Lie or Lay?

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

1. He was ___ when he said that he didn't see anyone there.
   lying
   laying
   Answer lying
2. She ___ about her experience in order to get that job.
   lay
   lied
   laid
   Answer lied

You'll feel much better if you just ___ down and rest for a while.
lie
lay
Answer lie

He ___ the books on the table.
lied
lay
laid
Answer laid

The hens aren't ___ any eggs this week.
lying
laying
Answer laying

Why did they ___ so many employees off at that company last year ?
lay
lie
Answer lay

He___ a serious charge against his employer.
has lied
has laid
has lain
Answer has laid

What I did ___ heavily on my conscience ever since.
has lain
has laid
has lied
Answer has lain

The solution ___ with you.
lies
lays
Answer lies

Remember lie, lied, lied ( tell a lie)lie, lay, lainlay, laid, laid

(C) 1997 Vera Mello

Connecting Words

Choose the connecting word that completes the
sentences meaningfully. Then check your answer.

1. I don't know ___ you want to meet that lady. She's such a snob.
   that
   why
   when
   Answerwhy
2. He looks ___ he were sick.
   even if
   even though
   as if, as though
   Answeras if, as though

He asked ___ he could smoke a cigarette.
whether, if
what
that
Answerwhether, if

He insists ___ I be there.
if
that
as if
Answerthat

He punished the little boy ___ put salt in his coffee.
who
which
whenever
Answerwho, that

It was raining hard ___ we left the office.
where
when
although
Answerwhen

He'll have the work done ___ that you arrive.
when
after
by the time
Answerby the time

___ I was saying, how many of you want to attend the conference?
As
So
For
AnswerAs

He must be rich, ___ he spends a lot of money on gifts for his girlfriend.
but
for
in order to
Answerfor

We have been having problems with the heater ___ we bought it.
when
while
since
Answersince

___ he said did not please us.
That
Which
What
AnswerWhat

I liked the car, ___ I bought it.
so
for
even so
Answerso

The picture ___ is hanging over my bed was painted by an art student.
which
who
whom
Answerthat, which

Her parents will be very happy ___ she passes with flying colors.
so that
if
though
Answerif

(C) 1997 Vera Mello

All miners are saved

One by one the miners who had been trapped underground for more than two months in Chile ascended to the surface, ending their subterranean captivity. The world watched, their nation cheered, their families wept.

Today, we invite you to watch this CNN 10-minute report on the rescued miners.

Enjoy, and celebrate life!

Transcription to the report.

Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Centro Univ. de Idiomas

The "Mother" Quiz

Click the answer button to see the answer.

1. ___ is the mother of good luck.
   a. Diligence
   b. Experience
   c. Intelligence
   d. Arrogance
   Answera

2. ___ is the mother of wisdom.
   a. Diligence
   b. Experience
   c. Intelligence
   d. Necessity
   Answerb

3. ___ is the mother of invention.
   a. Diligence
   b. Experience
   c. Intelligence
   d. Necessity
   Answerd

4. He that would the ___ win, must with the mother first begin.
   a. battle
   b. argument
   c. lottery
   d. daughter
   Answerd

5. "Like mother, like daughter" means ___.
   a. If you admire the mother you will also admire the daughter.
   b. Daughters tend to do the same things as their mothers.
   Answerb

6. "Tied to one's mother's apron strings" means ___.
   a. A person likes cooking.
   b. A person has a fetish for his or her mother's clothing.
   c. A person is dependent on his or her mother.
   d. A person has very strict ideas about what is proper behavior.
   Answerc

7. "Every mother's son (of someone)" means ___.
   a. Absolutely everyone with no exception
   b. Anyone who is underage
   c. All who are immature
   d. Anyone who is living at home
   Answera

8. "Old enough to be someone's mother" means ___.
   a. A person is as old as someone's parents (too old for a relationship).
   b. A person is old enough to have children.
   c. A person is well matched emotionally with another person.
   d. A person ought to act more mature.
   Answera

9. Children are the ___ that hold a mother to life. (Sophocles)
   a. stitches
   b. anchors
   c. pillars
   d. glue
   Answerb

10. Every beetle is a gazelle in the ___ of its mother. (Moorish Proverb)
    a. mind
    b. view
    c. eyes
    d. heart
    Answerc

11. A ___ son is the heaviness of its mother. (Bible, Proverbs)
    a. foolish
    b. friendly
    c. frank
    d. fiendish
    Answera

12. The ideal mother, like the ideal ___ is fiction.(Milton B. Sapirstein, Paradoxes of Everyday Life, 1955)
    a. house
    b. job
    c. marriage
    d. vacation
    Answerc

