Saint Patrick´s Day

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day - also referred to as "Saint Paddy's Day" - appears to have become a worldwide phenomenon. Whilst Saint David's Day is almost exclusively celebrated in Wales and many English people probably couldn't even tell you when Saint George's Day is (April 23rd, if you're interested), celebrations take place across the world for Saint Patrick's Day. It is celebrated on the 17th March - that's just under a week away!

A few days ago, I received an email which informed me that numerous buildings, statues and natural wonders around the world would be green for Saint Patrick's Day. In the UK the London Eye will glow green for the night, as will Nelson's Column. Across the -Coe C R to name a few. Even Niagara Falls will be illuminated for the night! An American friend also told me that the Chicago River is dyed green for the event. I had never heard of this before - but next year I will definitely try to see some of the participating landmarks in the UK!

For a lot of people, Saint Patrick's Day is simply a day to have a drink with family and friends. However, for some people the day is an important cultural event. Dublin - the capital of the Republic of Ireland - hosts lots of events to celebrate the occasion. The Saint Patrick's Festival in Dublin is an event which is attended by locals and tourists alike. There is a huge parade and also some traditional Irish dancing - known as a 'ceili'. One day, I would love to experience this event. Across the UK, many pubs and bars are decorated with shamrocks and will host quizzes or events for Saint Patrick's Day. It has become a hugely popular day in the British calendar - and it looks like its popularity will only continue to grow.

About the Earth

Look at the quiz and answer the questions to practise and improve your reading skills.

KEY

1. B. Antarctica

2. C. The Atacama desert in Chile

3. A. Tibet

4. B. The Red Sea

5. A. The Pacific

6. B. Mount Everest in the Himalayas

7. C. The Nile

8. A. Hawaii

9. C. Venezuela

10. A. Libya

11. C. Colombia

12. C. Antarctica

Tables

Tables are great for organising words into groups. The examples above show a table organised by topic and one for opposites.

A for and against essay about the internet

Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Preparation

Complete the tips for writing a for and against essay with a word from the box.

disagree          formal          plan          reasons          opinions

1. You should give your _______________ on the topic.
2. Always give _______________ for your opinions.
3. You can agree, _______________ or discuss both sides of the statement.
4. The register used in an essay is usually quite _______________.
5. You need to _______________ your essay carefully before you start writing.

A more formal email

Look at the exam question and email and do the exercises to practise and improve your writing skills. 

Preparation

Circle True or False for these sentences.

1. You should use polite expressions and more formal grammatical structures. True   False
2. You don't have to include all the points mentioned in the question. True   False
3. You can use contractions in a formal email. True   False
4. You should avoid using conventional expressions for starting and finishing the email. True   False
5. You should use this style for a person you don't know. True   False

Writing about survey results

Look at the pie chart and text and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Preparation

Circle True or False for these sentences.

1. Your writing should have an introduction, main body and conclusion. True   False
2. You should include your opinion about the results of the survey. True   False
3. You should try to mention or summarise all the information given. True   False
4. You should use a variety of expressions for describing percentages and proportions. True   False
5. You don't have to use connectors or link ideas together. True   False
6. In your conclusion, you should focus on the most important figures or trends. True   False

Writing about a bar chart

Look at the bar chart, question and sample answer and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Preparation

Look at the chart below and circle the best answer to these questions.

1. How many years does the chart show information for?

    a. one   b. two   c. three

2. Who does the chart show information for?

    a. men only   b. women only   c. both men and women

3. How many men studied engineering in Australian universities in 2012?

    a. 6,000   b. 12,000   c. 14,000