Scarica Grammar and Comprehension Exercises for English Language Learners e più Dispense in PDF di Lingue solo su Docsity!
CONDITIONALS
If current rates of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) ……(1)……. for another century, they
……(2)…….. at least a quadrupling of total carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere
compared to pre-industrial levels.
(1) (a) would continue (b) will continue (c) continues (d) continue (e) did continue
(2) (a) would bring about (b) will bring about (c) brings about (d) bring about (e) did bring about
If just one sixth of the West Antartic ice sheet ……(3)……. to melt, sea levels ……(4)……. by one
metre, affecting many of the world’s major cities, such as New York and London, and as much as 30
per cent of the total cropland in the world.
(3) (a) is (b) would (c) will (d) are (e) were
(4) (a) is rising (b) will rise (c) would rise (d) would have risen (e) would to rise
The United States has only four per cent of the world’s population, yet it is responsible for nearly a
quarter of total global greenhouse gas emissions. So if the US ……(5)…… the Kyoto agreement back
in 1997, it ……(6)………. a much more hopeful sign that effective action to cut total emissions
worldwide is possible.
(5) (a) had signed (b) was signing (c) signs (d) signed (e) would have signed
(6) (a) was (b) has been (c) would be (d) will be (e) would have been
On a weight per weight basis, the “greenhouse gas potential” of chlorofluorocarbons CFC11 and
CFC12 is many thousands of times that of carbon dioxide. If CFC’s ……(7)…… into the atmosphere
they ……..(8)……. there for several thousand years.
(7) (a) release (b) will release (c) will be released (d) are released (e) would release
(8) (a) remain (b) will to remain (c) are remaining (d) remains (e) would remained
If Italy …….(9)…… an extensive nuclear programme ……..(10)……. to reduce its greenhouse
emissions by significant amounts?
(9) (a) will adopt (b) adopts (c) is adopting (d) is going to adopt (e) adopted
(10) (a) would it could (b) could it can (c) would it be able (d) will it can (e) will it
…….(11)….. a cleaner, safer place to live today, if the Italian people…..(12)…… to abandon nuclear
power?
(11) (a) was Italy be (b) was Italy (c) is Italy (d) would Italy (e) would Italy be
(12) (a) do not vote (b) are not voting (c) have not voted (d) had not voted (e) has not voted
Contraction and Convergence, C&C, has been proposed as an equitable global scheme to provide a
framework for a smooth transition to a low level of CO2 emissions from human activity
(www.gci.org.uk/model/ideas_behind_cc.html). If, in coming years, C&C ……(13)…… adopted as the
tool for managing CO2 and other greenhouse gases, there ……(14)…… a transition to a point
(convergence) where future entitlements to emit will have become proportional to population.
(13) (a) will be (b) would be (c) was (d) is (e) were
(14) (a) will be (b) would be (c) was (d) is (e) were
Developing countries argue that if they ……..(15)…… unfairly penalised for climate change (which
they are neither historically nor currently responsible for creating), then it ……(16)…… the
industrialised countries that take the lead in reducing GHG emissions.
(15) (a) would not be (b) would not to be (c) are not be (d) are not to be (e) were not be
(16) (a) would must be (b) would must to be (c) would to be (d) should to be (e) should be
Grammar exercises devised by Jim McManus
Sources: “The Ecologist” magazine (www.theecologist.co.uk)
and Global Commons Institute Website (www.gci.org.uk)
THE PRESENT PERFECT
(1) Complete the sentences with appropriate information about you.
I ................... ( be born ) in …...............
I ................ ( be interested ) in my degree subject ….................................. ( insert length of time )
I ............... ( be ) at this university................................................... ( insert start date)
Before entering university I .............................. ( study ) at …......................
I ................................ ( not learn ) to .…............................ yet
I ......... never …......... ( choose something you have never done )
I …....... ( start ) ............... ........... ago
I ........ just …….... ( choose something you have just done )
I …. ...... ( do ) exams so far.
Today my first class .............. ( begin ) at …..
As regards course books, I ........... already ........... ( buy ) .............
(2) Complete the sentence with been or gone.
1 A Where’s the laboratory manager?
B She’s …. …. to a conference in Brussels
2 A Where have you …. ….? You’re so late
B Sorry, I had to wait till the experiment was completed.
