Reading exercise

Paco has just arrived in New Delhi, India. He had bought a guide book about this surprising country before leaving Kenya. At the airport in Nairobi, he had to wait for a long time, so he had been reading the book for more than two hours by the time the plane took off. He was relaxed on the plane and tried to sleep, but he couldn't. He had been sleeping for too long the night before. The book was so amusing that he continued reading it to learn more about India. He read about the Taj Mahal. He also read some anecdotes about two English writers born in India, Rudyard Kipling and E.M. Forster. Kipling had been working for a newspaper for some time before he was fired. "You should look for a different job", the editor told him. "You can't use the English language properly", he added. Paco smiled when he read that. He could not believe it. "How is it possible?", Paco wondered, "It can't be true".

Another section of the guide book dealt with Indian cuisine. He read that Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe. According to the book, it has become such a popular cuisine that it has spread throughout North America and Europe in a few years. In fact, in 2003, there were as many as 10,000 restaurants serving Indian cuisine in England and Wales alone. "Is there an Indian restaurant in every street?", Paco wondered. He went on reading: A survey held in 2007 revealed that more than 1,200 Indian food products have been introduced in the United States since 2000. According to Britain's Food Standards Agency, the Indian food industry in the United Kingdom is worth £3.2 billion, accounts for two-thirds of all eating out. "How many customers do you think it serves every week?", the president of the agency asked. "It serves about 2.5 million British customers every week", he said. "Indian cuisine must be fantastic", Paco thought. He had already tried it in the United Kingdom, but, "it must taste better in India", he said to himself.

Answer the following questions:

1. According to the text, did Kipling stop working in the newspaper voluntarily? Explain your answer briefly.

2. According to the text, do Indian restaurants serve more customers in Britain than other restaurants? Explain your answer briefly.

Example exerciseIn the passage there are several sentences in the Past Perfect Continuous tense. Underline them!

Important

Remember that since this is a compound tense, questions and negative statements are very easily formed.

Affirmative statement Negative statement Question

...he had been reading the book...

...he had not (hadn't) been reading the book...

had he been reading the book...?

He had been sleeping for too long...

He had not (hadn't) been sleeping for too long...

Had he been sleeping for too long...?

Kipling had been working for a...

Kipling had not (hadn't) been working for a...

Had Kipling been working for a...?

 

Quite frequently, you are asked to write one given-sentence from the text in a different tense and form. Let's practice it with the tenses we have already studied.

Write the following sentence in the forms and tenses asked in the chart: "Another section of the guide book dealt with Indian cuisine".

 

Form and tense Answer

Interrogative negative

Interrogative of the Present Simple

Present Perfect

Interrogative

Negative of the Past Perfect

Interrogative of the Present Perfect

Interrogative negative of the Past Perfect

On other occasions, you are asked to transform direct speech into indirect speech. Indirect or reported speech is normally used to re-tell what someone said, asked, or ordered in the past.

 

Match the following direct sentences from the passage with their correspondent indirect ones.

 

a."You should look for a different job", the editor told him.

1.Paco thought Indian cuisine had to be fantastic.

b."You can't use the English language properly", he added.

2.He said it served about 2.5 million British customers every week.

c. "How is it possible?", Paco wondered. 3.He added he couldn't use the English language properly.

d."Is there an Indian restaurant in every street?", Paco wondered.

4.Paco wondered if/whether there was an Indian restaurant in every street.

e."How many customers do you think it serves every week?", the president of the agency asked.

5.The editor told him he should look for a different job.

f."It serves about 2.5 million British customers every week", he said.

6.He said to himself it had to taste better in India.

g."Indian cuisine must be fantastic", Paco thought.

7. Paco wondered how it was possible.

h."...it must taste better in India", he said to himself.

8.The president of the agency asked how many customers I thought it served every week.

Can you recognize all the sentences with a modal verb in the passage? Locate five of them and fill in the chart taking into account its use!