13. A mother is glad to get the loveliest child ___. (Emerson)
    a. dressed
    b. ready
    c. home
    d. asleep
    Answerd

14. No woman can call herself ___ unless she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be amother. (Margaret Sanger, Parade, Dec.1, 1963)
    a. happy
    b. open
    c. free
    d. modern
    Answerc

15. What mother sings to the cradle goes all the way ___ to the coffin. (Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbsfrom Plymouth Pulpit, 1887)
    a. down
    b. after
    c. on
    d. in
    Answera

16. Who takes the child by the ___ takes the mother by the heart. (Danish Proverb)
    a. storm
    b. hand
    c. shirttails
    d. arm
    Answerb

17. Men are what ___ mothers made them. (Emerson)
    a. some
    b. other
    c. their
    d. many
    Answerc

18. Only mothers can think of the ___ because they give birth to it in their children. (Maxim Gorky)
    a. future
    b. past
    c. present
    d. possible
    Answera

19. Motherly love begins with oneness and ___ to separateness. (Erich Fromm)
    a. ends
    b. leads
    c. results
    d. depends
    Answerb

20. A motherless son is a fish ___low water. (Burmese Proverb)
    a. out
    b. over
    c. in
    d. on
    Answerc

Copyright (C) 1998 by Donna Tatsuki

Helado de Dulce de Leche according to The New York Times

Spring days are coming ahead, and with them the helado de dulce de leche pops back in our lives.

Read what The New York Times thinks of of Argentina's favourite flavours when it comes to ice cream!

Buenos Aires: National Treasure in a Cone

Saludos,
and let's go to your favourite ice cream parlor to grab a cucurucho filled with creamy dulce de leche!
Prof. Mariano Ignacio

Bits and Pieces

What's the Correct Word Order?

Click the answer button to see the correct answer.

1. a. beautiful
   b. to
   c. lady
   d. what
   e. young
   f. that
   g. happened
   h. ?
   AnswerWhat happened to that beautiful young lady?
2. a. how
   b. us
   c. waiting
   d. has
   e. long
   f. she
   g. been
   h. for
   i. ?
   AnswerHow long has she been waiting for us?
3. a. far
   b. gas
   c. is
   d. the
   e. how
   f. nearest
   g. it
   h. to
   i. station
   j. ?
   AnswerHow far is it to the nearest gas station?
4. a. didn't
   b. our
   c. come
   d. meeting
   e. to
   f. why
   g. you
   h. ?
   AnswerWhy didn't you come to our meeting?
5. a. tonight
   b. you
   c. come
   d. do
   e. guests
   f. how
   g. will
   h. many
   i. know
   j. ?
   AnswerDo you know how many guests will come tonight?
6. a. green
   b. cost
   c. much
   d. that
   e. vase
   f. how
   g. does
   h. Japanese
   i. ?
   AnswerHow much does that green Japanese vase cost?
7. a. I
   b. in
   c. may
   d. this
   e. room
   f. smoke
   g. ?
   AnswerMay I smoke in this room?
8. a. me
   b. you
   c. ride
   d. can
   e. give
   f. a
   g. ?
   AnswerCan you give me a ride?
9. a. break
   b. it
   c. we
   d. should
   e. before
   f. do
   g. coffee
   h. ?
   AnswerShould we do it before coffee break?
10. a. will
    b. here
    c. he
    d. when
    e. be
    f. again
    g. ?
    AnswerWhen will he be here again?

(C) 1998 Vera Mello

Correct or Incorrect use of preposition?

Click the answer button to see whether
the sentence is correct (c) or incorrect (i).

1. She's a very selfish person who doesn't show any consideration for others.
   Answerc
2. On our school the teachers' basic hourly rate was increased by 5%.
   Answeri (in,by)
3. When we said: "the time is over", the young girl glanced quickly on her watch.
   Answeri (at)
4. There's a fine of 25 cents a day at overdue library books.
   Answeri (of,on)
5. In the beginning of his career he had very little success.
   Answeri (at,of)
6. He forgot to consider the rise in the cost of living.
   Answerc
7. This ticket entitles you to a free meal in our new restaurant.
   Answerc
8. Why did the burden to bringing up her two brothers fall on her shoulders?
   Answeri (of)
9. When I came through the customs at the airport, I had to pay duty about an electric knife I had in my luggage.
   Answeri (on,in)
10. The botanist discovered some new specimens of flowers on that island.
    Answerc

(C) 1998 Vera Mello

Homophones - A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose (past tense of "rise"), or differently, such as to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms.

Click the answer button to see the answer.

