A story

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

Exam question

Write a story with the title “The English Exam”. You should use a variety of tenses and your story must be between 180 and 220 words.

Top Tips for writing

1. Your story should have a clear beginning, middle and end.

2. Use clear paragraphs.

3. Use a variety of narrative tenses.

4. Use direct speech or indirect speech when the characters talk.

April Fool's Day

Is there a special day for jokes and tricks in your country? Do you like playing tricks on people? If you're ever in the UK on April 1st, you'd better watch out!

When and what is April Fool’s Day?

April Fool’s Day is on April 1st. It‘s the custom in the UK to play a trick or a joke on someone on this day. If the person falls for the joke then they are called an ‘April Fool’. In fact it’s only half a day because April Fool’s Day finishes at midday. No more jokes after lunchtime, please!

What kind of tricks do people play?

Here are some April Fool’s tricks from around the world:

• In the 90s Burger King published an advert in the magazine USA Today offering new ‘Left-handed Whoppas’ for the 32 million left-handed Americans! Thousands of customers ordered the new burger in the restaurants!
• A zoo in Japan said that they had a giant penguin that was 165cm tall and weighed 80 kilograms! In fact it was a man dressed up in a penguin suit.
• Last year in the UK a children’s news programme said that scientists had invented a ‘Brain Band’. It was a coloured head band that you put on your head and it helped to make you more intelligent! In an on-line poll, 47% of the children who heard the news wanted to buy a ‘brain band’!
• In 1949 a radio presenter in New Zealand told listeners that there were millions of wasps coming to invade. He told viewers to wear their socks over their trousers and to put honey on their doors. Millions of listeners believed him!
• In 1976 a very famous British astronomer told radio listeners that at 9.47am the earth was going to experience a feeling of less gravity. He said that Jupiter and Pluto would cross and if listeners jumped in the air at exactly 9.47am they would feel the sensation of having no gravity! Hundreds of listeners phoned the radio to say they had jumped and floated in the air!
• Ikea announced that the shop had launched a dog highchair (highchairs are usually for babies!) named 'HUNDSTOL' (Swedish for dog chair). Google 'IKEA dog high chair' for more details.
• The free London newspaper, The Metro, came up with a novel idea to deal with the problem of litter on the underground (unfortunately it was only a joke). They said that the newspaper was now edible – ‘the only paper that you can eat after reading’.
• A British newspaper announced that Portugal had 'sold' Cristiano Ronaldo, the footballer, to Spain for €160million. Why? To try to clear its national debt. It was a joke of course.

Do people actually like April Fool’s Day?

We asked some Brits this question. This is what they said:

I love April Fool’s Day. It can be really good fun. I love playing tricks on people and I don’t mind if people play tricks on me. It’s one day of the year you can be really silly and have a laugh and it’s okay. You have to be quite sensible for the other 364 days of the year, so I look forward to April 1st.

Malisa

I don’t like April Fool’s Day. It makes me a bit nervous. I keep thinking someone is about to play a trick on me. When twelve o’clock passes I feel quite relieved that it’s finished for another year!

Johnny

When I was at school April Fool’s Day was always good fun. We played tricks on each other and sometimes on the teacher. In fact, one year one of the boys at school put a bucket of water on top of the door and when the chemistry teacher came in he got very wet! It was funny, but the boy got in big trouble!

Phil

April Fool’s Day is a great idea. It’s easy to forget the actual date and I always believe everything I read in the newspapers or watch on the TV news. I usually believe the big national hoaxes and it always makes me laugh afterwards. It’s good to remind us that maybe we shouldn’t always believe everything we hear in the news.

Louise

April Fool’s Day is fun when you’re young. I remember putting a plastic fried egg on my dad’s plate for breakfast as a trick. He decided to cut it up and pretend to eat it! Now I think some of the tricks are a bit silly and people can be a bit cruel playing tricks on their ‘friends’!

Clare

I hate April Fool’s Day. Last year people at work changed the sugar for salt so we all put salt in our coffee! Then some joker in the office decided he wanted a day off and he did something to the computers so they wouldn’t work. It just wasn’t funny! I had lots to do and we all had to stop working and solve the problem.

Mark

So watch out this year on April 1st!

Read the text about April Fool’s Day then do these exercises to check your understanding. 

1. Check your understanding: true or false 

Circle True or False for these sentences. 