 

 

Use Sentence

Ability

Possibility

Advice

Deduction

  

Important

Another question in the exam asks you to say something to someone in a concrete situation strongly related to the topic of the passage

provided in the text. In these situation exercises, you normally need modal verbs. Let's see an example.Example exercise

Question: Imagine a friend of yours doesn't want to have dinner at an Indian restaurant. Advise him/her to try and give him/her a good reason for doing so.

Possible answer: Why don't you want to go to an Indian restaurant to have dinner? You should/ought to go and taste Indian food. It is very spicy, but it's worth it. It tastes great!

Now, it is time for you to try. Answer the following questions.

1. Imagine a friend of yours is afraid of flying. Tell him/her he should not be afraid and give him/her a reason why.

2. Imagine you see someone throwing food in a dustbin. Tell him/her not to do so and give him/her a reason why.

8. Further practice

Modal verbs are unlike other verbs. They do not change their form (spelling) and they have no infinitive or participle (past/present).

Modals are auxiliary verbs. They do not need an additional auxiliary in negatives or questions:

He shouldn't smoke so much. CORRECT

He doesn't should smoke so much. WRONG

1: modal verbs

Modal verbs include can, could, must, ought to, may, might, will, would, shall, should. They are used with other verbs to express ability, obligation, possibility, .... Here you have a list showing the most useful modals and their most common meanings.

Modal verb Meaning Example

can to express ... I can speak three languages.

can to request ... Can I close the window?

may to express... I may be home late tonight.

may to request ... May I go to the bathroom, please?

must to express ... We must be there before ten.

must to express ... She must be over 18 years old.

should to give... You should give up smoking.

would to express ... Would you like a cup of coffee now?

would conditional ... If I were you, I would ask permission before.

Give one of the following meanings to each modal verb:

ability, advice, permission, conditional sentences, possibility, obligation, offer, strong belief

CAN

The modal verb can is one of the most commonly used modal verbs in English. It can be used to express ability or opportunity, to request or offer permission and to show possibility or impossibility.

1) My little sister can ride on horseback.

2) You can stay at my place in London if you want to.

3) She cannot stay out after midnight.

4) Can you pass me the salt, please?

5) It can often rain at this time of year.

 

 Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb CAN:

opportunity, request, permission, ability, possibility 

COULD

The modal verb could is used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. Could is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of can.

1) Bad weather conditions could cancel a lot of flights.

2) My brother could play chess like a master at the age of 8.

3) We could order a pizza and eat it at home or go out for dinner.

4) Could I borrow your car today? Mine has suddenly broken down.

5) We could go for a walk if it didn't rain.

 Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb COULD:

suggestion, possibility, request, conditional, past ability

MAY

The modal verb may is most commonly used to express possibility. It can also be used to give or request permission, although this usage is becoming less common.

1) My sister Sonia may be now at home or at the university.

2) You may leave the classroom when you finish the exam.

3) May I use your dictionary now?

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb MAY:

give permission, possibility, request permission

MIGHT

The modal verb might is most commonly used to express possibility. It is also often used in conditional sentences. English speakers can use might to make suggestions or requests, too, although this is less common in American English. 

1) If I were a millionaire, I might travel around the world all the time. 

2) Might I use your telephone? 

3) We might be wrong when we say that about her. 

4) You might do a bit more work around the house.  Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb MIGHT:

suggestion, possibility, request, conditionalMUST

The modal must is most commonly used to express certainty. It can also be used to express necessity or strong recommendation, although native speakers prefer the more flexible form have to.

Must not can be used to prohibit actions, but it may sound very strong; speakers prefer to use softer modal verbs such as should not or ought not to dissuade rather than prohibit.

1) That bold man over there must be Paco's father.

2) Spanish students must pass a University Entrance Exam to study at university.

3) You must drink more orange juice to prevent a cold.

4) Children mustn't play in the street on their own.

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb MUST:

prohibition, strong recommendation, certainty, obligation

OUGHT TO

Ought to is used to advise or make recommendations. Ought to also expresses assumption or expectation apart from strong probability, often with the idea that something is deserved. Ought not (without "to") is used to advise against doing something, although Americans prefer the less formal forms should not or had better not.