3 A Are you going to the library to get the books we need today?
B No, I’ve already …. ….. I went yesterday
4 A If anyone phones, tell them I’ve …. …. to lunch. I’ll be back at two.
B OK, but remember I haven’t …. …. to lunch either yet.
5 We’ve never …. ….. to the annual conference, but we hope go to this year’s in Japan.
6 A When are you going on holiday?
B I’ve already …. ….. I went to Florida.
7 A What's happened to your colleague, Adrian?
B Didn’t you know? He’s …. …. to work in a laboratory near Cambridge.
(3) Fill in the blanks with the appropriate verb form
According to the synthetic biologist, Freeman Dyson, the Darwinian interlude, after three billion years,
......(1)....... now over. It .......(2)........ an interlude between two periods of horizontal gene transfer. The epoch
of Darwinian evolution based on competition between species ......(3)....... about ten thousand years ago when
a single species, Homo Sapiens, ......(4)....... to dominate and reorganize the biosphere. Currently, cultural
evolution ......(5)....... a thousand times faster than Darwinian evolution, taking us into a new era of cultural
interdependence which we call globalization. And now, in the last thirty years, Homo Sapiens ......(6)....... the
ancient pre-Darwinian practice of horizontal gene transfer, moving genes easily from microbes to plants and
animals, blurring the boundaries between species. We are moving rapidly into the post-Darwinian era, when
species will no longer exist, and the evolution of life will again be communal. If you like, you can call that
the evolution of a noosphere."
(1) a) has b) had c) was d) is e) has been
2) a) has b) had c) was d) is e) has been
3) a) has ended b) has been ending c) ended d) ends e) has been ended
4) a) has begun b) has been beginning c) began d) begins e) has been begun
5) a) has run b) is running c) ran d) runs e) has been run
6) a) has revived b) is revived c) revived d) revives e) has been revived
Grammar exercises devised by Jim McManus
Source of Freeman Dyson article: www.metanexus.net/metanexus_online/show_article2.asp?id=
What is the physical process by which a mirror reflects light waves? - Comprehension questions
DOM.1 When, can we infer, do the loosely held bonding electrons and free electrons in a mirror begin to vibrate
in response to the oscillating electrical field in an incoming light wave?
RIS.A as soon as the light wave leaves its source.
RIS.B as soon as the light wave is reflected back to its source.
RIS.C as the light wave strikes the mirror.
RIS.D as the light wave is perceived as a reflection in the eye of an observer.
RIS.E as soon as the light wave has left the mirror through its back.
DOM.2 How does the reflectivity of a mirror formed by coating a sheet of glass with a layer of silver compare
with that of a sheet of glass on its own and that of a dielectric mirror?
RIS.A it is greater than that of the dielectric mirror, but not as great as that of the sheet of glass on its own.
RIS.B it is greater than both that of the dielectric mirror and that of the sheet of glass on its own.
RIS.C it is not as great as either that of the dielectric mirror, or that of the sheet of glass on its own.
RIS.D it is less than that of the dielectric mirror, but greater than that of the sheet of glass on its own.
RIS.E it is the same as that of the dielectric mirror, but not as great as that of the sheet of glass on its own.
DOM.3 Although coating a piece of glass with a layer of a metal such as silver considerably increases its efficacy
as a mirror, why does this still not make it as effective as a dielectric mirror?
RIS.A Since the metal layer greatly boosts the reflectivity of the glass, it is, actually, just as effective as a dielectric
mirror.
RIS.B As the metal is not perfectly conducting it absorbs some of the incident light, unlike the alternating transparent
layers in a dielectric mirror, which reflect virtually all of the light.
RIS.C As the metal is not perfectly conducting it allows all of the transmitted light to be transmitted through its back,
unlike the alternating transparent layers in a dielectric mirror, which reflect virtually all of the light.
RIS.D As metals such as silver have no free electrons, the incident light cannot produce a force on the charges in the
mirror; a dielectric mirror, instead, has a great many free electrons which can vibrate in response to the
incident light.
RIS.E As a matter of fact, coating a piece of glass with a layer of metal makes it more effective than a dielectric
mirror, owing to the fact that this latter just consists of layers of transparent materials.
