Unit 2: PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
Reading: The understanding the sequence of events in a story
Speaking: Talking about past experiences and how they affected
one’s life
Writing: Writing a personal letter to describe past experience
Language focus:
The pronunciation /m/, /n/, / η /
Present simple indicating past time.
Tense revision: past simple, past progressive and
Past perfect

A. READING:
I. VOCABULARY:
a. Word form:
1. He has a very outgoing ____personality________ and makes friends very easily. (person)
2. I was extremely _____excited_______ and decided to go to the shop at once. (excitement)
3. I don’t like that man. There is a __sneaky______look on his face. ( sneakily)
4. She is busy ___imaginating___imagining____ how she would look in the hat. (imagine)
5. The fire taught Christina to __appreciate_______ her family more than things. (appreciation)
6. I have never fallen in such a (n) _____embarrassing________ situation before. (embarrass)
7. Don’t make a ______fuss________. (fussy)
8. Could you tell our audience about the most ______memorable______ experience in your life.
(memory)
9. His work has been criticized for being _____imitative_______ and shallow. (imitate)
10. The task needs the skills of a suitably ______experienced_________ engineer. (experience)

b. Multiple choice:
1. I was in an ____situation when I finished my meal in a restaurant and found out I left my wallet
at home. HOAI AN
a. embarrass b. embarrassing
c. embarrassed d. embarrassment
2. Could you tell me some of your personal _______ in life?
a. experiencing b. experience
c. experiences d. experienced
3. When hearing the news, the children were so _______that they couldn’t sit still for a moment.
a. excited b. exciting c. excite d. excitement
4. The girl was busy how she would be when she grew up.
a. imagination b. imaginary c. imagining d. imaginative
5. I have a great for New York.
a. affect b. affected c. affection d. affectedly
6. I was ______that he was an old friend of mine.
a. sure b. ensure c. surely d. assure
7. Many students in this class dislike this girl because of her_______.
a. sneaky behaviours b. good behaviours
c. generosity d. kindness
8. She has always wanted a new hat ____ the one her favourite singer wore in one of her video
clips.
a. similar b. so c. like d. the same
9. Please don’t . Everything will be all right.
a. make mistake b. make a fuss c. make sure d. make up for
10. She always complains____ about anything she doesn’t like.
a. noise b. noisily c. noisy d. noises

11. I ____ think that we should do something immediately to change the situation that we are
in.BAO ANH
a. person b. personal c. personally d. personality
12. She makes _____ money from working as an accountant for my father's company.
a. a b. an c. the d. x
13. We had never experienced this kind of holiday before and had no idea what to expect.
a. happened b. spent c. known d. noticed
14. The boy glanced at me and turned away.
a. looked carefully b. looked quickly
c. looked attentively d. looked suspiciously
15. She__________ him into handling over all his savings.
a. deceived b. perceived c. received d. concealed
16. The lifeboat was launched at once to rescue the four fishermen.
a. quickly b. carefully c. immediately d. excitedly
17. I remember locking the back door but I go and check to .
a. turn round b. glance at c. make sure d. take notes
18. Mary does not like violence from the films. She always turns _______ in horror at the sight of
so much blood.
a. away b. out c. off d. on
19. The south of the country was worst by the drought.
a. affect b. affected c. affectedly d. effect
20. Your support is greatly .
a. appreciated b. appreciate
c. appreciation d. appreciatedly.

II. GAP-FILLING: Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer MINH ANH
For many people, travelling by plane is an exciting experience. Others, however, find the whole idea
quite terrifying, (1) ________ flying is no more dangerous (2) _________ any other form of travel and
some experts say it is considerably safer. It is known, however, that most accidents occur (3) __________
take-off and landing when a (4) _______decisions are vitally important.
The people (5) ________ job is to look (6) ________ the passengers – the stewards and stewardesses –
play an important role in helping passengers to (7) ________ safe and comfortable. Indeed for many
passengers being (8) ________ such care of is all part of the total experience. (9) ________ other form of
travel involves waiting on people in quite the same (10) ________, with food, drinks, newspapers,
magazines, music and even video films.

