Booklet, Ejercicios de Inglés Técnico

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Unit 1: Bands and fans

Idioms related to music I. SPEAKING: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having two jobs? II Pia is a personal assistant in a marketing agency and is going to start a new job as a singer in a pub. Her colleagues are talking about her. How do they feel about the news? A: I was delighted to find out that Pia got a job as a singer in a pub. It was music to my ears! She’s always wanted to have her own band. B: Oh, yes. However, she will need a lot of energy with her job at the office and this new job. A: I don’t think that will be a problem. She’s always been as fit as a fiddle. She’s always eating healthily and does exercise every week. C: Have you heard the news? Pia is having her first concert on Friday. D: Who? C: Pia, Laura’s personal assistant. D: Her name rings a bell, but I can’t remember her very well. C: Come on! She is the one who is always talking about music, rock bands and all that jazz. E: So, what did Laura say about Pia’s new job? F: She was a bit upset at first, but when Pia explained that it was a weekend job and that this new job will allow her to make new contacts for the agency, she changed her tune. E: Well, let’s hope Pia can handle both things. F: If she makes a mistake, she will have to face the music. Laura is very exigent. III. Underline the idioms in the conversations in the first exercise. Can you work out the meaning from the context? IV. Discuss together: How do you think Pia got interested in music? V. Complete the following sentences about Pia and how she got interested in music. Use an idiom from exercise I.

1. Pia’s family has always been into playing instruments, composing, singing and ……………………………………….
2. At the age of 6, Pia told her father she wanted to be a singer. It was ………………………………………. as he was a musician and his other children hadn’t shown any interest in music.
3. When Pia finished school, she told her parents she wanted to be a singer. Her mother didn’t accept this at the beginning, but when Pia explained that she was also going to university, she ……………………………………………………
4. Pia’s father has worked with famous singers. His name might …………………………………………………… if you know about country music.
5. Pia knows that a music career is not easy, but she is willing to learn, accept her mistakes and …………………………………. when any problems occur if necessary. VI. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.
6. Do you know someone who is as fit as a fiddle?
7. When was the last time you received news that was music to your ears?
8. Have you ever changed your tune about something?
9. Think about some situations in which you had to face the music. What happened?

Unit 3: Things that matter

Idioms related to money I. SPEAKING: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having your own business? II. Julio started his own business some years ago. Read about his experience. Was it a good experience? Why? I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Everything I have now is the result of hard work and this is why after finishing my studies, I got a job in an important transnational company. However, I was very enthusiastic about setting up my own business. My dad and my two brothers encouraged me to do it since they said our family had the Midas touch. As I had always been into technology, I opened a shop that sold all kinds of computer accessories. I had savings from years of work, so I didn’t have to break the bank to start. Two weeks after, I realised that people were not coming to the shop, so I needed to advertise. At the beginning, I thought that distributing some flyers was enough, but I was wrong. I started to get upset because I was spending all my savings on the shop and I was in the red for some months. Fortunately, my brothers told me that nowadays, the way to promote something was through the Internet and they were absolutely right. As soon as I created Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, my products were selling like hot cakes. Now, I’m earning more money than before, I have two more shops in the city and I’m planning to open a new one very soon. III. Underline the idioms in the text and try to work out the meaning from the context. IV. Match up the idioms and the definitions below.

1. To be always successful
2. To have a high social position and be rich from birth
3. To cost a lot of money
4. To have financial problems
5. To be bought quickly and in large numbers V. Julio is giving some tips to set up your own business. Complete the sentences with an appropriate idiom.
6. It might be useful to get tips from people who have ………………………………. as they can provide you with useful advice.
7. Your customers need to feel that they don’t have to …………………………………… in order to buy the products you sell.
8. It might be easier to have your own business if you ……………………………………. because you probably have money and good contacts.
9. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have lots of money to start with. Some of the best ideas belonged to people who were ……………………………………. and needed to be creative to pay their bills.
10. If your idea is good and you enjoy the business you are about to set up, your products will ……………………………………………. Don’t forget to use the Internet to advertise them, though. VI. Can you add more tips to the ones Julio gave? VII. Discuss the questions in groups
11. Do you think that people need to break the bank to go on holidays?
12. Think about products that sell like hot cakes. Why are they so successful?
13. If people are in the red, what can they do to get money?
14. Do you know anybody that was born with a silver spoon in his/her mouth?

