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Grit
PERIOD 01
LEVEL: B2

A- GRAMMAR: PRESENT TENSES

1. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present simple or the Present continuous.
1. A: I ___________ (see) there's a great film on at the cinema tonight. Would you like to go?
B: No,I ___________ (see) the dentist about my toothache.
2. A: ___________ (you/think) about going on a picnic this afternoon?
B: Not really. I ___________ (think) I need to study.
3. A: Is John OK? He ___________ (look) very red in the face.
B: Yes, I know. I ___________ (look) for the doctor's telephone number now.
4. A: How ___________ (you/like) your stay in Budapest?
B: I am really ___________ (enjoy) myself. I particularly ___________ (like) the Hungarian food.
5. A: Why ___________ (you/taste) the stew?
B: I think you ___________ (need) to add some spices; it ___________ (taste) a bit bland.
6. A: Why ___________ (you/feel) the radiator, Dad?
B: I ___________ (not/think) it's working; it ___________ (feel) very cold in here.
7. A: Tom ___________ (be) usually a very quiet boy.
B: Yes, but he ___________ (be) very noisy today.
8. A: ___________ (you/have) a car?
B: Yes, but I ___________ (have) some problems with it, so it's at the garage.
9. A: Why ___________ (you/smell) the roses?
B: They always ___________ (smell) so wonderful at this time of year.

2. Choose the correct option.

1. We have been walking / have walked since 3:00.
2. How long has she spoken / has she been speaking to that customer?
3. Paul has bought / has been buying three shirts.
4. They haven't explored / haven't been exploring the market all day.
5. Have you been knowing / Have you known Alex since you started school?

3. Fill in has / have been to / in; has / have gone to.

1. Bertha's not here. She __________ the library.
2. I __________ Madrid, but I only spent a few days there.
3. "How long __________ you __________ Birmingharn?" "For nearly two years"
4. Tom is alone because his parents __________ the seaside.
5. Julia __________ the supermarket- she'll be back in about an hour.

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present tenses.

Hi John,
First of all, sorry I (1) __________ (not/write) for so long, but I was on holiday. (2) __________ (you/get)
your exam results yet? I'm sure you (3) __________ (pass) them all since you always (4) __________ (study)
so hard. I (5) __________ (wait) for mine at the moment, and I (6) __________ (try) not to worry! Well, I (7)
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__________ (write) from my new flat. Yes, I (8) __________ (move) house! Now, we (9) __________ (paint)
and (10) __________ (clean) the place to make it look nice. When it's finished, I want to have a party and,
because I (11) __________ (not/see) you for weeks, I (12) __________ (want) you to come. Write soon and
let me know if I'll see you there.
Talk soon,
Mary

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present tenses.

1. Alan _________ (fly) to Barcelona tonight. He _________ (already/pack) his suitcase, but he _________
(not/call) a taxi yet. His plane _________ (leave) at 8 pm.
2. Ann and Sally _________ (be) flatmates. They sometimes _________ (argue) because Sally _________
(always/make) a mess in the kitchen.
3. "Look over there! It's John Cooper"
"Oh yes! But he _________ (look) sodifferent! He _________ (put on) at least 15 kilos, and I _________ (think)
he _________ (wear) a police uniform"
4. Ever since the accident, Susan _________ (be) afraid to drive. Next week, she _________ (see) a
psychologist who _________ (specialise) in that sort of problem.
5. "What a great match! Johnson _________ (pass) the ball to Green, who _________ (shoot) and _________
(score)!"
6. "What on earth _________ (you / do)? Your clothes are all dirty!" “ Well, I _________ (work) in the
garden all day. Look! I _________ (already/plant) a lot of flowers. I _________ (plan) to cut the grass now.”