1. a. although b. too c. and d. because

2. a. than b. as c. then d. with
3. a. while + S + V b. During + N c. for d. through
4. a. leader’s b. chief’s c. driver’s d. pilot’s
5. a. whose b. which c. their d. that
6. a. for b. up c. after d. round
7. a. feel b. rest c. experience d. lie
8. a. given b. kept c. shown d. taken
9. a. Any b. No c. All d. Not
10.a. way b. kind c. sort d. part
III. READING: Read the passage below and choose the best answer to each questionMINH CHAU
One afternoon I went upstairs to have a bath. As I was getting into the bath, the telephone rang in
the hall. I was expecting an important call, so I ran downstairs. There was nobody else at home, so I
didn’t get dressed again. However, when I was standing in the hall with nothing on, I heard a voice
outside the front door. It was my flatmates, but I couldn’t get back upstairs in time. I put down the phone,
ran into the living room and hid behind the curtains. Unfortunately, the window cleaner was cleaning the
living room windows. When I suddenly appeared, the poor man fell off his ladder. Fortunately, when my
flatmates heard the noise, they ran outside. When I looked out of the window, they were helping the
window cleaner. So I went upstairs and put on the dressing gown. Luckily, the window cleaner wasn’t
hurt, but it was all very embarrassing.
1. The man was getting into the bath when
a. his flatmates came home.
b. he made a phone call
c. someone called him.
d. an important person came.
2. The man ran downstairs with nothing on because
a. he didn’t want to miss an important call.
b. he heard voices outside.
c. there was nobody else at home.
d. a and c are correct.
3. While not stated in the passage, we can infer that
a. the man lived alone.
b. the man enjoyed having a bath.
c. there was no telephone upstairs.
d. the man was running an important business.
4. While the man was answering the phone,
a. he saw his flatmates going home.
b. he heard his flatmates’ voice outside the front door.
c. the window cleaner fell off his ladder.
d. his flatmates came in.
5. The window cleaner fell off the ladder because
a. he heard the voice of the men. b. he heard the phone ring.
c. he was careless. d. he saw the man with nothing on.

IV. GAP-FILL: Use the words given to fill in the blanks. There are NO extra words.
CHƯƠNG

running when calling earlier someone

shake introduce out just off

NOT ONLY RED IN THE FACE

Ken Fosse is a company director and he has to sit at a desk all day. He likes to keep fit by
(1)RUNNING……. to work every morning. He arrives at the office early, gets (2)OUT…….. of his
shorts and vest and puts on a business suit. Last week, Ken got to his office (3)EARLIER……….. than
usual, dressed in red shorts and a red vest. He had (4)JUST……… put on his shirt and tie, when the
phone rang. Ken picked up the receiver and sat behind his desk. A business colleague was
(5)CALLING………. him up early. Could he see Ken later? Could he bring someone round? Could they
check over some figures? Could they think of ways of cutting down expenses? Could they put (6)OFF
=………. the meeting till later in the week? Ken was writing down some notes (7)…WHEN…. he
noticed the time. It was after 9. “Excuse me”, Ken said: “I’ll call you back.” He had just put the receiver
down when (8)…SOMEONE……. knocked at the door. The Managing Director came into the room
with six important guests. “Ah, Ken” he said “I want to (9)…INTRODUCE…….. you to our visitors and
I would like you to show them round the company.”. “Of course, sir.” Ken said and he got up to
(10)SHAKE…….. hands, forgetting he still had on his red shorts!

B. LANGUAGE FOCUS:
I. PHONETICS: Choose the word whose the underlined part is pronounced differently from the rest.
DUY
1. a. embarrassing b. phone c. experience d. women
2. a. uncle b. anger c. thanks d. imagine
3. a. technique b. tavern c. language d. retain
4. a. quantity b. sanguine c. lightening d. mineral
5. a. invaluable b. ground c. contaminate d. anxious
6. a. significant b. thousand c. mechanical d. anger
7. a. conquer b. inventory c. magnificent d. sign
8. a. experience b. ex pose c. exhaust/ig/ d. express /iks/
9. a. ready b. snea ky c. instead d. bread
10. a. bus b. money c. future d. fuss

N : n (nice, not, no...);

N: ng khi n+k; n+g (thank, language, anxious,
X : /kx/
II. STRESS: Choose the word that has the stress pattern different from that of the
others.KHUONG DUY
1. a. experience 2 b. excited2 c. imagine2 d. birthday1
2. a. apartment 2 b. memorable 1 c. floppy d. careful
3. a. embarrass 2 b. appreciate 2 c. extremely 2 d. situation 3
4. a. imitate b. attitude c. appearance 2 d. famous1
5. a. preparation 3 b. interact3 c. conversation 3 d. insist 2
6. a. attitude b. protect 2 c. interested 1 d. happen
7. a. serious b. complain 2 c. native1 d. famous
8. a. remember 2 b. summer1 c. central d. terrify
9. a. exam2 b. travel 1 c. noisy d. idol
10. a. finger b. embraced 2 c. country1 d. notice