Unit 4: Things that matter

Idioms with weather words I. SPEAKING: How do you usually spend your holidays? II. Look at the posts of people talking about how they prefer to have holidays. Which one do you agree with?

1. “When I travel, I don’t spend all the money I have. I think it’s good to have fun and get to know other cities, but I’m aware of the fact that it’s necessary to save money for a rainy day”.
2. “I always travel on my holidays even if I’m a bit under the weather. I just take a pill and continue with my plans”.
3. “You can’t chase rainbows when planning a holiday. You need to be sure that you will have enough money for the tickets, the food, the tours, etc.”
4. “I hate spending time with a person who has a face like thunder when I’m supposed to be enjoying myself”.
5. “Other people might feel on cloud nine when they travel, but I don’t. I prefer staying at home watching series or films”. III. Can you identify the idioms in the first exercise? Work with a partner and underline them. IV. Work in pairs and try to give a definition. V. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.
6. You should get health insurance in case you get sick during a trip and have to go to hospital WEATHER It is advisable to get health insurance if you ………………………………………. in the middle of a trip and have to go to hospital for medical treatment.
7. I’d be delighted if I was given the opportunity to travel for a year. CLOUD If I had the opportunity to travel for a year, I’d ………………………………………….
8. I once travelled with a person who looked extremely angry and I didn’t know how to react. THUNDER I once travelled with a person who …………………………………………… and I didn’t know how to react.
9. I’m the kind of person who likes to save money in case I need it unexpectedly. This is why I don’t travel very much. RAINY I don’t travel very much because I firmly believe you should save ……………………………………… VI. Look at the sentences in exercise V. Which ones are true for you? Can you give more information about what happened?

Unit 6: In the spotlight

Idioms related to performing arts I. SPEAKING: Would you like to be an actor / actress? Why? Why not? II. Read five comments from five different actors. Are they talking about a positive or negative aspect or their job? Ignore the gaps at this stage.

1. Peter We’ve worked very hard to make this play successful, but not many people are coming to the theatre. But it isn’t over until the fat ………………. sings. There must be a way in which we can attract more people. 2. Ramona I love my job, but it is quite difficult when you don’t feel well. For example, I remember that I had a stomachache one afternoon and two hours later, I had to perform in front of a full theatre. You know, the ………………. must go on. 3. Joseph The excitement you feel is indescribable. Even more when you work with a group of people who always say ‘break a …………………….’ before every performance. 4. Kate I worked with another actress in my last play and it was a nightmare. She was always late, didn’t learn her lines and was always in a bad mood. I decided to talk to the director and explained that I was doing my best, but it took two to …………………., so he talked to her and she changed her attitude. 5. Ian It is great to explore new topics, characters and settings. I learnt more on stage than when I was a student. So far, all my plays have lived up to the …………………, so I think I’ve learnt to choose well. III. Complete the gaps with one of the words in the box:

tango – leg – lady – hype – show

IV. Underline the idioms in exercise I and match them with the definitions below.

1. Both people in a difficult situation should work together
2. It is still possible to change a situation for the better
3. Expression used to wish good luck in a performance
4. Be as good as expected by the public
5. To encourage someone to continue doing what they are doing even if they are experiencing difficulties V. Look again at the comments in exercise I. Can you think of a situation in which you can use the idioms? For example:

• We can say “Break a leg!” if we are about to give a presentation to a client at work.
• We can say “It isn’t over until the fat lady sings” if we fail a test, but we can still pass a course.