DOM.4 Which ONE of the following statements can be inferred as TRUE, on the basis of the information
provided in the text?
RIS.A as the angle of incident light gets larger, the angle the reflected wave makes with respect to a mirror’s surface
gets smaller.
RIS.B as the the frequency of incident light gets smaller, the frequency at which the electrons in a mirror vibrate gets
larger.
RIS.C as the frequency of incident light gets smaller, the frequency at which the electrons in a mirror vibrate remains
the same.
RIS.D as the frequency of incident light approaches the wavelength for which it was designed, the reflectivity of a
dielectric mirror decreases.
RIS.E as the layer of metal coating a silver mirror gets thinner, the amount of incident light leaking through it and
coming out the back increases.
DOM.5 Why might the metal layer coating the back of a mirror be carefully manufactured to a thickness of just
a few hundred atoms?
RIS.A in order to maximise the reflectivity.
RIS.B so as to make as much of the light as possible leak through the back..
RIS.C for the purpose of saving precious metals such as silver.
RIS.D so as to obtain a beam splitter.
RIS.E with the aim of dividing the light coming out of the back of the mirror into two equal parts.
Grammar and comprehension exercises devised by Jim McManus
GALILEO'S IDEAS Grammar – Question forms and Linkers
Q1 …………….. really true that inside a container in which a high vacuum has been produced, a steel ball
and a cotton flock will fall with exactly the same speed?
a) Is b) Does c) Is it d) Does it e) Has
A1 FALL OF BODIES IN A VACUUM. Yes, it is indeed true, because in the absence of friction forces all
bodies fall with the same acceleration, that due to gravity, …………….. their mass and shape.
a) independently b) irrespective c) instead of d) regardless of e) because of
Q2 Let us throw upwards, at an equal speed, two balls of equal size, one made of cork and the other of lead:
if we assume that friction against air can be ignored, which of the two balls .................. the greater height?
a) will attain b) would attain c) attain d) attained e) would to attain
A2 FALL OF BODIES IN A VACUUM. The greatest height attained by each of the two balls will be
identical, for the same reason as that given in the previous answer: the gradual reduction in the upward speed
is always and only .................. the downward acceleration of gravity, which is equal for all bodies.
a) because b) owing c) consequence d) hence e) due to
Q3 Let us now suspend these two balls on threads of equal length, and with a push cause them to make
small-amplitude oscillations: again .................. friction, which of the two balls will swing back and forth
more rapidly?
a) ignored b) will ignore c) to ignore d) being ignored e) ignoring
A3 LAWS OF THE PENDULUM. In the absence of friction, the small-oscillation period of the pendulum is
independent of the mass of the attached weight (as well as of the oscillation amplitude). The swing speed of
the two balls will ........................ be identical.
a) thus b) since c) as d) yet e) still
Q4 What is the direction of the force acting on a body thrown vertically upwards, at the instant when it
.................. to a halt and is about to begin its descent?
a) is coming b) will come c) come d) comes e) came
A4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORCE AND VELOCITY At all points in its trajectory the body is always
subjected to its weight, including when it becomes stationary at the point where its direction of motion
reverses. The acting force is .................. directed downwards.
a) whether b) therefore c) nevertheless d) although e) though
Q5 Let us shoot a ball horizontally from a cannon at a given height and at the highest possible speed; then let
us drop an identical ball freely from the same height: assuming the effect of air friction to be negligible, in
which of the two cases ...................... the shorter time to hit the ground?
a) the ball will take b) will take the ball c) will the ball take d) takes the ball e) the ball takes
A5 INDEPENDENCE OF MOTIONS The time taken will be the same in each of the two cases, ............... the
fall to the ground depends only on the acceleration of gravity, and is not influenced by any horizontal
displacement caused by the shot.
a) such as b) as c) whereas d) as long as e) as well as
Q6 What physical phenomenon .................. a flying arrow gradually to lose speed as it moves away from the
bow from which it was shot?
a) is causing b) does cause c) does causes d) causes e) does causing
A6 PRINCIPLE OF INERTIA. The arrow advances due to inertia, because once the throw is completed there
is no propelling force acting on it. ....................., the motion of the arrow would continue indefinitely at the
initial velocity if no braking forces were present (in this specific case friction due to air).
