Homework

• 1. Complete with the gerund or infinitive
• 2. Choose the correct meaning
• 3. Complete with the gerund after a preposition
• 4. Answer using complete sentences
• 5. Reading comprehension
  • Changing direction
  • Questions

1. Complete with the gerund or infinitive

1. I enjoy __________ (read) before bed.
2. She wants __________ (learn) Italian.
3. He avoided __________ (answer) the question.
4. We decided __________ (go) to the beach.
5. Do you mind __________ (help) me?
6. She promised __________ (call) me tomorrow.
7. I can't afford __________ (buy) a new car.
8. Keep __________ (practice)! You're getting better.
9. He refused __________ (apologize).
10. I suggest __________ (take) a break.

2. Choose the correct meaning

1. She stopped talking. => a) She went quiet. b) She paused in order to talk.
2. She stopped to talk. => a) She went quiet. b) She paused in order to talk.
3. I remember meeting him. => a) I have the memory. b) I didn't forget to meet him.
4. I remembered to meet him. => a) I have the memory. b) I didn't forget to meet him.

3. Complete with the gerund after a preposition

1. I'm interested in __________ (study) history.
2. She's good at __________ (play) the piano.
3. He left without __________ (say) goodbye.
4. Before __________ (go) to bed, I read a book.
5. I'm tired of __________ (wait).
6. Instead of __________ (drive), I took the bus.

4. Answer using complete sentences

1. What do you enjoy doing on weekends?
2. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years?
3. Is there something you have recently quit doing?
4. What are you interested in learning?
5. What's a place you'll never forget visiting?
6. Think of a goal you reached. How long had you been working toward it?

5. Reading comprehension

Changing direction

María had been working as an accountant[1] for eight years when she realized she was not happy. She didn't hate her job, but she didn't enjoy going to the office every morning. She spent most of her day looking at numbers on a screen, and she had started to feel that something was missing.

She had always been interested in cooking. As a child, she loved watching her grandmother in the kitchen. She would spend hours learning to make traditional recipes.[2] When she grew up, she kept cooking for friends and family, and everyone told her she was very good at it.

One day, she decided to make a change. She started looking for cooking courses and found a good school in her city. She was nervous about going back to studying — she had finished university more than ten years ago. But she signed up[3] for a one-year course.

The first few months were hard. She was still working at her old job during the day and attending[4] classes in the evening. She had been doing both for about three months when she decided to quit her job. It was a big risk,[5] but she couldn't manage to do both things at the same time.

She finished the course in June. After graduating, she got a job at a small restaurant near the city center. She enjoyed working there, but she had been thinking about opening her own place for a long time.

Two years later, she opened a small restaurant. It was not easy — she had to learn about running a business, managing staff,[6] and keeping costs down. She sometimes missed having a stable[7] salary.[8] But she never regretted[9] making the change.

Today, her restaurant is doing well. She works longer hours than before, but she doesn't mind working late because she loves what she does. When people ask her for advice,[10] she always says the same thing: "Don't be afraid of starting again. It's never too late to try something new."

[1] accountant [ə'kaʊntənt] - a person whose job is to keep financial records

[2] recipe ['rɛsɪpi:] - instructions for preparing a dish

[3] sign up [saɪn ʌp] - register for a course or activity

[4] attend [ə'tɛnd] - go to (a class, an event)

[5] risk [rɪsk]

[6] staff [stæf] - the people who work for a business

[7] stable ['steɪbəl]

[8] salary ['sæləri]

[9] regret [rɪ'grɛt] - feel sorry about something you did

[10] advice [əd'vaɪs] - a suggestion about what someone should do

Questions

Answer based on the text.

1. What didn't María enjoy about her job?
2. What had she always been interested in?
3. Why did she quit her job?
4. What did she do after graduating?
5. What does she sometimes miss?
6. What is her advice?