2 Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
Last night I (1)_______ (get) home at 6.30 p.m., a little later than usual. I (2)_______ (stay) longer at work because my boss (3)_______ (want) to discuss a pay increase. So, I was in a good mood when I (4)_______ (arrive) home! Unfortunately that (5)_______ (last long). When I (6)_______ (open) the front door, there (7)_______ (be) water all over the floor. My daughter (8)_______ (leave) a tap running in the bathroom earlier and she (9)_______ (go) out. The water (10)_______ (come) through the ceiling. It (11)_______ (cost) a fortune to repair. I certainly need that salary increase!
Vocabulary
3 Choose the correct answers.
1 We’re allowed to use MP3 players / calculators in maths exams.
2 When I bend up / down my back hurts.
3 My baby nephew nodded / waved to me when he left with his mum.
4 Actors usually beckon / bow at the end of a play.
5 Sometimes racism / terrorism is a problem in a multi-racial society.
4 Complete the sentences with the correct words in the box.
technician novelist musician vandal burglar
1 A _________________ smashed the windows of our car.
2 He’s a ___________________ and plays in an orchestra.
3 My favourite _________________ is Stephen King. I love his books.
4 We need a _______ __________to look at this computer.
5 The police arrested the __________________ who broke into our house last year.
Reading
6 Read the text.
Community police
There is a new type of police officer on our country roads these days. They’re not real police officers. They are members of the public and they are called ‘community police’. The idea is that they help the police control the speed of motorists through their villages.
These people wear yellow jackets and stand beside the road with a traffic gun pointed at the cars to find out the speed. This is not official. There is no camera and the people have to note down the numbers of the cars that are going too fast. This information is then passed on to the real police who send a warning letter to the owner of the car.
Not everyone is happy with this scheme! ‘It’s not a good system,’ says Mark Good from one of the main motoring organisations. ‘Mistakes often happen. The people take down the wrong numbers! The information is just not reliable. It’s never a good idea to get the public to do the police’s job. I think it’s ridiculous.’
But, as the villagers say, speeding is a huge problem, particularly in the countryside. There aren’t enough traffic police and dangerous motorists need to be stopped. So what do you think? Let us have your views on the website. www.tellus.com
7 Choose the best answers
1 Members of the general public
A are joining the police force.
B are fighting the police.
C are helping the police.
D are complaining about the police.
2 Community police’
A can take pictures of speeding cars.
B can find out the speed of cars.
C can chase speeding cars.
D can contact the motorists.
3 The police use information to
A arrest the motorists.
B send letters to the car owners.
C talk to the car owners.
D follow the motorists.
4 Some people think
A you can’t rely on this information.
B the community police are better than the real police.
C traffic guns don’t always give the right speed.
D motoring organisations can help.
5 The villagers think
A that the cars are damaging their villages.
B the traffic police don’t do a good job.
C cars are dangerous in the country.
D more people are needed to check speeding cars.