Christmas story - Simple Past practice + other tenses

The Christmas Truce
by David G. Stratman

From his book We Can Change the World

It (be) (1)___________________ December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, (disobey) (2)___________________ their superiors and fraternized with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front (a crime punishable by death in times of war). German troops (hold) (3)___________________ Christmas trees up out of the trenches with signs, "Merry Christmas."

"You no shoot, we no shoot." Thousands of troops (stream) (4)___________________ across a no-man's land strewn with rotting corpses. They (sing) (5)___________________ Christmas carols, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, (share) (6)___________________ rations, played football, even roasted some pigs. Soldiers embraced men they (try) (7)___________________ to kill a few short hours before. They (agree) (8)___________________ to warn each other if the top brass forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.

A shudder (run) (9)___________________ through the high command on either side. Here was disaster in the making: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals on both sides (declare) (10)___________________ this spontaneous peace-making to be treasonous and subject to court martial. By March 1915 the fraternization movement (eradicate) (11)___________________ and the killing machine put back in full operation. By the time of the armistice in 1918, fifteen million would be slaughtered.

Not many people (hear) (12)___________________ the story of the Christmas Truce. On Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston Globe (mention) (13)___________________ that a local FM radio host played "Christmas in the Trenches," a ballad about the Christmas Truce, several times and was startled by the effect. The song (become) (14)___________________ the most requested recording during the holidays in Boston on several FM stations. "Even more startling than the number of requests I (get) (15)___________________ is the reaction to the ballad afterward by callers who (not/hear) (16)___________________ it before," said the radio host. "They telephone me deeply moved, sometimes in tears, asking, 'What the hell did I just hear?' "

You can probably guess why the callers (be) (17)___________________ in tears. The Christmas Truce story (go) (18)___________________ against most of what we have been taught about people. It (give) (19)___________________ us a glimpse of the world as we wish it could be and says, "This really happened once." It reminds us of those thoughts we (keep) (20)___________________ hidden away, out of range of the TV and newspaper stories that tell us how trivial and mean human life (be) (21)___________________. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really (be) (22)___________________ true: the world really could be different.

Story retrieved from: http://www.wanttoknow.info/i/christmas-stories/inspirational-christmas-story

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Claire's routine - Simple Present Tense

Image from Skillshare.com

Listen to Claire, a teacher, talk about her daily routine.
As you listen complete the quiz below.

Daily routine - Simple Present tense 1

What activities do you do daily?  Do you do some exercise every day?  Do you go to work by bus or by car?  What do you do after work?  Do you cook your own dinner?  How often do you read the newspaper?

In our lives we normally do the same things every day.  This is our routine.


In the video below you'll see a teacher, Sam, talking about his routine.
Watch the video and then complete the text about him.

Original video from British Council

Daily routine - Simple Present tense

When we talk about our daily routine, we use verbs conjugated in the Simple Present tense.
The idea is that we usually do the same things every day.  It's our routine or habit.
When we want to express this idea (of our routine) in English, we use the Simple Present tense.

For example:
I get up at 6.30 from Monday to Friday.
I have a shower and then I get dressed.
After that, I have a big breakfast with milk and cereal and fruit.
I leave for work at about 7.30.
I start work at 8 and I finish work at 4.
After work I do some exercise.
Sometimes I have dinner at home, but sometimes I go out with my friends.
I usually go to bed at about 11.30.

The video below shows a teacher, Kim, talking about her routine.
Watch the video and answer the questions about Kim.

Image belongs to FunnyChill.com

Original video from British Council

Numbers - Listening activity

Learning the numbers in English is not difficult, but you need a lot of practice with them.

In this post you can practise numbers in English with a listening activity.

1. 50% of our production represents ______ units.
1,575,000
2, 575,000
2,525,000
5,575,000



2. The invoice amount is US$ _______.
47,318.59
47, 803.59
74,308.59
47,308.59



3. The number of employees in our factory is ______.
3,690
3,960
3,916
6,960



4. Sales this month are up by _____ per cent.
4.905
4.509
5.509
9.509



5. The price of the tickets is _____ euros.
23,450
20,450
12,450
2,450

Score =
Correct answers:

Spring - Idioms

Spring Idioms

Spring has just started in my country, Argentina.  Argentina is located in South America, so our spring time runs from September to December.

There are some interesting idiomatic expressions related to this wonderful time of the year.  Some of them, because they're in English, refer to Spring as happening in the months of March, April and May.