a) Currently b) Actually c) Eventually d) Unlikely e) Contrary
THE MACHINERY OF CELL CRAWLING
People are often surprised, even alarmed, to learn that many of their cells crawl around inside them. Yet
cell crawling is essential to our survival. Without it our wounds would not heal; blood would not clot to seal
off cuts; the immune system could not fight infections. Unfortunately, crawling contributes to some disease
processes, too, such as destructive inflammation and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in blood
vessels. Cancer cells crawl to spread themselves throughout the body: were cancer just a matter of
uncontrolled cell growth, all tumors would be amenable to surgical removal.
The observation of cells crawling has suggested compelling ideas about the crawling mechanism. In 1786
the Danish biologist Otto F. Müller described a crawling cell as a "clear gelatinous body from which extends
a glassy spike." The term "gelatinous" was inspired by the Latin verb gelare, meaning "to freeze." This
notion of a mechanical state change in the cell - a "sol-gel transformation," as we now call it - has been very
useful for picturing the mechanism of cell crawling and for isolating the molecular components of the
machinery.
Cells in healing wounds and cancer cells crawl relatively slowly, at rates of 0.1 to 1 micron per hour. In
contrast, cells involved in body defences against infection and hemorrhage move much faster. To fight
infection, a human being produces daily more than 100 billion of the white blood cells called neutrophils.
Neutrophils originate in the bone marrow, creep out of it to cruise through the bloodstream for a few hours,
then crawl out of capillaries and into other tissues. At rates of up to 30 microns per minute, these migrating
cells search for and ingest microorganisms infesting the skin, airways and gastrointestinal tracts. A
neutrophil will move several millimeters in this way. In fact, the aggregate distance actively traveled every
day by all the neutrophils in the human body would circle the earth twice.
As seen through an optical microscope, cell crawling involves extensions and contractions of the cell's
outer rim, or cortex. In contrast with deeper areas of the cell, which are dotted with various subcellular
organelles, the cortex appears clear and homogenous.
Cells crawl in response to external instructions. White blood cells follow trails of chemoattractants,
diverse molecules derived from microorganisms or damaged tissues. Growth factors that trigger cell division
can also induce directed cell movements. ( Scientific American - September 1994)
DOM. 1 At what speed might a white blood cell travel to fight infection in a wound on the leg? RIS. A Between one tenth of a micron and one micron per hour. RIS. B Up to 30 microns per hour. RIS. C Several millimeters per hour. RIS. D As much as 1,800 microns per hour. RIS. E Fast enough to circle the earth twice in a day.
DOM. 2 According to the information given in the text, which ONE of the following statements is FALSE? RIS. A Between midday and midnight the combined distances travelled by all white blood cells in the human body is about the same as the circumference of the earth. RIS. B All tumors are amenable to surgical removal because cancer is just a matter of uncontrolled cell growth. RIS. C Scientists have known about the ability of cells to crawl in the human body for over 200 years. RIS. D The cortex of a crawling cell is similar to glass in colour. RIS. E When a cell crawls part of its cortex protrudes from its main body.
DOM. 3 Which ONE of the following describes factors involved in the mechanism by which cells crawl? RIS. A Temperatures which are low enough to cause freezing. RIS. B Molecular machinery which transforms the cell's isolated components. RIS. C Mechanical state changes in which the cell's cortex behaves both as a solid and as a liquid. RIS. D Extensions and contractions caused by the contrast between the cell's outer rim and its deeper areas. RIS. E Organelles in the cell's deeper body undergo mechanical state changes and come to the surface.
DOM. 4 What might cause a neutrophil to start crawling? RIS. A Various molecules produced by invading organisms. RIS. B Chemoattractants external to the human body. RIS. C Instructions from chemoattractants which follow a trail to the cell's exterior. RIS. D An external trail left behind by the directed movements of other neutrophils. RIS. E Growth factors derived from the division of a cell.
