1   Reading

a   Read the note and tick (✓) the correct answer.

 Sarah hasn’t left any food in her fridge for Paul.

b   You can’t walk to the city centre from Sarah’s house.

 Paul’s children won’t get bored in York.

d   You can go swimming in Rowntree Park.

Hi Paul!

Welcome to York! Hope you had a good journey from London and that it wasn’t difficult to find my house and get the keys from my next-door neighbour.

Help yourself to anything you find in the fridge and the kitchen cupboards. For breakfast tomorrow morning you can have cereal with milk. Otherwise, there’s plenty of bread to make toast and you’ll find butter and strawberry jam in the fridge.

If you need to go shopping for lunch or dinner, the nearest supermarket is the little SPAR in Clifton, the main road from the city centre. You probably passed it on your way to my house. Alternatively, you can drive to the big Tesco on the A1237 at Clifton Moor, which has everything you need.

By the way, you can take the number 2 bus to the centre from the end of my road. The buses run every five minutes or so. Another option is to walk. It takes about 25 minutes to walk to the centre from here but it’s good exercise.

There are plenty of things to do and see in York. You can take the kids to the Jorvik Viking Centre where they can learn all about the Vikings. Another possibility is to visit the National Railway Museum near the station. I think they’ll enjoy going to both places. Apart from that, there are lots of good shops in the city centre and also plenty of nice cafés and restaurants if you prefer to eat out.

Finally, if you need some exercise there’s an excellent swimming pool in Haxby Road. Alternatively, if the weather’s nice you and the kids can play tennis in Rowntree Park in Terry Avenue.

Anyway, enjoy your stay and speak soon.

Love,

Sarah

b   Read the note again. Are the sentences true or false?

1   Paul needs to go to the supermarket to buy some bread for breakfast.

2   There aren’t any big supermarkets in York.

3   It’s easy to take the bus from Sarah’s house to the city centre.

4   Paul’s children would enjoy a visit to the railway museum.

5   Paul can’t go swimming with his children in York.

Answer

a   c

b    True: 3, 4;   False: 1, 2, 5

2   Writing Skills – Offering choices

Use one of the words or phrases in the box to connect the sentences. Many any necessary changes. There is more than one possible answer. 

Another option is     Otherwise     Alternatively

Apart from that     Another possibility is

1   You can take the train from here to Granada. Or there is a coach which runs every two hours.

     ……You can take the train from here to Granada. Apart from that, there is a coach which runs every two hours. ……

2   There’s a good shop at the end of my road. You could also go to the huge supermarket which is just before you get to the motorway.

      …………………………………………………………

3   You can get a good view of London from the London Eye. Or you can go to the top of The Shard building.

      …………………………………………………………

4   I suggest you go to the beach early in the morning, before it gets too hot. You could also go late in the afternoon.

      …………………………………………………………

5   Why don’t you go to that Italian restaurant opposite Covent Garden Underground Station? Or you could try that new Japanese restaurant near Leicester Square.

      …………………………………………………………

Answer

 There’s a good shop at the end of my road. Alternatively / Otherwise / Apart from that, you could go to the huge supermarket which is just before you get to the motorway.

      There’s a good shop at the end of my road. Another option / Another possibility is to go to the huge supermarket which is just before you get to the motorway.

3   You can get a good view of London from the London Eye. Alternatively / Otherwise / Apart from that, you can go to the top of The Shard building.

      You can get a good view of London from the London Eye. Another option / Another possibility is to go to the top of the Shard building.

4   I suggest you go to the beach early in the morning, before it gets too hot. Alternatively / Otherwise / Apart from that, you could go late in the afternoon.

     I suggest you go to the beach early in the morning, before it gets too hot. Another option / Another possibility is to go late in the afternoon.

5   Why don’t you go to that Italian restaurant opposite Covent Garden Underground Station? Alternatively / Otherwise / Apart from that, you could try that new Japanese restaurant near Leicester Square.

     Why don’t you go to that Italian restaurant opposite Covent Garden Underground Station? Another option / Another possibility is to try that new Japanese restaurant near Leicester Square.

3   Writing

Read the notes. Write a note for Pascale, the babysitter who is going to look after your two young children this evening.

Note for Pascale

1) Drinks & snacks

    – Tea & coffee by kettle. Hot chocolate in cupboard.

    – Chocolate biscuits on table. Cheesecake in fridge.

2) Dinner for children

    – Chicken soup & fish pie in fridge. Sandwiches.

3) Entertainment

    – OK to watch TV (both like X Factor).

    – Favourite DVDs are Toy Story & Pirates of the Caribbean.

4) Bedtime

    – Read bedtime story e.g. Harry Potter / The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

5) If any problems, phone:

    – 07700 900221 (Me)

    – 07700 900834 (Other person’s mobile. Whose?)

Answer

Suggested answer

Hi Pascale

Thanks for babysitting for us this evening. Hope you get on well with the children and that everything goes well. Here are some suggestions for the evening.

Please make yourself at home and help yourself to hot drinks and a snack. There is some tea and coffee by the kettle. Otherwise, you can make some hot chocolate. It’s in the cupboard on the right of the fridge. There are plenty of chocolate biscuits on the table. Alternatively, there’s some delicious cheesecake in the fridge.

Can you give the children their dinner at around 7 o’clock? In the fridge there’s some chicken soup and fish pie. You can cook this in the microwave. Another option is to make them some sandwiches. You’ll find plenty of cheese in the fridge and there’s also some apple juice.

After that, you could watch something on TV with them. They both love watching The X Factor. Otherwise you could watch one of their favourite DVDs with them, such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Toy Story. All the DVDs are on the bookcase next to the TV.

By the way, they usually go to bed at about 9 o’clock. You can read them a bedtime story. You’ll find plenty of books on the bookcase in their bedroom. They both love the Harry Potter books. Another possibility is to start reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with them. I think they might enjoy it.

Finally, if you have any problems, please phone me on my mobile (07700 900221). Alternatively, you can call my husband’s/wife’s mobile (07700 900834).

Hope you have a good evening and see you around 11.30.

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