1) You ought to stop drinking so much alcoholic drinks.

2) John is the best student in the class. He ought to get the prize.

3) His father ought not to smoke so much.

4) My grandparents' stamps collection ought to increase its value.

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb OUGHT TO:

something deserved, advice, probability, recommendation

SHALL

The modal verb shall is used to indicate future action. It is most commonly used in sentences with "I" or "we," and is often found in suggestions, such as "Shall we go?"

Shall is also frequently used in promises or voluntary actions. In formal English, the use of shall to describe future events often expresses inevitability or predestination. Shall is much more commonly heard in British English than in American English.

1) Shall I give you a hand with the meal?

2) Travelling around the world Paco shall become a good English speaker.

3) I think that Peter the yes-man shall be the new president of the company.

4) I shall never forget what you made for me last year.

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb SHALL:

predestination, promise, suggestion, inevitability 

SHOULD

The modal should is most commonly used to make recommendations or give advice. It can also be used to express obligation as well as expectation. 

1) You should be at work before 8:00 AM.

2) I think my parents should already be in New York.

3) If you go to the Loire Valley in France, you should visit Chennonceaux Palace.

4) You should give up smoking at once. You're coughing all the time.

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb SHOULD:

recommendation, obligation, advice, expectation

WILL

The modal verb will is used with promises or voluntary actions that take place in the future. Will, can also be used to make predictions about the future. 

 1) I'll pass the exam. You'll see.

2) It's cloudy today. No doubt it will rain tomorrow.

3) My father will make us our favourite meal.

 Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb WILL:

prediction, voluntary action, promise

WOULD

The modal would is most commonly used to create conditional verb forms. It also serves as the past form of the modal verb will. Additionally, would, can indicate repetition in the past.

1) If I were a millionaire, I would buy a bigger house for my family.

2) When we were children, we would always play football in the park.

3) I couldn't imagine that he would become a magnificent chess player.

Give one of the following meanings to each sentence with the verb WOULD:

repetition, past of will, conditional

Fill in the gaps with the most suitable modal verb.

 

1) Paco's flight from Madrid took more than 11 hours. He _____ be exhausted after such a long flight.

a) had better b) can c) must

2) I didn't feel very well yesterday. I _____ eat anything.

a) cannot b) couldn't c) mustn't

3) You _____ look at me when I am talking to you.

a) could b) should c) would

4) I was using my pencil a minute ago. It _____ be here somewhere!

a) can b) could c) must

5) You really _____ be late again.

a) must not b) don't have to c) ought not

6) Already as a child Mozart _____ play the piano beautifully.

a) could b) should c) would

7) _____ I go to the bathroom, please?

a) may b) must c) would

8) It’s very important to _____ speak more than one language.

a) can b) be able to c) may

9) _____ you speak English? - Only a few words, but my Italian is pretty good.

a) can b) could c) might

10) I _____ speak very well when I was only two years old.

a) could b) should c) would

Important

When you have to face up a reading comprehension activity within a test, you may be asked to look for either general information or specific information. To do that, you don't have to understand and know the meaning of all the words in the text, but you should infer the meaning of some words by context.

Taking this consideration into account, try to answer the questions below.

Reading Comprehension

Kolkata: culture

The city has a tradition of dramas in the form of jatra (a kind of folk-theatre), theatres and Group Theatres. Mainstream Hindi films are popular, as they are films from the Bengali cinema industry; dubbed "Tollywood". Tollygunj in Kolkata is the location of Bengali movie studios. Its long tradition of filmmaking includes acclaimed directors such as Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak to contemporary directors such as Aparna Sen and Rituparno Ghosh.