1. April Fool’s Day is on April 13.                                          True          False 
2. You can play tricks on people all day on April Fool’s Day.   True          False 
3. An April Fool is a person who plays a joke on someone after midday.    True          False 
4. The media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.) and international companies invent stories to trick people on April Fool’s Day.                                                True          False 
5. People play tricks on their friends and family on April 1st.     True          False 
6. Most people don’t like April Fool’s Day.                              True          False 

2. Check your understanding: gap fill 

Complete the gaps with a word from the box. 

planets burgers insects paper 

penguin invention sports person dogs 

1. A fast-food chain advertised _______________ for left-handed people. 
2. A man pretended to be an extra large _______________ at a Japanese zoo. 
3. A TV programme told children about an _______________ which can make you more intelligent. 
4. Radio listeners were worried about _______________ in New Zealand. 
5. An astronomer said that the position of the _______________ would change gravity. 
6. A shop told customers about a special piece of furniture for _______________. 
7. A London newspaper told readers that their news was printed on edible _______________. 
8. The British media said that Portugal sold a top _______________ to solve the country’s financial problems.

3. Check your understanding: matching 

Match the expressions (1-8) with the correct definition (a-h) and write a – h next to the number 1 – 8. 

1…….. really good fun                                                a. have a lot of problems 

2…….. I don’t mind                                                    b. to not go to work 

3…….. have a laugh                                                    c. not be serious 

4…….. I keep thinking                                                d. very entertaining 

5…….. get in big trouble                                             e. it’s not a problem for me 

6…….. national hoax                                                   f. not very intelligent 

7…….. a bit silly                                                         g. a joke or trick on the entire country 

8…….. a day off                                                         h. I worry 

Do you have a day similar to April Fool’s Day in your country? 

When is it? Is it on the same day as April Fool’s Day? 

What kind of tricks and jokes do people like to play on each other? 

Can you remember any funny jokes or tricks from the past? 

Can you think of a good trick or joke to play on someone next year? 

Answers to April Fool’s Day exercises. 

1. Check your understanding: true or false

1. False 
2. False 
3. False 
4. True 
5. True 
6. False 

2. Check your understanding: gap fill 

1. burgers 
2. penguin 
3. invention 
4. insects 
5. planets 
6. dogs 
7. paper 
8. sports person 

3. Check your understanding: matching 

1. d 
2. e 
3. c 
4. h 
5. a 
6. g 
7. f 
8. b 

CHAMPS - White Satellite

CHAMPS is a band from the Isle of Wight. They have appeared on the British Council's Selector music radio show. This song is called 'White Satellite'. See what you think.

Preparation

CHAMPS appeared on the British Council's Selector music radio programme, which brings you the best of new, British music. To find out more about CHAMPS and to listen to more of their music, have a look at their website. Music and lyrics by Michael & David Champion (cc).

Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.

1. …….. a doorway      a. a group of people who sing together
2. …….. to bury      b. a space where there is a door
3. …….. ground      c. to put something in the ground and cover it with earth
4. …….. crown      d. the grey, powdery material that is left after something is burnt
5. …….. a choir      e. an object in space that orbits around the Earth, the sun or another planet
6. …….. a satellite      f. the solid surface of the Earth
7. …….. a frown      g. a circular decorative object worn on the head of a king or queen
8. …….. ashes      h. a facial expression of displeasure made by wrinkling the brow

SuperJam set to make Teenager A Millonaire

Do you have any special family recipes? Watch this video about a Scottish teenager who has created an international business from his Gran's jam recipe.

Preparation

Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the number 1–8.

1. …….. a break     a. to make something, especially by using machines
2. …….. jammy      b. to provide things that people want or need
3. …….. to go down a treat     c. to be enjoyable and a success
4. …….. lucrative     d. very pleased or happy
5. …….. to produce     e. making a lot of money
6. …….. an entrepreneur     f. lucky (informal)
7. …….. to supply     g. an opportunity that helps you become a success
8. …….. delighted     h. someone who starts their own business and is willing to take risks

Slang

Slang is very informal language which is often used by young people. It's hard to keep up to date with slang, but this article will help you learn a few words that your teacher may not know!

Language changes all the time. New words and phrases appear and evolve. The words and pronunciations used by young people in the UK can be very different to those used by adults. Living in a multicultural society has an effect on language, especially on young people, whose friends are often from a mix of backgrounds. TV and music also have a big impact on the language of the young. Often UK singers sing in American accents without realising.

Young British people use lots of language that you usually can’t find in most dictionaries. These extremely informal words and expressions are known as ‘slang’. It is not possible to make a complete list of modern British slang. By the time the list was finished, it would be out of date! New words come and go like fashions. However, here are a few examples:

• Safe, sorted, sound, cool or wicked all mean 'That’s good' or 'I understand'.
• Instead of using different tag questions like …isn’t it?, can’t you? or don’t they?, people use innit(e.g., It’s hot here, isn’t it? = It’s hot here, innit!, He can dance really well, can’t he? = He can dance really well, innit! or They always say that, don’t they? = They always say that, innit.).
• Instead of saying very, really or completely use well (e.g., I’m well tired or You got it well wrong!).
• Whatever means I don’t care (e.g., A: But the teacher says we can’t leave until we’ve finished. B: Whatever. I’m going).
• He’s fine or He’s fit both mean He’s good-looking. Fine and fit can describe a boy or a girl.
• A hoodie is a young person who wears a jacket with a hood (a hood keeps your head dry in rainy Britain!). It is a negative word and suggests that the young person might be a troublemaker or even a criminal.