III. GRAMMAR: TENSE REVIEW

Exercise 1: Choose the best option
A SPECIAL HOLIDAY IN MADEIRA
Last February, I decided to go on holiday to the island of Madeira. In the morning I left England, it (1.
rain) but when I landed in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, the sun was shining and a lovely, warm breeze
(2. blow) from the sea. I (3. take) a taxi to my hotel). As I (4. sign) the register, someone (5. tap) me on the
shoulder, I couldn’t believe in my eyes! It was my old girlfriend. She (6. stay) at the same hotel. The next
day, we went for a walk together in the hills and we saw hundreds of beautiful wild flowers. It (7. get) dark
when we (8. return) to our hotel after a very interesting day. We spent the rest of the week together: it was
very romantic. We (9. feel) very sad when the holiday (10. end).
1. a. rains b. rained c. was raining d. had rained
2. a. blows b. blew c. was blowing d. had blown
3. a. take b. took c. was taking d. had taken
4. a. sign b. signed c. was signing d. had signed
5. a. taps b. tapped c. was tapping d. had tapped
6. a. stays b. stayed c. was staying d. had stayed
7. a. gets b. got c. was getting d. had got
8. a. return b. returned c. were returning d. had returned
9. a. feel b. felt c. were feeling d. had felt
10. a. ends b. ended c. was ending d. had ended

Exercise 2: Choose the best option

1. You cannot see Tom because he BAO ANH .
a. is working b. was working
c. has been working d. had been working
2. When we _____ to see him last night he to music.
a. come / is listening b. had come / listened
c. came / was listening d. were coming / had listened
3. I here for ten years before you last week.
a. have worked / came b. have been working / come
c. was working / come d. had been working / came
4. These students hard since the beginning of the school year because they ___their
graduation exam next May.
a. studied / are going to take
b. are studying / will be taking
c. study / will have taken
d. have been studying / will take
5. I _____ no difficulty in learning English since I__________to learn it six years ago.
a. have had / began b. had had / begin
c. had / has begun d. am having / begin

6. At the moment John _______ his new car. He ________his car on Sundays.HOANG
CHUONG
a. is washing / often washes
b. was washing / has often washed
c. has washed / is often washing
d. washes / often washed
7. She sometimes ______ to turn off the computer before she ______home.
a. forgot / had gone b. has forgot / is going
c. is forgetting / has gone d. forgets / goes
8. They good preparations before they their final examination yesterday.
a. made / had taken b. had made / took
c. have made /take d. will have made / have taken
9. By the time Jack with help, we the work.
a. comes / finished b. comes / will have finished
c. will come / will have d. came / have finished
10. Jane at my house when you .
a. is / will arrive b. will be / will arrive
c. will be / arrive d. was / had arrived

11. When I there, the dinner , so I had a drink first. DOAN DUY +
a. get/ is prepared b. get/ has been prepared
 c. got/ had been prepared d. got/ was being prepared
12. along Canary Street, I saw a terrible accident.
a. While walking b. While I walking
c. While I had walked d. To walk
13. Smoking____bad for our health, so my father three years ago.
a. was / stopped smoking b. is / has stopped smoking
c. is / stopped smoking d. is / stopped to smoke
14. He for her for nearly one hour last night before she___.
a. was waiting / came b. had been waiting / came
c. has waited / comes d. waited / will come
15. Right now, Jim____ the newspaper and Kathy dinner. Last night at this time, they____the
same thing.
a. is reading / is making / were doing
b. reads / makes / had done
c. has read / has made / are doing
d. will read / will make / did

16. My father usually_________beer after meals but now he______tea.KHUONG DUY+

a. drank / was drinking b. drinks / is drinking
c. has drunk / drinks d. drinks / drinks
17. Wars the most terrible. At the moment, wars_____ in some places in the world.
a. are / happened b. have been / have been happening
c. were / are happening d. are / are happening
18. Since his bicycle______stolen last week, he______ to school by bus.
a. has been / goes b. had been / was going
c. was / has gone d. was / went
19. Right now I TV. Tomorrow at this time, I ______TV as well.
a. watch / will watch
b. am watching / will be watching
c. have watched / will have watched
d. was watching / am going to watch
20. We _____ your son in the school playing last night. He ___ a terrific acting job. _______ in a play
before?
a. saw/ was doing / Had he ever acted
b. were seeing/ did/ Has he ever act
c. had seen/ had done/ Did he ever act
d. have seen/ has done/ Will he ever act