Today, there are two Bengali-language film industries: the one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India (the Cinema of West Bengal, sometimes called Tollywood, a portmanteau of the words Tollygunge, a neighbourhood of Calcutta where most of the Bengali film studios are located, and Hollywood), is one of many centres for Indian regional filmmaking; and the other one in Dhaka, Bangladesh (the Cinema of Bangladesh, sometimes called Dhallywood, a portmanteau of the words Dhaka and Hollywood), is the mainstream national film industry of Bangladesh.

Adapted from Wikipedia.

 Read the text above and answer the questions about the text.1) According to the text, why does Tollywood refer to the Bengali cinema industry?

2) Say if this statement is true or false: Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak are not popular directors in India.

3) Give a synonym for the word portmanteau.

Writing activity

Giving advice and suggestion

Modal verbs are really useful to give advice and make suggestions. Remember that you can use some expressions for that purpose:

1) Why don't you go ...?

2) If I were you, ...

3) Should and ought to to give light advice and not strong: if you are tired you should go to bed now.

4) Have to and must can be used to give strong advice or suggestions: You are bleeding, so you have to go to hospital.

 

Write a composition of at least 80 words trying to use as many modal verbs as you can on this topic:What advice would you give to a person you know who is going to travel to India?

  

 

The Savage Mountain1

 At the meeting where Devaj advised Paco and the group of tourists to follow his instructions, someone asked about K2. "It is known as the Savage Mountain", Devaj said, "due to the difficulty of ascent and the 2nd highest fatality rate among the 'eight thousanders' for those who climb it". "For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying". "Unlike Annapurna, the mountain with the highest fatality rate, K2 has never been climbed in winter", he explained.

 When he realised Paco and the others were so interested in the topic, he continued talking about the early expeditions to K2:

"The mountain was first surveyed by a European survey team in 1856. Thomas Montgomerie was the member of the team who designated it "K2" for being the second peak of the Karakoram range. The other peaks were originally named K1, K3, K4 and K5, but were eventually renamed Masherbrum, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I respectively.

The first serious attempt to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein and Aleister Crowley. After five serious and costly attempts, the team could only reach up to 6,525 metres.The failures are attributed to a combination of questionable physical training, personality conflicts, and poor weather conditions.

The next expedition to K2 in 1909, led by Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, reached an elevation of around 6,250 metres on the South East Spur, now known as the Abruzzi Spur (or Abruzzi Ridge). This would eventually become part of the standard route, but was abandoned at the time due to its steepness and difficulty. After trying and failing to find a feasible alternative route on the West Ridge or the North East Ridge, the Duke declared that K2 would never be climbed.

The next attempt on K2 was not made until 1938, when an American expedition led by Charles Houston made a reconnaissance of the mountain. They concluded that the Abruzzi Spur was the most practical route, and reached a height of around 8,000 metres before turning back due to diminishing supplies and the threat of bad weather.The following year an expedition led by Fritz Wiessner came within 200 metres of the summit, but ended in disaster when four climbers disappeared high on the mountain.

Charles Houston returned to K2 to lead the 1953 American expedition. The expedition failed due to a storm which pinned the team down for ten days at 7,800 metres. A desperate retreat followed, during which Pete Schoening saved almost the entire team during a mass fall, and Gilkey was killed, either in an avalanche or in a deliberate attempt to avoid burdening his companions. In spite of the failure and tragedy, the courage shown by the team has given the expedition iconic status in mountaineering history."

Answer the following questions,

1. According to the text, has the mountain with the highest fatality rate ever been climbed in winter?

2. According to the text, why was the savage mountain called K2?

3. According to the text, is the American expedition led by Charles Houston important? Why?

Important

Most of the passage above is in direct or quoted speech, that is, they are the exact words said by a person in the past, on this occasion, they are Devaj's words. That is the reason why they are between inverted commas ("). When we want to repeat those words in the present (reported or indirect speech), we must take into account the following: Who said what to whom. It is important because there are changes in verb tenses, pronouns and some place and time adverbs. Let's have a look at an example:

Direct speech: "I will tell you about the first expeditions to K2 now", Devaj announced.

Reported speech: Devaj told them he would tell them about the first expeditions to K2 then.