A ray of sunshine	a person who brings joy when he or she arrives
April showers bring May flowers	the rain is necessary to allow the plants to come back to life after winter
Be full of the joys of spring	to be very happy
Butterflies in my stomach	feeling nervous about something
Hope springs eternal	People will keep on hoping, no matter what the odds
Late bloomer	a person who finally develops a skill later than others
March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb	March begins with colder weather but then the temperature warms up and the snow melts
No spring chicken	no longer a young person
Spring fever	to feel restless from the long cold winter and to be full of joy that the spring has arrived
Spring into action	To suddenly start doing something
Spring to life	to become suddenly alive or more alive
Spring to one’s feet	to stand up quickly
Spring up	to appear or develop suddenly; to sprout
The grass is always greener on the other side	to think that an alternative will be better, even though it probably won’t be

 
 

Adelante Africa - Reading and gap-fill exercise

Do you know any organization that helps children at risk?
Do you support any organization that works to support children at risk around the world?

There is one NGO called Adelante Africa that works hard to help children in Uganda to have an education, but most importantly to have a better life.

You can read about how it all started in the article below.  As you read you can practise your English completing the blanks with the missing words.

Passive voice - practice

The quote in the image shows an example of the Passive Voice.

The following exercise provides practice for Passive voice.




You can find more practice in this link.

The history of tennis - Reading

The history of tennis

Tennis is believed to have its origins thousands of years ago.  There seem to be indicators suggesting that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans played games that can be considered precursors to tennis.  However, there is more substantial evidence since around 1000.  At that time, French monks began playing a kind of ball game against their monastery walls, or over a rope hung across a courtyard.  This game was called ‘je de paume’ (game of the hand).  According to this theory, the word ‘tennis’ comes from the French word ‘tenez’, which means ‘to take’.  The monks would shout the word ‘tenez’ while they served the ball.

The game grew in popularity over the years, adopted by the nobility throughout Europe.  Apparently, the game became so popular that by the 13^th century there were about 1,800 indoor courts.  Authorities, such as the Pope, or King Louis IV,  tried in vain to ban the game.

In England, both Henry VII and Henry VIII were avid tennis fans and commissioned the building of many courts across the country.

As the game became more popular, it evolved.  Courtyard playing areas became indoor courts; the balls, which were initially made of wood, became softer and bouncier and they were made of leather and filled with cellulose material.  The game was originally played using the hand, but over time people began wearing a glove, later a webbing attached to a handle, and by 1500, a wooden frame racquet laced with sheep gut was in common use.  The ball at that time was a cork ball weighing about three ounces.

However, the game of ‘court’ or ‘real’ tennis, as it is referred to today, was totally different to the sport we know today.  The game’s popularity decreased during the 1700s, but after Charles Goodyear invented a process for rubber called vulcanisation, the tennis balls were made with this material and became much bouncier.  The game could be played outdoors on grass, and that was the foundation for modern tennis.

Croquet was widely played in England at that time, providing a ready supply of smooth outdoor courts, which could be easily adapted for tennis.  This ‘marriage’ between croquet and tennis was strengthened when the All England Club Croquet decided to hold the first Wimbledon tennis tournament in 1877.  The event was initially organized to raise money to fix something at the club.  However, it soon evolved into the most prestigious tennis event in the entire world.  The club changed its name to the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.

Wimbledon and tennis have not changed much since that first tournament.  The rules have remained virtually the same, with the only major change of the introduction of the tiebreak rule in 1971.

Adapted from: http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-football-tennis/history-of-tennis

1. Tennis is believed ...
to have its origins n France, in a monastery.
to have its origins in ancient societies.
to have been born 1,000 years ago.

2. Why is the name of the game associated with the French language?
Because, when the French monks served the ball, they shouted 'tenez'.
Because the monks called the game 'tennis', which comes from 'tenez'.
Because the French monks used the word 'tenez' to refer to the game.

3. How was the game originally played?
Using a kind of racquet with sheep gut.
Using the hand.
Using a glove.

4. What invention made it possible for the game to be important again?
The racquet and the cork ball.
A process for rubber vulcanisation.
An indoor court.

5. Why was there a 'marriage' between croquet and tennis?
Because since Wimbledon, croquet lost importance.
Because croquet clubs started to offer tennis.
Because the croquet clubs provided a ready supply of outdoor courts, making it possible to host tennis tournaments.

Score =
Correct answers: