Preparation for the Test - Module 7

ENGLISH WORKSHEET PREPARATION FOR THE TEST MODULE 7 - YOUNG PEOPLE AND CONSUMERISM I - Reading Comprehension Skills Read the following text carefully.

Eating to live, living to eat

5

10

15

20

Why, then, are our habits changing? The reasons are roughly the same both in Portugal and other parts of the world. For one thing, more and more women go out to work and they don’t have time or disposition to prepare elaborate meals when they come back home. And for another, TV, films, documentaries, books and magazines have helped spread typical national courses all over the world. Fast food and take-away restaurants are also more and more popular too. When time is a most valuable possession, fast service is something to be valued. So, it is only natural that also in Portugal fast food is a flourishing investment. Young people in particular are very keen on it and they are always ready to have a pizza, a burger, a special sandwich. American names with an international flavour, like Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut can be found all over the world. What makes fast food restaurants so popular? It seems that the reasons are very similar everywhere: they provide quick, informal service, the food is fairly cheap, you are clearly informed about variety and price. Besides, the restaurants are usually very clean and have a relaxing atmosphere, in spite of the large number of customers. However, more and more people worry about fast food. They think it is not healthy, it makes you fat because of its high calorie level and low nutritional value. Additives, very common in a lot of food, are thought to cause allergies, nervous disorders and other serious consequences in certain users. So, many people, especially those in their mid-thirties, are replacing fast food, steak and sweet desserts by high fibre foods and low fat foods, such as salads, beans and fruit. And this is as true in New York as in Lisbon or Manchester. (abridged and adapted)

A – Say what / who the following words refer to. 1 – our (line 1) 2 – they (line 9) 3 – it (line 18) B – From line 13 to line 21 find the opposites of the following words. 1 – different 2 – expensive 3 – thin

Teacher Elsa Maximiano

1/3 Published on “Teacher Elsaʼs Blog” at teacherelsasblog.wordpress.com

ENGLISH WORKSHEET PREPARATION FOR THE TEST MODULE 7 - YOUNG PEOPLE AND CONSUMERISM C – Decide if the following statements are TRUE or FALSE. Quote from the text to support your answers. 1 – In Portugal fast food is a good investment. 2 – Young people like fast food very much. 3 – Fast food restaurants provide expensive food. 4 - American fast food restaurants have been expanding worldwide. 5 - These restaurants are very popular, so sometimes they are not very welcoming or clean. D – Complete the following sentences according to the text. DO NOT QUOTE FROM THE TEXT. 1 – People’s eating habits are changing because... 2 – Some examples of American fast food restaurants are... 3 – Fast food restaurants have become very popular because... 4 – Although fast food restaurants are very popular, there are people who... 5 - People in their thirties are substituting fast food...

II - LANGUAGE AWARENESS A - Put in little, a little, few or a few. 1 – We didn’t have any money but Tom had __________. 2 – He doesn’t speak much English. Only __________. 3 – She’s not popular. She’s got __________ friends. 4 – Hurry up! We’ve got __________ time. 5 – This is not the first time the car has broken down. It has happened __________ times before. B – Choose the sentence which has got a double comparative. 1 – Tweens are becoming more important consumers. 2 – Children are more selective now than they were in the past. 3 – Advertising campaigns are getting more and more interesting. 4 – Children are greater consumers than adults. 5 – Shopping at markets is better than buying at supermarkets. C – Gerund or infinitive? Circle the correct form. 1 – He agreed to speak / speaking about his problem. 2 – This is very important. We can’t afford to make / making a mistake. 3 – They are keen on to shop / shopping at traditional commerce. 4 – They seem to be / being very stressed today. 5 – I saw Frank to buy / buying a new sweater yesterday.

Teacher Elsa Maximiano

2/3 Published on “Teacher Elsaʼs Blog” at teacherelsasblog.wordpress.com

ENGLISH WORKSHEET PREPARATION FOR THE TEST MODULE 7 - YOUNG PEOPLE AND CONSUMERISM D – Complete the text on consumerism and advertising with the words from the box below. It is commonplace to observe that 1) ______ has become the religion of our time with 2) _____ its holy text. Advertising often turns people into 3) ____. Women’s bodies - and men’s bodies too these days - are 4)____ and used to sell everything. 5) ____ is deeply affected. 6)_____ spend enormous amounts of money an psychological research. They use this knowledge to 7) _____ children, to encourage all people to 8)_____ more. The consumer culture 9)_____ us not only to buy more but also to seek our identity and 10)_____ through what we buy, to express our 11)_____ through our ‘choices’ of products. But at best the 12)____ can never deliver the promised goods. self-image

packaged

advertisers

possessions

individuality

persuades

consume

objects

advertising

consumerism

fulfilment

target

E – With the suffixes given, build nouns from the words below. -ism

-ship

-ment

-ion

-ness

-hood

advert

friend

critic

satisfy

aware

great

relation

neighbour

transform

consumer

attach

propose

F – Use the word in brackets to form one other word to complete the text. Your 1)_____ (responsible) as a trainee It is up to you to commit to your 2) ____ (place). The 3)____ (place) has to be the right one for you; try to get a 4) ___ (feel) for the 5)____(organise) and its work. Whatever programme you select, its 6) ____ (succeed) will depend upon the 7)___ (participate) and 8)___ (organise) having a clear 9)____ (understand) of their respective 10)___ (responsible). Deciding on the right 11) ____ (organise) and programme can prove to be difficult. There are some things that you may want to consider before making the final 12)___ (decide). G – Join the sentences using the words given in brackets. 1 – He ran to the station because he wanted to catch the train. (in order to) 2 – She wrote down my mobile number because she didn’t want to forget it. (in order not to) 3 – I told him the prices. I wanted him to make his holidays arrangements (so that) 4 – Some parents talk a lot with their children. They want to teach them how to be responsible consumers. (so as to) Good work!!!! 5 – Don´t make such noise! I want to listen to the news. (so that) Teacher Elsa Maximiano

3/3 Published on “Teacher Elsaʼs Blog” at teacherelsasblog.wordpress.com