DOM. 5 Although we could not survive if our cells were not able to crawl, how might cell crawling damage our health? RIS. A Cells crawling out of wounds may cause death by bleeding. RIS. B Healthy cells crawl away from cancer cells instead of attacking them. RIS. C Cell crawling could prevent blood from clotting. RIS. D In cancer, cell crawling causes uncontrolled cell growth. RIS. E Crawling cells may mistakenly attack healthy tissue, and cause inflammation which destroys it. Comprehension exercises devised by Jim McManus
1. Schrödinger tested the validity of his equation ……………….. it to the ripple of waves around the hydrogen atom. a) for applied b) by applying c) to applying d) by application e) apply 2.The enzyme maltase ................... in such a way that it can break the bond between the two glucose molecules forming maltose. a) has shaped b) is shaping c) is shaped d) does shape e) do shape 3. Along with visible light and infrared radiation, radio frequency radiation (RFR) is considered as "non-ionising radiation", and ……………… main biological effects are thought to arise from its ability to heat tissue. a) its's b) it’s c) his d) its e) these 4. Generally speaking, the greater the number of pixels employed, ................. an on-screen image will appear. a) the sharper b) sharper c) sharp d) sharpest e) the more sharp. 5. .................... did it take Darwin to develop his theory of Natural Selection? a) How long b) How much times c) How many time d) How time e) How much long 6. Today genetic engineering of bacteria for mass production of substances like human interferon, human insulin and human growth hormone ................... increasingly widespread. a) becomes b) is became c) is becoming d) is become e) has became 7. A programmer can insert a VBA program (macro) into a document that runs instantly ………… the document is opened. a) whoever b) whatever c) how d) whenever e) anyhow 8. The lactose in milk is digestible only after ....................... down by lactase. a) break b) been broken c) is broken d) is breaking e) being broken 9. How many types of enzyme …………… on average in the cytoplasm of a bacterial cell? a) there are b) are there c) there is d) is there e) is 10. Who, according to most authoritative computer scientists, …………. the world wide web? a) did invent b) has invented c) had been invented d) invented e) was invented 11. Data were obtained from temperature/rain-guage stations evenly distributed …………. Italy a) all b) though c) thought d) throughout e) every 12. Although DVDs offer dramatically increased storage capacity over CDs, ……………… DVDs and CDs have the same basic optical storage technology. a) Nor b) Either c) Neither d) Both e) Never 13. So far this year, the Arctic .................... 2 to 3°C warmer than the 50-year average, and spring melting this year began 17 days earlier than usual. a) has been b) was been c) was d) is been e) is has been 14. The source code of Linux is, ……………… that of Microsoft Windows, freely available. a) unlike b) as c) compared d) also e) whereas 15. ………...... a whale has three thousand million DNA bases, a certain salamander less than an inch long has over twenty times as many. a) Thus b) Despite c) Even d) Why e) While 16. What is protection against harmful longer wavelength UVA rays .................... by in a sunscreen product? a) providing b) provides c) does provide d) provided e) do provide 17. The modern computer was conceived ……………… Alan Mathison Turing in 1935; in fact, today all digital computers are, in essence, "Turing machines”. a) from b) by c) of d) in e) as 18. Many science graduates in Italy believe their chances of obtaining a research post in their own country is less than …………... in Europe. a) else b) otherwise c) elsewhere d) somewhere e) everywhere 19. Solar cells function ……………… the unique electrical properties of N-type and P-type silicon in the presence of sunlight. a) owing b) since c) according to d) thanks e) because of 20. …………… it is established whether mobile phone radiation has harmful biological effects, many people may already be experiencing health problems. a) So b) By the time c) Whereas d) All e) By
Grammar exercises devised by Jim McManus
dispensa McManus - pag. 10
Relative Hunger – comprehension questions
DOM.1 What, according to Grafen, could be the reason for many creatures choosing to stay near their close relatives, rather than near unrelated individuals? RIS. A They would simply be looking for copies of the same genes to spread through the population. RIS. B They would simply be expecting altruistic acts which will produce smells that they like. RIS. C Grafen does not believe there is any proof that animals tend to stay near their close relatives. RIS. D They would simply be tending to associate the smell of their relatives with unrelated individuals. RIS. E They would simply be tending to ikeep company with individuals which smelled similarly to them.
