CONVERSATION Read this conversation
Rita: Tell me about your brother and sister, Sue.
Sue: Well, my sister is a lawyer.
Rita: Really? Does she live here in Seattle?
Sue: Yes, she does. But she’s working in Washington, D.C., right now. Her job is top secret.
Rita: Wow! And what does your brother do?
Sue: He’s a painter. He’s working in Argentina this month. He has an exhibition there.
Rita: What an interesting family!
Sue: What about your parents, Rita? Where do they live?
Rita: They live in Texas.
Sue: Oh, where in Texas?
Rita: In Austin. It’s a small city, but it’s very nice.
Sue: And are they still working?
Rita: Oh, yes. My mother is teaching at the university there, and my father is an architect.
GRAMMAR FOCUS: Present Continuous Tense vs. Present Simple
Thì hiện tại tiếp diễn (To Be + V-ING) dùng để diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra ở hiện tại (ngay lúc nói). Thì hiện tại đơn (AM, IS, ARE, V-S/ ES, V) dùng để diễn tả sự thật hiển nhiên đúng, chân lý, sở thích, thói quen hàng ngày.
I read newspaper every morning. Now I am reading a novel.
She usually sits at the first table. Today, she is sitting at the last table.
They often have breakfast at home.
Right now, they are having breakfast in the canteen.
Lưu ý: Các trạng từ chỉ sự thường xuyên hay xuất hiện trong thì hiện tại tiếp diễn.
Practice 1: Complete the conversation, using present simple or present continuous.
(Hoàn thành các bài hội thoại, sử dụng hiện tại đơn hay hiện tại tiếp diễn) 1. A: Is anyone in your family looking for a job?
B: Yes, my sister is. She ______________ (work) part-time in a restaurant now, but she ____________ (look) for a job in a theater company. She ___________
(love) acting.
2. A: What is your brother doing these days?
B: He _____________ (go) to college this semester. He ____________ (like) it a lot. He _______________ (study) mathematics.
3. A: Where do your parents live?
B: They ______________ (live) in Chicago most of the time, but they
______________ (stay) in Florida this winter. They _____________ (have) a house there.
4. A: _______ you _________ (know) where Linda is?
B: Oh, she __________ (not be) here today. She only ___________ (work) four days a week. She _____________ (not work) on Fridays. She will be here on Monday.
A: Thank you. You _____________ (know) a lot about Linda.
B: Well, most days I ______________ (give) her a lift, or she ____________
(give) me one. She _______________ (live) quite close to me.
5. I haven’t got a car at the moment, so I _____________ (go) to work by bus this week. Usually, I _____________ (drive) to work.
6. I’m afraid I have no time to help just now. I _____________ (write) a report.
But I ______________ (promise) I’ll give you some help later.
Read this conversation
A: Excuse me. I’m your new neighbor, Jack. I just moved in.
B: Oh. Yes?
A: I’m looking for a grocery store. Are there any around here?
B: Yes, there are some on Pine Street.
A: OK. And is there a laundromat near here?
B: Well, I think there’s one across from the shopping center.
A: A barber shop?
GRAMMAR FOCUS: There + Be
Cấu trúc THERE IS/ARE + NOUN dùng để miêu tả sự vật hiện hữu. Noun trong cấu trúc này là chủ từ, do đó, TO BE sẽ chia phù hợp với Noun theo sau nó.
There is a book on the table.
There are many people in this class.
There are some pens in the box.
Trong câu phủ định, NOT được thêm và phía sau TO BE.
There isn’t any water in the bottle.
There aren’t many places to visit in this town.
There isn’t a movie theatre in this town.
Trong câu hỏi, TO BE đặt trước THERE. Đối với câu hỏi YES-NO, There + be (not) được dùng trong câu trả lời.
Is there a laundromat near here? – Yes, there is./ - No, there isn’t.
Are there any books about tourism? – Yes, there are./ - No, there aren’t.
How many people are there in your family? – There are 4 people in my family.
How many books are there in your bag? – There is only one book.
How much noise is there in your town? – There isn’t much.
Thông thường, câu hỏi bắt đầu bằng HOW MUCH và HOW MANY thường sử dụng THERE BE khi hỏi về số lượng.
How much coffee is there in the cup? – There is a little.
How many trees are there around your house? – There are many trees.
Practice 2: Complete the sentences with There are (not)/ There is (not). (Hoàn thành các câu sau với There is (not) hay There are (not))
1. ___________ a gym opposite the theatre.
2. ___________ some trees in front of the post office.
3. ___________ many restaurants along Pine Street.
4. ___________ a department store and a bank on the First Avenue.
5. ___________ two hotels and a laundromat on Main Street.
6. How many sentences ______________ in your essay?
7. How much honey ______________ in the jar?
8. A: ____________ a pay phone around here?
B: Yes, ____________. ____________ one across from the post office.
9. A: How many restaurants _____________ in your neighborhood?
B: ___________ a lot, actually. ____________ a great pizza place on the corner. And ____________ a good Chinese restaurant on the next block.
____________ any good restaurants close to your place?
A: Unfortunately, ____________ any. But ____________ a big public park and a sports center just down the street.
READING
CITY SCENES
In many countries around the world, more and more people live in cities. Cities share many characteristics, but are also different from country to country.
Mexico
Mexico’s cities are modern but have traditional Indian and Spanish influences. The most important buildings are around a center square, which also serves as a place to meet with friends. There are outdoor marketplaces, where people can find almost anything they need. On Sundays, parks are a popular place for family outings.
Many people move to Mexico City from rural areas. It has a lot of excitement, but also lots of traffic and air pollution.
Japan
Japan’s cities also have a mix of traditional and modern characteristics. There are tall office and apartment buildings as well as traditional wooden houses. Many people prefer to live near the center of cities, but because houses there are expensive, they often commute from suburbs. Traffic, pollution, and crowds are problems. However, there is little crime, and even very crowded cities have many parks and gardens.
Australia
Although 80% of Australians live near cities, the cities are not as large as those in some other countries. Most people live in houses in suburbs – not in apartments.
The suburbs usually have their own churches, schools, and shopping centers. They also have recreational facilities. In large cities, like Sydney, the suburbs are often
Decide whether these statements are True or False. (Hãy quyết định xem các câu sau đúng hay sai)
____ 1. There are outdoor marketplaces in Australian cities.
____ 2. On Sunday, most parks in Mexico are crowded.
____ 3. Houses in Japan are not expensive.
____ 4. Japanese still live in wooden houses.
____ 5. Most Australians have houses in the suburbs.
____ 6. Japanese and Australians often commute to work.
____ 7. Traffic and air pollution are the problem of big cities.
Read the passage