Unit 7: A place to live

Idioms about travelling I. SPEAKING: How do you decide where to travel on holiday? What is the best way to decide where to go on holiday? II. Anna enjoys travelling, but there is one aspect she doesn’t like. Read the extract and identify the aspect she hates and why she hates it. I usually get itchy feet at the end of the year. Perhaps it is because my job is quite stressful and I need a break to start a new year in the best condition. However, there is one part I really hate about travelling: the airport experience. I just can’t deal with all the procedures because they make me feel nervous and I think they are endless. I don’t know if it is my impression, but I think the staff are always in a hurry, talk a mile a minute and I often get confused about what to do next. Once, I even missed a flight because of an unexpected traffic jam on the way to the airport. There were other passengers who were in the same boat and we had to go to the nearest hotel so we could catch the next plane. On another occasion, I realised I didn’t have my passport when I arrived at the airport. My hotel was very near so I decided to go back. Fortunately, the staff had found it under my bed and I didn’t miss the flight. Now, I check all the documents I need before hitting the road. This year I’m going to Greece and I’m worried because I read a webpage that said that they have the worst airports in the world. But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, I guess. III. Have you ever had a bad experience when travelling? Tell a partner. IV. Underline the idioms in the text and work out the meaning from the context. V. Anna is now giving some tips for people who like travelling. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words including the word given.

1. Leave your house early so you don’t have problems at the airport. ROAD To avoid problems at the airport you should ………………………………. early
2. If you don’t speak the language well, ask people not to speak so fast. MILE Ask people not to ……………………………………… if you are going to a country with a language you don’t speak well.
3. Don’t think too much and plan a nice trip if you feel like travelling soon. FEET Plan a nice trip without overthinking it if you …………………………………….
4. Don’t worry too much about small details as you’ll be able to solve those problems if they appear. BRIDGE Don’t worry too much about small details, you can …………………………………… when you come it.
5. Don’t panic if your flight is cancelled or delayed as there are many passengers in the same difficult situation as you. BOAT Stay calm if your flight is cancelled or delayed because there are other people who are in …………………………………. VI. Do you agree with the tips given in exercise V? Can you add other ones?

Unit 9: Lucky break?

Idioms related to luck and making decisions I. SPEAKING: What is the best decision you have made so far? Tell a partner. II. Read about five people who are talking about a decision they made at some point in their lives. Were they good or bad decisions? Why?

1. Marina “Some years ago, I had the opportunity to study abroad for a year, but I was engaged at that time and I turned the offer down. Two months later, my boyfriend broke up with me. I guess I missed the opportunity, but I hope to get a second bite at the cherry someday.” 2. Helen “My husband and I decided to resign from our jobs and start up our own business. We were very successful and some friends said that it was a stroke of luck. I think those comments were unfair because we invested a lot of time and money in the business.” 3. Paul “Five years ago I was going to get married, but I had doubts and decided to call off the wedding and end my relationship. Two years later, I realised I missed my ex-girlfriend and I contacted her. I was very surprised to see that she was married and pregnant. It was difficult for me to accept that, but I knew that that ship had sailed.” 4. Daniel “I had an excellent job with great working conditions and a good salary when I was offered another one which seemed to be better. I was on the fence for months until I finally made a decision: I left my job to take on a new challenge. I’m now the manager of the company I currently work for and I have more benefits than before.” 5. Ian “I decided to go to Paris and surprise my aunt who lives there. I didn’t tell her anything but I was planning to stay with her because she always puts me up. When I arrived there, I was shocked to discover that she had had the same idea and had travelled to the States to surprise me. It was the only thing that could have gone wrong and it happened. Murphy’s law, I guess.” III. Discuss together which was the most difficult situation and why. IV. Can you identify the idioms in exercise II? Work with a partner and match them with the definitions below:

1. That opportunity has passed
2. To be the result of chance
3. To have another opportunity to do something
4. To be indecisive
5. The principle that if it is possible for something to go wrong, it will go wrong. V. Discuss the questions below in small groups.
6. Tell the group if you have ever been on the fence. What decision did you have to make?
7. Have you ever been in a situation in which you said “that ship has sailed”? What happened?
8. Can you give examples of Murphy’s law in people’s everyday lives?
9. Is there any situation in which you would like to get a second bite at the cherry?
10. Do you believe that some important events can be the result of a stroke of luck? Why? Why not?