DOM.2 What does the theory of kin selection state? RIS. A Animals tend to select their kin as mates in order to increase the chances that their genes will be spread through the population RIS. B Genes which predispose animals to behave more altruistically towards members of their own family than towards members of completely different families, are likely to be favoured by natural selection. RIS. C Natural selection is likely to give an advantage to those genes which make members of a species act altruistically towards unrelated individuals, thus enabling their genes to spread through the population. RIS. D Only the fittest genes in any kinship group are likely to be favoured by natural selection. RIS. E There is a mathematical model which shows how altruistic deeds are relatively successful in keeping an even distribution of genes through a population.
DOM.3 How does Pfennig think that meat-eating Spadefoot tadpoles are able to differentiate between relatives and non- relatives? RIS. A They are able to distinguish between omnivores and carnivores. RIS. B They recognise siblings because they grew up together. RIS. C A relative emits a chemical substance which allows it to be identified as kin. RIS. D A chemical cue emiited by the meat-eating tadpole establishes which other tadpoles are also meat-eating and therefore which are its relatives. RIS. E A meat-eating spadefoot tadpole only associates with non-relatives so it doesn't need to differentiate between its kin.
DOM.4 What could be the genetic effect of an animal (A) helping its kin (K)? RIS. A The kin (K) which was helped would be influenced on the genetic level to return the favour. RIS. B Copies of the animal (A)'s genes would be transferred to the kin (K). RIS. C The animal (A)'s actual genes would probably spread through the population. RIS. D Genes in the kin (K) which were Identical or highly similar to those of animal (A), may have increased chances of long-term survival. RIS. E Copies of the animal (A)'s genes would become more diffused through the population and therefore stand a greater risk of being destroyed by competing genes.
DOM.5 Why are cannabilistic animals less likely to survive? RIS. A There is a greater chance that they will be fed upon by carnivores. RIS. B They stand a greater risk of being killed by individuals which are not kin. RIS. C Only weak non-relatives die, strong cannibalistic individuals do survive. RIS. D There is a greater likelihood of a cannibal being infected by the larvae of tiger salamanders. RIS. E A cannibal is more prone to fatal effects from pathogenic bacteria and parasitic worms.
DOM.6 If Spadefoot tadpoles are fed vegetables as well as meat, what effect does this have on their behaviour? RIS. A They become omnivores, refrain from cannibalism and prefer to associate with relatives. RIS. B They remain cannibals, refrain from eating close relatives and prefer to associate with non-relatives. RIS. C They remain omnivores, refrain from eating kin and prefer to associate with non-relatives. RIS. D They become cannibals, refrain from eating members of the same species and prefer to associate with relatives. RIS. E They become hungry, refrain from staying still and swim around with both relatives and non-relatives.
DOM. 7 How does the experiment with Spadefoot tadpoles support the theory of kin selection? RIS. A The experiment does not support the theory of kin selection. RIS. B Despite being a cannibal, a tadpole still prefers to associate with its close relatives. RIS. C Even if it is cannibalistic, and hungry, a tadpole will still not eat its close relatives. RIS. D Whether a tadpole is carnivorous or omnivorous, it still tends to eat with its close relatives. RIS. E In certain conditions a tadpole prefers to associate with non-relatives, but it still eats relatives it comes across.
DOM.8 Which ONE of the following statements is TRUE, according to the information presented in the article? RIS. A The theory of kin selection is one of the major disproofs of sociobiology. RIS. B Darwin's version of kin selection was expressed mathematically by Hamilton. RIS. C A carnivorous spadefoot tadpole may "nip" a close relative, as well as an unrelated individual. RIS. D Pfennig's reluctance to eat another human is based on primarily ethical grounds. RIS. E The reason why animals don't eat their weak kin is because of the power of the family bond.
DOM.9 Why was Grafen against many of the researchers who were trying to find evidence to support kin selection? RIS. A He was against uncritical experimenters for not demonstrating that alternative explanations for their results were unacceptable RIS. B He thought the uncritical experimenters were a scourge. RIS. C He reckoned they had come up with too great a number of reasons for interactions between like-smelling animals. RIS. D He was against investigators who didn't seek to establish general rules for animal behaviour. RIS. E He chastised researchers who didn't use Hamilton's mathematical models sufficiently carefully.
Comprehension exercises devised by Jim McManus
