parents go on business, our next-door neighbours come and ________ with the cooking
A. help out B. help us out C. help out us D. help us in
11.A healthy_______ between work and play ensures that everyone has a chance to enjoy their lives.
A. balance B. equality C. share D. control
12.One of the ways we ________ our teenager’s needs as parents is by giving them attention.
A. watch B. solve C. share D. meet
Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the
following questions
13.We always split the housework equally - my mom cooks, my dad cleans the house and I do the washing-up.
A. join B. break C. share D. pick up
14.We’re surprised to hear that his musical talent was nurtured by their loving parents when he was a child.
A. abandoned B. limited C. fostered D. restricted
15. In spite of poverty, we manage to raise our children properly.
A. give up B. go up C. make up D. bring up
16. In the 20th century, most of the traditional attitudes to remarriage are changing.
A. conventional B. contemporary C. latest D. new
Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the
following questions.
17. From my point of view, parental divorce can cause lasting negative consequences for children.
A. beginning of a marriage B. the situation of not marrying
C. single person D. ending of a marriage
18. It is important to create a daily routine so as to improve your work-life balance today.
A. a situation in which two or more things are not treated the same
B. a state that things are of equal weight or force
C. a state that things are of importance
D. a situation that things change frequently in amount
19. Ms. Lan taught her children to keep their rooms neat and tidy when they were four.
A. ordered and untidy B. messy and arranged C. messy and dirty D. clean and undusted
IV. READING
1. Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage.
Working Mothers
In the United States today, more than half of mothers with young children work, compared to about one third
(1) _____1970s. Women have been moving into the workforce not only for career (2) _____but also for the
income.
In many families today, mothers continue to work because they have careers that they have spent years
(3)______.Some women (4)_____to work soon after (5)_____ birth because they know that most employers are
not sympathetic to working mothers who wish to take time off to be with their young children.
Some people still think that a “good mother” is one who (6) _____work to stay home with her children.
However, no scientific evidence says children are harmed when their mothers work. A child who is emotionally
well adjusted, well loved, and well cared for will thrive regardless of (7) _____the mother works outside the
home.
In most families with working mothers, each person (8) _____ a more active role in the household. The children
tend to (9) _____one another and help in other ways. The father as a (10) _____is more likely to help with
household chores and child rearing. These positive outcomes are most likely when the working mother feels
valued and supported by family, friends, and coworkers.
1. A. in B. in the C. at D. at the
2. A. enjoy B. satisfy C. satisfaction D. pleasant
3. A. develop B. to develop C. developing D. developed
4. A. return B. turn C. happen again D. exchange
5. A. producing B. making C. taking D. giving
6. A. gives up B. stop C. end D. puts up
7. A. where B. when C. how D. whether
8. A. plays B. does C. makes D. takes
9. A. look at B. look after C. look for D. look up
10. A. bread B. breadwinning C. breadstick D. breadwinner

2. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

Building positive family relationships
The ordinary, everyday things that families do together can help build strong relationships with teenagers. Regular
family meals are' a great chance for everyone to chat about their day, or about interesting things that are going on or
coming up. If parents encourage everyone to have a say, no one will feel they’re being put on the spot to talk. Also, many
families find that meals are more enjoyable when the TV isn’t turned on! We should all take turns choosing outdoor
activities for our families. A relaxing holiday or weekend away together as a family can also build togetherness.
One-on-one time with the child gives the parents the chance to stay connected and enjoy each other’s company. It can
also be a chance to share thoughts and feelings.
Parents should celebrate the child’s accomplishments, share his disappointments, and I show interest in his hobbies.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of showing up to watch the child play sport or music, or giving him a lift to extracurricular
activities.
Family traditions, routines and rituals can help parents and their children set aside regular dates and special times. For
example, we might have a movie night together, a favorite meal or cooking session on a particular night, a family games
afternoon or an evening walk together.
Agreed household responsibilities give kids of all ages the sense that they’re making an important contribution to
family life. These could be things like chores, shopping or helping older or younger members of the family.
1. Regular family meals are a great chance for everyone_______
A. to have an opportunity share their daily activities. B. to talk about TV programmers during the meal.
C. to have the spot to talk about . D. to talk about interesting things that are coming
soon.
2. The following things are true about outdoor activities for our families EXCEPT______________
A. all family members try to find out suitable activities. B. they should be held on holidays or at weekends.
C. they offer a chance to share secret thoughts and feelings. D. they offer the pleasant feeling of being united.
3. Parents can show their attention to their child by all these things EXCEPT________
A. watching the child play sport or music. B. giving him a lift to extracurricular activities.
C. having a movie night together. D. setting aside regular dates to do housework.
4. Children who share household chores with their parents will________
A. enjoy each other’s company.
B. make the family life better.
C. be given a chance to do extracurricular activities.
D. have a family games afternoon or an evening walk together.
5. The main idea of the passage is________
A. to give advice on staying connected and enjoying each other’s company.
B. how to share household chores between family members.
C. to offer pieces of advice to improve family relationships.
D. the important role of family traditions, routines and rituals.
V. WRITING
1. Find and correct mistakes
1. As the air is rising, it becomes cooler and the water vapor inside it changes into droplets of water.
A B C D
2. From the graphs, we can see that the number of employees employed by this firm increases each year.
A B C D
3. My father drives me to school every morning, but this week I go by bus.
A B C D
4. People feel secure when they know that their physical needs are being made and that they are protected and safe from
harm. A B C D
5. Each family member need to develop certain traits and skills and then practice being a strong and supportive
A B C
member of the family.
D
2. Write complete sentences using the words/ phrases given in their correct forms. You can add some more necessary
words, but you have to use all the words given.
1. Family members/ divide/ household chores/ based/ who/ better/ doing them.
2. For example/ the wife/ cook/ dinner/ and then/ the husband/ clean/ kitchen
3. We also/ divide chores/ based/ consideration/ love
4. The one/ who/ arrive/ home earlier/ cook the meal/ and the others/ lay/ table/ or do/ washing up.
5. Parents/ train/ children/ help with housework/ and/ most cases/ they/ willing/ give a hand.
6. Family rules / important / teach children values / respect for themselves and others.
7. Family rules / help / raise children / run a household / easier and smoother.
8. My mother / definitely a traditional stay-at-home woman / offer / us / great love and a strict upbringing.
9. everyone in my family / do the share / household chores.
10. We / not allow / go out in the evening / make / finish all homework / go to bed.
3. Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meaning, using the given words.
1. It's a long time since he last called me.
He hasn't ______ _______
2. When did he get the job?
How long ago ________
3. I advise you to book a table in advance.
If I __________ ___________
4. I don't want to tell them the secret.
I would rather _______ _______
5. It is the duty of young people to take care of their elderly parents
Young people are ____
6. We wanted to get good seats so we arrived early.
In order ________
7. It took her nearly an hour to do the crossword.
She spent ____________
8. The policeman made him confess after three days.
He was _________ _________________