6. Choose the correct option.

1. James _________ to my email yet. Maybe he's on holiday.
A. doesn't reply B. isn't replying C. hasn't replied
2. Mike always _________ up early on weekdays
A. gets B. is getting C. has got
3. Your French _________ all the time, Sally.
A. improves B. is improving C. has improved
4. I _________ a cake; that's why the kitchen is such a mess.
A. make B. making C. have been making
5. The plane _________ at 9:30 tomorrow morning.
A. arrives B. is arriving C. has arrived
6. Alice _________ for a job at the moment.
A. looks B. is looking C. has looked
7. This soup _________ delicious. What did you put in it?
A. smells B. is smelling C. has smelt
8. Their baby _________ to walk.
A. just starts B. has just started C. has just been starting
9. We _________ a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
A. have B. are having C. have had
10. I _________ for an hour and the bus still hasn't come.
A. am waiting B. have waited C. have been waiting
11. I _________ this film three times already.
A. see B. am seeing C. have seen
12. Melanie _________ at her father's shop every day this week.
A. works B. is working C. has worked
13. I can't get in the house. I _________ my keys.
A. lose B. am losing C. have lost
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14. There _________ Luke on his new bicycle!

A. goes B. is going C. has gone
15. I _________ the book you lent me. I'm really enjoying it.
A. read B. have read C. have been reading
16. _________ you ever been to Lyon?
A. Do B. Are C. Have

B- LIFESTYLE 01
1. Vocabulary:
a/ Look at the verbs and adjectives that can all be used with the noun lifestyle to form
collocations. Collocations are pairs or groups of words that are often used together.

active luxurious
have alternative outdoor
live busy relaxed
lead a/an chaotic sedentary lifestyle
comfortable simple
healthy stressful

b/ Complete each gap with an adjective which is the opposite of the one in bold in the same
sentence.

baggy brand new casual

colourful scruffy unfashionable

1. Charlie bought a great second-hand designer sweatshirt in Vintage Gear – it looks ____________.
2. Haven’t you got a more formal jacket? That one’s a little too ____________ for the wedding.
3. My sister prefers tight-fitting tops and jeans, whereas I like everything to be really ____________.
4. Clothes that are considered trendy and worn by everyone one year, are often____________ and too
embarrassing to be seen in the next.
5. She wore a plain grey dress to the awards ceremony. We expected to see her in something far more
____________.
6. As a farmer, I don’t have many smart clothes; I spend most of my time in ____________ jeans and an old
T-shirt.

2. Reading and Use of English: Multiple matching

You are going to read an article in which four people talk about their lifestyles.
For questions 1–10, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person
1. admits to having an untidy house?
2. would not recommend their lifestyle to other people? 2
3. likes the unpredictable nature of their work? 3
4. is not particularly keen on taking exercise? 4
5. has a lot of free time? 5
6. has achieved an early ambition? 6
7. usually has no trouble getting to sleep at night? 7
8. does not normally have to go far to get to their place of work? 8
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9. says that people have the wrong idea about their work? 9
10. is considering introducing more stability into their life?

3. Find the following phrasal verbs in the text and use context to help you work out their
approximate meanings. The letters in brackets refer to the sections of the text in which the
phrasal verbs appear.
turn up (A) set off (B) catch up on (B) carry on (B) make up my mind (B)
put off (C) settle down (B, C) grow up (D) come across (D) carry out (D)
I once turned up late for a play I was in.
‘Turn up’ here means ‘arrive’.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE

A. Lucas Martín: television and stage actor
Normally I get out of bed around midday. I’ll sometimes go for a run after I get up, though it’s not
really my idea of fun. I’m not a fitness fan, but I realise it’s important.
When I’m not rehearsing or on tour, afternoons generally involve reading scripts or learning lines.
My flatmates are also actors, so at home there are usually scripts lying all over the place. It’s a bit
of a mess, I’m ashamed to say. I’m passionate about history, and if I’m working away from home,
I’ll often spend the afternoon in a museum or historic building. I sometimes lose track of time, and
I once turned up late for a play I was in. I felt terrible, so now I always get to the theatre early; I’m
usually the first to arrive.
After a performance I eat and spend a few hours unwinding, so bedtime is often one or two in
the morning. I’m normally out like a light as soon as my head hits the pillow.

B. Maja Andersson: ski and snowboard instructor

I generally spend six months in Europe and six in New Zealand, but I’ve also worked
in Japan and Canada. Wherever I am, I love the fact that I usually live just a short walk
from the slopes, so I can get up reasonably late and still have time for a decent breakfast
before setting off for work.
When I started out eight years ago, I used to teach groups of young kids. Now I’m fully
qualified, I tend to get the advanced classes, which I find more interesting. We get
plenty of days off and when I’m not working, I go skiing by myself, or catch up on my
sleep – I have no problem spending the morning in bed!
I love the lifestyle, but I’m not sure I can carry on doing this for much longer. It might be
time to settle down and get a more normal job, something steady and secure. I haven’t
made up my mind yet, though.