Exercise 3: Choose the best option

It was ten o’clock in the evening. Peter (1. sit) down on the sofa and thought about the day. What a busy day
it had been! This was his first night in his own flat. He (2. live) his entire life in the family home, and now for
the first time, he (3. be) on his own. He sat, surrounded by boxes that they (4. not manage) to unpack during
the day. It had taken months to get all his things together. His mother (5. be) very generous, buying him
things like towels and mugs. He (6. go) into the kitchen and got a beer from the fridge. He suddenly (7. feel)
very tired and yawned. No wonder he (8. be) tired. He (9. be) up since six o’clock in the morning. He (10.
decide) to finish his beer and go to bed.
1. a. has sat b. sat c. was sitting d. had sat MINH HIEU
2. a. has lived b. lived c. was living d. had lived
3. a. is b. was c. has been d. had been
4. a. don’t manage b. didn’t manage c. hasn’t managed d. hadn’t managed
5. a. is being b. was being c. has been d. had been
6. a. goes b. went c. was going d. had gone DANG KHOA+
7. a. feels b. felt c. was feeling d. had felt
8. a. is b. was c. has been d. had been
9. a. is b. had been being c. has been d. had been
10. a. has decided b. decided c. was deciding d. had decided

Exercise 4: Rewrite the sentences, keeping the meaning stay the same.

1. I have studied English for 5 years.TRUC NGAN+

-> I began studying/ to study english 5 years ago

2. The phone rang during dinner.

-> While I was having dinner the phone rang

3. Sue left the house, but first she locked the doors.KIM NGOC+

-> Before Sue left the house, she had locked the door.

4. I haven’t seen her again for five years.

-> Five years has passed since I last saw her.

5. He started investigating the case a week ago. NGUYEN NGUYEN

-> He has been investigating / has investigated the case for a week.

6. He hasn’t been back to his hometown for over twenty years now.

-> It is over twenty years since the last time he WENT/ COME back to his hometown.

7. How long have they got engaged? QUANG NGUYEN+

-> When did they get engaged?

8. We started writing to each other six years ago.

-> We have been writing to each other for six year.____________________

9. The last time it rained was a fortnight ago. THUY NHU+

-> It has been a fortnight since the last rain./ IT LAST RAINED

10. I did my homework and then went to bed.

-> After I had done my homework, I went to bed.

 SAMPLE TEST 1

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the rest: YEN NHU+
1. a. content b. concept c. conductor d. extinct
2. a. sink b. thank c. banking d. tenth
3. a. technique b. tavern c. language d. retain
4. a. language b. happen c. experience d. know
5. a. money b. link c. down d. point

Choose the word which is stressed differently from the rest: MAI PHUONG+
6. a. student b. involve c. carefully d. cottage
7. a. embarrass b. exciting c. expensive d. nobody
8. a. serious b. carefully c. exactly d. happen
9. a. embarrassing b. appreciate c. experience d. memorable
10.a. extremely b. excited c. personal d. imagine

Choose the best option to complete the following sentences:

11. She found it difficult to get + ADJ with new friends. ANH QUAN
a. acquaint b. acquainted c. acquaintance d. acquaints
12. They ______all day swimming and sunbathing at the beach.
a. spent b. used c. did d. occupied
13. My friend often shows her whenever I have troubles.
a. sympathetically b. sympathize c. sympathetic d. sympathy
14. On the first day of our holiday we just ___________by the hotel pool.
a. relaxed b. enjoyed c. calmed d. comforted
15. The children seem to be working quietly by themselves.
a. incapable off b. capable of c. capable with d. incapable with

16. All for the race should make their way to the track.SAN
a. applicants b. competitors c. supporters d. candidates
17. True friendship will as long as our lives.
a. spend b. take c. last d. keep
18. Graham works well in class, but his could be better.
a. rudeness b. behaviours c. politeness d. acting
19. You can’t always insist on your own way – there has to be some ____.
a. give and take b. take and give c. give d. take
20. The of the poetry competition will be known today.
a. decision b. effect c. choice d. result

21. Let’s just our differences and be friends. MINH THI+

a. stop b. forget c. leave d. rid
22. He looked at her and his hands pull out a of money from his pocket to give her some.
a. wad b. pile c. sheet d. piece
23. The new law forces industries to be more with natural resources.
a. carefulness b. careful c. care d. carefully
24. The health authorities now know bird flu.
a. to deal with b. deal with
c. dealing with d. how to deal with
25. The Pikes has a painter all the windows of their house.
a. to paint b. paint c. painting d. painted
26. They did not let us the lecture because we had not got a member card.THINH+
a. to attend b. attend c. attending d. attended
27. The teacher recommended us those books because they have some knowledge that is
necessary for us .
a. reading/ to get b. to read/ get
c. to read/ to get d. read/ getting
28. You can't expect ____________ a foreign language in a few months.
a. to learn b. to learning
c. learn d. learning
29. Smoking bad for our health, so my father three years ago.
a. was / stopped smoking b. is / has stopped smoking
c. is / stopped smoking d. is / stopped to smoke
30. The children ________ they cannot keep silent.
a. seem to be so excited that b. seem being so excited that
c. seem to be very excited that d. seem being very excited that

