Exercise 19. Correct any mistakes in these sentences or put a P if they are already correct
1. The island's politics is complex, with over twelve parties competing for power.
2. Gymnasts from over 40 countries are competing in Madrid this weekend.
3. Economics has become an increasingly popular course at university.
4. The latest news of the earthquake survivors are very disturbing.
5. Jim's politics has changed considerably since he was in his twenties.
6. Diabetes are an illness caused by too much sugar in the blood.
7. Recent government statistics show a sharp decline in crime.
8. Women's gymnastics are no longer dominated by eastern Europeans.
9. Statistics are now compulsory for all students taking a course in engineering.
10. Most years, over three hundred athletes competes in the games.
11. The economics of the plan is worrying investors.
12. Measles is still a fairly serious childhood disease in some countries.
Exercise 20. Complete the sentences with either is/are or has/have. If both singular and plural forms are possible, write them both.
1. A number of shoppers...............complained about the price increases.
2. I can assure you that everything...............perfectly safe.
3. Either of the dentists...............available. Which one do you want to see?
4. The majority of primary school teachers...............women.
5. Each of Susan's colleagues...............sent her a personal letter of support.
6. Although some people find cricket boring, each match...............different.
7. We've got two cars, but neither of them...............particularly new.
8. All the office staff...............agreed to work late tonight to get the job finished.
9. A lot of the pollution...............caused by the paper factory on the edge of town.
10. None of the TV programmes...............worth watching tonight.
11. Researchers have reported that neither of the so-called 'environmentally friendly' fuels ...............less damaging than petrol or diesel.
12. I hope everyone...............a good holiday. See you next term.
13. The number of pupils in school with reading difficulties...............fallen this year.
14. Some people...............the strangest hobbies. My brother collects bottles!
15. None of the information...............particularly useful to me.
Exercise 21. Write sentences from these notes. Choose is or are as the verb in each case. If you can use either is or are, put both.
1. Prime Minister / her deputy / opening the debate
Either the- Prime Minister or her deputy is opening the debate.
2. Tom / his friends / going to clean the car.
Either...
3. the children / their mother / delivering the letters.
Either...
4. the management / the workers / going to have to give way in the disagreement.
Either...
Exercise 22. The US computer company Macroworth announced today that it is to move some of its operation to Camford in Britain. Here is an extract from the announcement. Make any necessary corrections to the parts of the verb to be.
The new premises we plan to occupy in Camford are now being built. The outskirts of this city is an ideal site for a company like ours. R and D are an important part of our work, and next year fifty per cent of our budget are to be spent on our Camford centre. Some of our staff in the US are being asked to relocate, and eventually around ten per cent of our US workforce are to move to Britain. However, the majority of our new employees is to be recruited locally, and we think that the local community are going to benefit enormously from this development. A number of business leaders and the local Member of Parliament is being invited to a meeting next week. Unfortunately, neither the Company President nor the Managing Director of Macroworth is available to address that meeting, but I and other senior managers am to attend.
Exercise 23. Read this text about The Gotan Project, a music group which plays electronic tango music. Match each sentence beginning (1-8) with an appropriate ending (a-h), and complete with the correct form of one of the verbs . One verb should be made passive.
Example:
One of the most Interesting things about The Gotan Project Is the way they combine traditional and modern music.
be be consist create dance form give listen
1. One of the-most interesting things about
2.The band...
3. XL Recordings, their record company, ...
4. This unique trio, based in Paris, ...
5. The music press worldwide...
6. A typical Gotan audience...
7. The majority of people at their concerts just...
8. A few young people get up and move about, but usually it's the older generation who...
a. ...a well-respected dance music label.
b. ...their unusual sound by combining dub and hip-hop influences with the sounds of talented Argentinian tango musicians
с. ...in the late nineties by Philippe Cohen-Solal.
d. ...of people of all ages.
e. ...the tango in the aisles or at the front of the concert hall,
f. ...the way they combine traditional and modern music.
g. ...their live performances ecstatic reviews
h. ...to the music, clapping along or swaying in their seats.