C. Reo Tanaka: farm vet

I used to have a dog and we’d go running together most mornings, but I gave him to my mum in
the end. I tend to be out all day, visiting farms, and it wasn’t fair to leave him alone. So now I don’t
get as much exercise as I’d like to.
I love my job, especially the variety and not knowing what you’ll be doing from one day to the
next. But being a vet – any type of vet – is not what most people think. It’s not all cuddly lambs
and cute little calves. We have to do some pretty unpleasant things sometimes, things which
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might put some people off working with animals for life.
My mum wants to know when I’m going to find someone to settle down with, but it’s not
as if I have loads of free time to go looking. There’s not even room for a dog in my life,
so I don’t see how I’ll be able to fit marriage in.

D. Ben Adams: mountaineer and wind turbine technician

As a child, I would tell everyone that when I grew up, I wanted to climb Everest. I’ve actually
climbed it three times now, and I’ve also scaled four more of the fourteen peaks over
8000 metres.
And when I’m not on a mountain, you might come across me hanging on a rope from a wind
turbine, carrying out repairs to damaged blades at heights of up to 100 metres. That’s how I
make a living and pay for my climbing trips. I also sometimes get sponsorship from companies,
which provide funding and maybe food and equipment. In return, I mention the sponsors in
the talks I give and the articles I write when I get back from my climbs.
It’s a fairly unconventional way of life, and not one I’d actively encourage others to adopt –
there’s a lot of danger involved – but it works for me. It’s precisely that sense of danger that
makes me feel alive.

HOMEWORK
1. Listening: Multiple matching (track 1.1)
You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about the clothes they wear. For questions
1–5, choose from the list (A–H) what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There are three extra
letters which you do not need to use.
A. I tend to wear the same clothes all the time.
B. I don’t really care what clothes I wear.
C. I refuse to wear designer clothes.
D. I’m careful to check the origin of the clothes I buy.
E. I generally wear second-hand clothes.
F. I only throw clothes away when absolutely necessary.
G. I buy quality clothes that are guaranteed to last.
H. I wear clothes that give me self-confidence.

Speaker 1: _________
Speaker 2: _________
Speaker 3: _________
Speaker 4: _________
Speaker 5: _________

2. You are going to read an article in which four people talk about their lifestyles. For questions
1–10, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person states

1. running out of money forces them to give something up?
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2. their partner is keen for them to have a lifestyle change?

3. they’d like to be able to take more time off to relax?
4. more sleep at night would have a beneficial effect on their life?
5. they’ve become more eager to try new sports?
6. they undertook a building project as part of a lifestyle change?
7. they get great pleasure from their journey to work?
8. a change in career led to a positive outcome?
9. they are motivated to do physical exercise by their partner?
10. their previous job used to be very demanding?

3. Match the expressions with run (1–8) to their meanings (a–h).

1. to run a tight ship a. to be in a bad situation where there is a possibility of
2. to run in the family something bad happening to you
3. to be running on empty b. to finish naturally
4. to run your eye over something c. to try to escape
5. to run for office d. to look quickly at the whole of something
6. to make a run for it e. to control something firmly and effectively
7. to run the risk of f. to continue to be active with little energy left
8. to run its course g. refers to a quality or ability that many relatives have
h. to try to be elected

4. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the expressions. There is one expression
you will not need. There is an example at the beginning (0).
0. Would you mind running your eye over my proposal for the meeting?
1. It appears you have an excellent talent for drawing. Does it __________________________?
2. The thieves __________________________ after robbing the bank in the High Street.
3. The local councillor __________________________ losing her seat this year.
4. I must consider coordinating my campaign of __________________________ of society president.
5. I think our friendship has __________________________ as we don’t contact each other anymore.
6. Sandra __________________________ and was a strict manager before she retired.