31. The policeman didn’t permit them ____ through the military zone. He forced them ___ another
way.TOAN +
a. going / to go b. to go / to go
c. to go / going d. go / go
32. He is a helpful friend. He often helps me my work.
a. finish b. finishes c. finishing d. finished
33. John, I have something interesting you, but you have to promise it secret.
a. for telling / keeping b. to tell / keep
c. to tell / to keep d. told / keep
Error recognition:
34. Being sick (A) is the ultimate weapon that (B) some children use so that to (C) get their parents'
attention and to make sure (D) their demands are met. SO AS TO
35. The girl was very embarrassing (A) when she realized (B) that the money she had taken (C) from the
boy’s bag was not hers (D). EMBARRASSED

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer: TRUC+
Friendship is a big statement. Lots of people are lovers but are not friends. Lots of people are
relatives and are not friends. Lots of people who work together are not friends. You can appreciate or
admire someone, but that does not mean that you make him or her a friend.
When I had my fatal disease last year and the following long recuperation, I had a lot of time to
think about what makes someone a friend. If they are scared of you when you need help, sorry, that is not
friendship. If their attitude is “for better or worse”, if they stick to you through troubles and difficulties,
it is the time when you can tell it is true friendship.
I do have some friends, but not as many as I thought. And there was a time, in the late 80s when
my friend, Ken, really needed me but I did not come through for him. I remember hanging out in my
happy stoouburban house in Menlo Park, and not coming to help him through the loss of his wife.
Luckily, I got to apologize for that but Ken said he did not mind. I do not have a tidy answer about Ken
and me and friendship. Sometimes we were friends, and the other times, clearly, not. But I guess there is
something remarkable in two people overcoming the barriers to friendship to find some real
communication at some points.
36. According to the writer
a. all lovers are friends.
b. all relatives are your friends
c. whoever you admire is your friend
d. not all your workmates are friends

37. In true friendship, __________.

a. your friends are always scared of you
b. friends stick to each other through troubles
c. we should have as many friends as possible
d. friends are scared of helping each other.

38. What does “fatal” mean?

a. slight b. serious c. normal d. relating to fat

39. We could learn from the text that_________.

a. His wife had been dead for many years.
b. His friend’s wife had been dead for many years.
c. He is single.
d. He is divorced.

40. How did the writer feel about the fact that he didn’t come to help Ken, his friend, through the
loss of his wife?
a. cynical b. regretful c. unemotional d. heart-breaking
Choose one suitable word or phrase to fill in each numbered blank:
I believe that everyone has had (41) _____ experiences in their life. I had one not so long
ago and I thought it was the most embarrassing experience that I have (42) had! It
happened to me in last winter vacation. I joined a (43) winter camp with my friends, Denise
and Cher. We all lived far away from the place, so in order to (44) at the camp on time at
8 o'clock, we had to leave at 7:20. The sun was shining, flowers were blooming and birds were singing.
(45) ________a beautiful day!
Everything seemed so nice until I (46) that I forgot to bring something to drink. So I
asked Denise to drive me to a department store. She (47) her car in front of the store
and I ran in to buy some bottles of mineral water. When I got out of the store, I ran toward the car
parked in front and got inside. Suddenly, I found it was not Denise's car and the driver was (48)
by me. I felt so (49) _____ at that time. I kept apologizing and ran with shame
and blush on my face to Denise's car. My friends had seen the whole story, (50)______ came to
pass from the rear view mirror and they were laughing all the energy of their hearts.

41. a. embarrassed b. embarrass c. embarrassing d. embarrassment THANH VI+

42. a. never b. ever c. forever d. always
43. a. four days b. four-days c. four-day d. four day
44. a. get b. come c. reach d. arrive
45. a. What b. How c. It d. Which

46. a. watched b. realized c. saw d. Looked THAO VY+

47. a. put b. let c. parked d. sent
48. a. enjoyed b. amused c. pleased d. shocked
49. a. embarrass b. embarrassing c. embarrassed d. embarrassment
50. a. whom b. which c. when d. that