1. Things are not as they ___.
   a. seam
   b. seem
   Answerb
2. A type of corn is called ___.
   a. maize
   b. maze
   Answera
3. On the ___, he is a nice person.
   a. whole
   b. hole
   Answera
4. He ___ better but he did it anyway.
   a. knew
   b. new
   Answera
5. Always try to buy low and ___ high.
   a. sell
   b. cell
   Answera
6. Didn't you ___ me when I called you?
   a. hear
   b. here
   Answera
7. A rank lower than general is ___.
   a. colonel
   b. kernel
   Answera
8. Do not ___ in the affairs of other.
   a. medal
   b. meddle
   Answerb
9. Do you really ___ the money?
   a. knead
   b. kneed
   c. need
   Answerc
10. During the summer I work as a tour ___.
    a. guide
    b. guyed
    Answera
11. I will have a ___ sandwich on rye bread.
    a. stake
    b. steak
    Answerb
12. I told ___ not to go but he would not listen.
    a. him
    b. hymn
    Answera
13. His car broke down so he called for a ___ truck.
    a. toe
    b. tow
    Answerb
14. If you run a bear will chase and try to ___ you.
    a. mall
    b. maul
    Answerb
15. If you sleep with ___ hair you will catch a cold.
    a. wet
    b. whet
    Answera
16. A vein of gold in a mine is known as the mother ___.
    a. load
    b. lode
    Answerb
17. I want to ___ you for your delicious meal.
    a. complement
    b. compliment
    Answerb
18. He was not ___ to stay up later than 9:00 at night.
    a. allowed
    b. aloud
    Answera
19. My son has ___ 10 centimeters since this past summer.
    a. groan
    b. grown
    Answerb
20. He ___ flowers to his mother on Mother's Day.
    a. cent
    b. scent
    c. sent
    Answerc

(C) 1998 Donna Tatsuki

Grammar Basics

Click the answer button to see the answer. You may need a dictionary in some cases.

1. Beer is the world's best-selling ___ drink.
   a. alcohol
   b. alcoholic
   c. alcohols
   Answerb
2. The process of making beer is called ___ .
   a. beering
   b. brewsing
   c. brewing
   Answerc
3. The first recorded recipe ( ___ on clay tablets) seems to be one for making beer.
   a. write
   b. written
   c. wrote
   Answerb
4. The ___ ingredients used in making beer are malted grains, water, hops, and yeast.
   a. principal
   b. principle
   c. principles
   Answera
5. The most common grain ___ for beer-making is barley, but sometimes wheat, corn, or rice are also added.
   a. use
   b. uses
   c. used
   Answerc
6. Grain is malted by first soaking it in water, then allowing it to sprout, and finally drying it ___ stop the sprouting.
   a. in order to
   b. to order to
   c. into order to
   Answera
7. Hop cones add both flavor and aroma to beer; they are also good ___ .
   a. preserves
   b. preservatives
   c. preservations
   Answerb
8. In a process ___ fermentation, yeast changes sugar from the malted grain into alcohol.
   a. call
   b. calling
   c. called
   Answerc
9. Although the alcohol level in beer ___ ranges from 4-7%, it can go as high as 15%.
   a. usual
   b. unusual
   c. usually
   Answerc
10. The two most ___ styles of beer are lager and ale.
    a. common
    b. commons
    c. commonly
    Answera
11. Lager ___ about 150 years ago, and it is now the most popular style of beer.
    a. has developed
    b. was developed
    c. has been developed
    Answerb
12. However, in recent years, ale has been regaining ___ .
    a. popular
    b. population
    c. popularity
    Answerc
13. One difference between lager and ale ___ the kinds of yeast used in the fermentation process.
    a. lies in
    b. lies at
    c. lies on
    Answera
14. Another difference between these two ___ of beer is the temperature of the fermentation process.
    a. type
    b. types
    c. typicals
    Answerb
15. In addition, lager ___ lighter in color and body than ale.
    a. tends to be
    b. tend to be
    c. tends to have
    Answera
16. Most beer in the United States is made by big breweries, such as Anheuser-Busch and Miller; microbrew or "craft" beer ___ only 5-10% of all beer produced.
    a. account for
    b. accounts for
    c. count for
    Answerb
17. However, the rapid ___ in the number of microbreweries in the past 20 years means that the United States has a wider selection of beer styles than any other country.
    a. increasing
    b. increases
    c. increase
    Answerc
18. In Europe, one of the smallest countries, Belgium, produces the ___ variety of beer styles of all and is sometimes thought of as a "Disneyland" for beer drinkers.
    a. great
    b. greatest
    c. greater
    Answerb

Copyright (C) 1999 Nevitt Reagan