Rewrite the following sentences in the reported speech.

 Rewrite the following sentences in the reported speech.

1. "For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying", Devaj said.

Devaj said (that) for ……… ……….. ………. …… …… ………. …… summit, …….. …….. ………. trying.

2. "The first serious attempt to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein", he said.

He explained that …… ………… ……….. ………. ……. climb K2 …….. ………… …………… …….. 1902 by Oscar Echenstein.

3. "The Duke declared that K2 would never be climbed", Devaj assured.

Devaj assured (that) the Duke …….. ………….. ………… ………… ………. ……… ………. …………. .  

Yes / No questions

Complete these sentences using reported speech. Take care of the verb tense, although it is not always necessary to change it.

1) 'Do you want to dance with me?'

My friend asked me if ____________________.

2) 'Has Paco arrived in India?'

Alex and Andrés asked if ____________________ in India.

3) 'Did you watch the last movie by Al Pacino?'

Your brother asked her if ____________________ the last movie by Al Pacino.

4) 'Will you have Christmas lunch with us?'

We asked our friend if ____________________ Christmas lunch with us.

 

Wh- questions

Complete these sentences using reported speech. Take care of the verb tense, although it is not always necessary to change it.

1) 'Where does your father park his car every day?

My friend asked me where ____________________.

2) 'What are you doing now?'

Their parents asked the children what ________________.

3) 'How much money did you spend yesterday?'

Your father asked you how much ____________________.

4) 'Where have you recently played football?'

The teacher asked us where ____________________.

mixed sentences

 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1) 'Where are my English books?', she asked.

She asked where ____________________.

2) 'Are you coming to the cinema with us?'

Your sisters asked us if ____________________.

3) 'How are you today?', my friend asked me.

My friend asked me how ____________________.

4) 'Has Sonia talked to Paco?, Antonio asked.

Antonio asked if ____________________.

5) 'Which dress do you like best?', your mother asked me.

Your mother wanted to know which ____________________.

6) 'Will you be at the party?', my friend asked me.

My friend asked me if ____________________.

A Passage to India: film

 

A Passage to India is a 1984 British/American drama film written and directed by David Lean. The screenplay is based on the 1924 novel of the same title by E.M. Forster and the 1960 play by Santha Rama Rau that was inspired by the novel.

This was the final film of Lean's career, and the first he had made in 14 years.

The film is set in the 1920s during the period of growing influence of the Indian independence movement in the British Raj. Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft) and Adela Quested (Judy Davis) sail from England to India, where Ronny Heaslop (Nigel Havers), the older woman's son and younger woman's fiancé, is the local magistrate in the provincial town of Chandrapore. Through school superintendent Richard Fielding (James Fox), the two visitors meet eccentric elderly Brahmin scholar Professor Godbole (Alec Guinness), and they befriend Dr. Aziz Ahmed (Victor Banerjee), an impoverished widower who initially meets Mrs. Moore in a moonlit mosque overlooking the Ganges River. Their sensitivity and unprejudiced attitude toward native Indians endears them to him. When Mrs. Moore and Adela express an interest in seeing the "real" India, as opposed to the Anglicized environment of cricket, polo, and afternoon tea the British expatriates have created for themselves, Aziz offers to host an excursion to the remote Marabar Caves.

The outing goes reasonably well until the two women begin exploring the caves with Aziz and his sizable entourage. Mrs. Moore experiences an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia that forces her to return to the open air. She encourages Adela and Aziz to continue their exploration but suggests they bring only one guide. The three set off for a series of caves far removed from the rest of the group, and before entering Aziz steps aside to smoke a cigarette. He returns to find Adela has disappeared; shortly after he sees her running headlong down the hill, bloody and dishevelled. Upon their return to town, Aziz is jailed to await trial for attempted rape, and an uproar ensues between the Indians and the Colonials.

The case becomes a cause celebre among the British. When Mrs. Moore makes it clear she firmly believes in Aziz's innocence and will not testify against him, it is decided she should return to England. She

subsequently suffers a fatal heart attack during the voyage and is buried at sea.