Ethical fashion: Can high street fashion be fair?

We live in a world addicted to so-called ‘fast fashion’ - and chances are, we’ve all been there. Whether it’s £3 pumps or a whole new outfit for under £50, big name brands such as Primark, H&M and Forever 21 are offering new and affordable ways of keeping up with fashion and adding to an ever-expanding wardrobe. But how often do we actually stop and think about how these products can possibly be so cheap? In other words: what is the real cost of fast fashion?

Big brands aim to get customers to buy their products, and one of the largest factors for many people when buying clothes is price; how cheap can I get what I’m looking for? Would this be cheaper somewhere else? It seems that quality is often taking a back seat to how much money we can save, especially in bad economic conditions. For instance, a Cambridge University report shows that in just 4 years, the amount of clothes bought rose by a third-despite the recession.

As a result of this, clothing firms need to get their production costs down as much as possible. The best way is to take advantage of low production costs in countries like China and Bangladesh. Here, factories don’t have the same health and safety standards that we’re used to in the Western world. Wages are notoriously low and employees work for long hours without breaks and in bad conditions. Therefore, the clothes, shoes and accessories that hang in our wardrobes can then be sold for a much lower price…and we rarely think about the people thousands of miles away who made them.

Ethical shopping

We all need to buy stuff from time to time. But do we think about how our shopping affects people, animals and the environment? Here's how you can love fashion and the world we live in.

Ethical shopping

We all need to eat, drink and wear clothes, don’t we? But what do we know about the products that we buy in shops, in supermarkets or online? Many people in Britain want to know more about the products they buy. They want to know how people, animals and our planet are treated when food, drinks and clothes are produced.

Fairtrade

The Fairtrade Foundation is an organisation based in the UK that helps farmers and workers in the poorer parts of the world to earn enough money to live comfortably. The organisation asks companies that grow products such as coffee or bananas to pay fair wages and to provide their workers with good conditions. The companies that follow these requirements then receive the Fairtrade certificate and can sell their products with the ‘Fairtrade’ mark to international consumers. About 5 million people benefit from Fairtrade in 58 countries. More than 90 different products including coffee, tea, bananas, chocolate, cocoa, juice, sugar and honey have the Fairtrade mark. There are over 4,500 Fairtrade certified products for sale in shops and supermarkets in the UK. Almost one in three bananas sold in the UK is Fairtrade!

Free range and organic

Free range farming means that farm animals spend time outside rather than being inside 24 hours a day. Meat, eggs or dairy products, such as milk or cheese, can be free range. Some experts say that this type of farming is preferable because it is less cruel and the animals are healthier. Many people also think that free range food tastes better and is more nutritious than conventionally farmed food. Organic food is produced using few or no chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Some people feel that organic food is safer or healthier than conventional food and that it tastes better. You can see organic fruit and vegetables on sale in most British supermarkets. Both free range and organic food can be more expensive than other types of food but despite this they are very popular in the UK. However, a recent report showed that demand for organic food has fallen slightly since the economic recession began in Britain.

Ethical clothing

Fashion is big global business. You can check the labels on your clothes to see which countries they are made in. Some clothing manufacturers have been accused of employing children and of allowing unsafe conditions in their factories. Following the collapse of a clothing factory in Bangladesh which killed a large number of workers, the British public have started to wake up to the question of where and how their clothes are produced. After this disaster a number of brands seen in the British shopping centres, including Primark, Marks and Spencer and H&M, have made a deal to give money each year to pay for factory inspections and to help make conditions safer for workers. People are becoming more and more interested in where their clothes are made, who they are made by, and in what conditions. They want their clothes to look good AND to be ethical. Most fashion manufacturers now have sections of their websites with information about their workers and their environmental policies.

Pre-loved clothes

Old clothes used to be called ‘second-hand’ or ‘hand-me-downs’. Nowadays people also say ‘vintage’ or ‘pre-loved’. Recycling by buying used clothes is popular in the UK, especially with young people. In Britain you can buy cheap used clothes from charity shops such as Oxfam. Well-known celebrities wear used clothes too. Celebrities like Kate Moss and Katy Perry are big fans of vintage clothes and are often seen wearing second-hand clothes and accessories. Another way to recycle is to adapt the clothes you already have. The BBC ran a clothes recycling competition aimed at teenagers. The competition was to redesign an old pair of jeans to create a new garment or accessory. The winners took part in a fashion masterclass and then showed their final designs on the catwalk in Paris.

With the help of organisations like Fairtrade, shoppers in the UK can make more choices about some of the products they buy. Clothes manufacturers are helping to make fashion a safer business and also to keep their customers informed.