Unit 10: Friends for life

Idioms related to friendship I. SPEAKING: Do you think people usually meet their best friends when they’re at school? Why / Why not? II. Clare met her best friend at school and she is talking about it. How did Clare and Anna meet? Ignore the gaps at this stage. I was new in town and it was my first day at school. I remember that I was upset because everything was new, but I had had to move because my father had got a new job and my mother and I went with him. I had nobody to talk to about this nor a shoulder to cry (1) …………… since I was an only child and didn’t have close friends in my previous school. Anyway, I spent my first day at school without talking to anyone and when it was time to go home, I found myself in the middle of the street trying to figure out my way home. I was still thinking about what to do when a girl wearing the same school uniform as me showed up and asked me if I was OK. I recognised her because she was in my class, so I told her what happened and she said she lived in my street. I felt relieved and we started walking together. I don’t know how to explain it, but the two of us hit it (2) ……………… right away. Anna –that was her name- and I had similar interests such as watching romantic films, playing video games, spending time alone and as she was also an only child, we spoke the (3) ………………… language. Anna and I are now 25 years old and we’re still best friends. We’ve been through so many things together and I feel she knows me inside (4) ……………………. It is true that even though we have lots of things in common, we are not always (5) ………………… the same wavelength, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t respect each other’s views. It is also true that we don’t speak as often as when we were at school, but thanks to technology, we’re in touch frequently. III. Choose the correct option to complete the gaps in exercise II.

1. A) in B) to C) on D) with
2. A) off B) out C) along D) ahead
3. A) similar B) same C) mother D) equal
4. A) up B) down C) out D) in
5. A) at B) into C) on D) of IV. Underline the idioms and infer the meaning from the context. V. Clare’s best friend, Anna, is giving her views on friendship. Complete the gaps with an appropriate idiom.
6. I don’t think we need to like each other from the very beginning. For example, my friend Jair. We didn’t …………………………….………………. immediately, but then we became very good friends.
7. I think you and your friends generally need to be …………………………………………. in most topics because if you don’t, you might be fighting all the time.
8. You might feel that someone and you ………………………….…………., but that doesn’t mean you are going to be friends. Friendship is more than similar hobbies or beliefs.
9. A good friend doesn’t have to be …………………………….……………….. because not everybody has those people skills.
10. You sometimes think you …………………………………………, but the truth is that people can surprise you rather unpleasantly. VI. Do you agree with Anna’s views? Discuss in small groups.

Unit 12: Crime scene

Idioms related to crime I. SPEAKING: Have you read a story about crimes recently? Tell your group. II. Read the following articles and summarise each story.

1. Paul Smith has been a drug dealer for a couple of years now. In spite of having been accused of committing several crimes, the police haven’t been able to prove he is guilty. He is still free and enjoys quite a luxurious lifestyle. However, everybody agrees that sooner or later, the truth will be revealed and he will get what he deserves because criminals are always punished for their crimes.
2. Many years ago, Argentinians were shocked by the story of a woman called Rachel Winter, who murdered her husband after finding out he had stolen money from her. What shocked everybody was the fact that she apparently killed him without showing any emotion. When the police arrested her, she seemed to be insane as she couldn’t say a word for almost a week.
3. What are the chances of coming across someone in the act of doing something illegal in your own house? Olga Wright had woken up at midnight in order to drink a glass of water when she found a thief inside her flat. Fortunately, the criminal didn’t realise she was there, so she hit him with a vase. The man turned out to be Tim Scott, a famous cat burglar the police hadn’t been able to catch.
4. Danny Morgan had an accident while driving to the south of the city. He was breaking the speed limit and a woman who was crossing the road was injured. When the police arrested him, they found that he had been drinking alcohol. Two months after the accident, the judge punished him severely: he will spend six years in prison because he could have killed someone. III. Look at the underlined expressions and try to replace them with one of the idioms below. Make changes in the verb form if necessary.

throw the book at someone / crime doesn’t pay / catch someone red-handed /

behind bars / in cold blood

IV. Which story did you find the most surprising / disturbing / fair / unfair? Discuss with a partner V. Complete the following questions with an appropriate idiom:

1. Nowadays, many criminals don’t go to prison because the police can’t find the evidence they need. Do you really think that ……………………………………...? Why?
2. What kind of criminals should spend the rest of their lives ……………………………...? Why?
3. What would you do if you …………………………………………………?
4. Have you ever watched a film or read a book about someone who killed another person …………………………………………………...? What was it about?
5. Do you think that judges should ………………………………………….? dishonest politicians? Why? VI. Work in small groups. Discuss the questions in exercise V.