MAKING A POSITIVE CHANGE

Four people were asked how they’d change their lifestyle and why.
A. Luke
I’ve wanted to make improvements to my life for as long as I can remember. But it’s easier
said than done, isn’t it? It’s just getting rid of bad habits that I have come to accept in my life as
normal, I guess. I tend to work long hours. This is a direct result of running my own real estate
agency. Usually, with people who have regular jobs, when it’s the weekend or evening, it signals
a time to put your feet up and switch off. With me, this is a rare occurrence. I’m not exactly tied to
my phone, but it’s my responsibility if something goes wrong. I can’t ignore it because there’s no
one else to solve the problem and sometimes it can’t wait until Monday morning. My wife wants
us to take a year out and just see the world. We’re lucky that we have the finances to do it, but I
can’t make up my mind at the moment – I need to soon or she’ll run out of patience!
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B. Sophia
To be honest, I really don’t have a great deal to complain about when it comes to the way
I live my life. This isn’t to say I don’t spend countless hours trying to improve it, though. I’m always
trying something different. I used to stick to the same thing and was very much a creature of habit.
I wasn’t very daring at all. These days, I’m far more adventurous. From time to time, I’ll get bored
with going for a jog, so I’ll do a course in skiing or scuba diving or anything random like that. Then,
I’ll get bored of it or simply won’t have the cash and I’ll get my running kit on again. I always seem
to come back to that because it’s just a case of putting on some trainers. I suppose the main thing
is that it’s good to stay active, especially as you get older. Luckily, my boyfriend feels the same way
as me in this regard, so we encourage each other.

C. Elizabeth
I guess the single most useful thing for me would be to start again and completely change
direction in terms of my chosen work path. But that’s not going to happen any time soon, so in a
close second place, I’d have to say turning my light off at a decent time would be a fantastic idea.
It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But, for some reason, it isn’t. I usually go upstairs and start reading.
If I get into something good, this means going to sleep late. If I could wake up late, it would be OK,
but I can’t. I just get into a vicious circle this way, and I’m sure I’m not alone. So, I have to rely on my
alarm and set off early the next morning. I must say, though, that my bike ride is a great start to
the day. I absolutely love it, especially when I see all the traffic jams and stressed out drivers on the
way. I wouldn’t want to change this. I didn’t use to do it and I can honestly say I even enjoy it in the
pouring rain. That surprises a lot of people.

D. Daniel
I often have moments to think about how I can change my life. The thing is there’s a difference between
thinking about it and actually doing it. I’m proud that I’ve actually managed to do so because there was
a point when I thought I couldn’t. I used to work in London and had to commute in from the suburbs
every day. My day would start at around 6, and I wouldn’t be back home, relaxing on my sofa, until
around 12 hours later. Then when we had kids, I decided to give up my high-powered job and instead
took on something much more manageable. This was stressful for me at the time, especially when we
were renovating our new home, but I have no regrets. It’s a simple lifestyle, but I guess that’s the whole
point. Shorter working hours mean I get to catch up on stuff during the week that I’d have usually had
to find time for at weekends and this is great.

5. Write the words in the correct order to make sentences. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
0. quite / grandmother / My / has / lifestyle / sedentary / a
-> My grandmother has quite a sedentary lifestyle.
1. American / I / know / way / little / very / about / life / the / of

2. job / My / means / I / lifestyle / a / stressful / have

3. of / you / the / people / private / Are / lives / interested / in / famous ?

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4. active / was / When / he / young / he / a / very / had / lifestyle

5. your / How / lifestyle / would / you / to / change / try ?

6. extremely / modern / is / way / The / life / of / fast-paced

7. well / relaxed / My / suits / character / my lifestyle

8. of / in / The / this / lead / a / people / traditional / life / town / way

6. Choose the correct adjectives to complete the sentences.

0 I’m not keen on casual / tight-fitting clothes. I prefer baggy ones.
1. Oh no! I’ve got wine on my brand new / second-hand silk shirt.
2. It’s best to wear a scruffy / smart suit to an interview.
3. Wow! I love the shoes. They’re so modern and trendy / baggy.
4. I’d wear casual / formal clothes like jeans every day if I could.
5. He always chooses dark stuff, nothing tight-fitting / colourful at all!
6. Everyone wore very casual / formal dresses to the ball.
7. Plain / Scruffy tops tend to be versatile because they go with anything.
8. Mohammed’s clothes are smart / baggy because he’s lost weight.