To the consternation of her fiancé and friends, Adela has a change of heart and clears Aziz in open court. The Colonials are forced to make an ignominious retreat while the Indians carry the exonerated man out of the courtroom on their shoulders, cheering wildly. In the aftermath, Miss Quested breaks off her engagement and leaves India, while Dr. Aziz abandons his Western attire, dons traditional dress, and withdraws completely from Anglo-Indian society, opening a clinic in Northern India near the Himalayas. Although he remains angry and bitter for years, he eventually writes to Adela to convey his thanks and forgiveness.

Say if the following statements are true or false and why.1) The film takes place in the 1930s, during a period of little influence of the Indian independence movement in the British Raj.

2) Mrs Moore and Adela want to know the real India and not only the way the British lived there.3) Mrs Moore encourages Adela and Aziz to abandon their exploration because it is too dangerous.

4) Mrs Moore dies because of a heart attack and is buried at sea.

Michael Parkinson interviews Victoria Beckham

Once at the hotel after getting the ticket for Saigon, Paco switched on the TV and saw an interview granted by Victoria Beckham to the famous British interviewer Michael Parkinson. Everybody knows Victoria, among other reasons because she is married to David Beckham, one of Paco's favourite football players, so he is really interested in what she says.

 

Here, you can find the first part of the interview to Victoria Beckham Paco watched.

First, Michael asks Victoria what it was like attending Buckingham Palace to watch how David received the OBE from the Queen.

"It was fantastic," says Victoria. "It was such a lovely day."

When Michael asks Victoria whether she ever imagined she'd be inside Buckingham Palace, Victoria answers: "I didn't.

"I didn't know what to expect. And then we turned up and there were so many people there.

"Everybody had made such an effort, everybody dressed so lovely. Everyone was so excited. I was really choked. I almost cried.

"But I do have one question – why does the Queen have a handbag when she's at home?"

Moving on to recent rumours about the state of her marriage to David, Victoria is asked by Michael whether the stories are true.

"You're getting divorced, aren't you?" asks Michael."

Apparently so!" jokes Victoria. "For someone who should be doom and gloom I'm very happy," she continues. "Moving to Spain, we just got a house and we're getting settled. It's been great for us."

"Where do these rumours come from?" questions Michael.

"I think we have been built up for so long," Victoria says.

"Everyone says we're the golden couple and that we are very happy, which we are – I mean, I love David and the boys more than anything in the world. And I think there are a lot of people who don’t like that."

Complete the following chart by turning the sentences into the reported or direct speech.

Direct speech Indirect or reported speech

"It was fantastic," said Victoria.

"Why does the Queen have a handbag when she's at home?"

Michael asked Victoria what it was like attending Buckingham Palace.

Michael asked Victoria whether she ever imagined she'd be inside Buckingham Palace.

"You're getting divorced," Michael asked.

"Where do these rumours come from?" questions Michael.

"I think we have been built up for so long," Victoria says.

"It's been great for us," Victoria admitted.

"Everyone says we're the golden couple and that we are very happy", Victoria said.

Victoria is asked by Michael whether the stories

are true.

Write the following sentence in the forms and tenses asked in the chart: 

1. "Another section of the guide book dealt with Indian cuisine". Tense and form Answer

Past continuous

Interrogative negative of the Past Simple

Interrogative of the Present Continuous

Interrogative

Negative of the Present Simple

2. "Everybody had made such an effort".

Tense and form Answer

Past continuous

Interrogative negative of the Past Simple

Interrogative of the Present Continuous

Interrogative

Negative of the Present Simple

 

 

 Fill in the gaps with so, such, such a, such an, so much or so many.

1. Paco was   astonished at the clerk that he couldn't speak.

2. He speaks English   fluently that he has no problems when communicating.

3. There were     people at Kravitz's concert that nobody else could enter.

4. It was   bad weather that we didn't go out.

5. The clerk had     beautiful voice that Paco was astonished.