TOC V Name: __________________________

ENGLISH III Date: __________________________

READING No 2
A MESSAGE TO A NEW FRIEND
Read a direct message on social media to practise and improve your reading skills. Do the preparation
task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

PREPARATION: Choose the phrase that is correct

a. It was so nice to know you last b. It was so nice to meet you last
week week.
a. I hope you got home OK b. I wait you got home OK
a. Here’s a photo of me b. Here a photo of me.
a. Good memories. b. Good remembers.
a. Please send me your email b. Please send your email address
address. me.
a. Bye until soon. b. Bye for now

Reading text: A message to a new friend

Hi Lucia
How are you? It was so nice to meet you last week in Sydney at
the sales meeting. How was the rest of your trip? Did you see any
kangaroos? I hope you got home to Mexico City OK. Anyway, I
have the documents about the new Berlin offices. We’re going to
be open in three months. I moved here from London just last
week. They are very nice offices, and the location is perfect. There
are lots of restaurants, cafés and banks in the area. There’s also
public transport; we are next to an U-Bahn (that is the name for
the metro here). Maybe you can come and see them one day? I
would love to show you Berlin, especially in the winter. You said
you have never seen snow – you will see lots here!
Here’s a photo of you and me at the restaurant in Sydney. That was a very fun night! Remember the
singing Englishman? Crazy! Please send me any other photos you have of that night. Good memories.
Please give me your email address and I will send you the documents.
Bye for now
Mikel

Task 1
Match the sentences (a–d) with the places (1–4).

Places Sentences
1. …… Berlin a. Mikel and Lucia met here
2. …… London b. Mikel’s new offices are here
3. …… Mexico City c. Mikel used to live here.
4. …… Sydney d. Lucia lives here.

Task 2
Are the sentences true or false?
Answer
1. Mikel and Lucia were friends from school. True False
2. They work for a company that sells things. True False
3. The new offices are in a very good location. True False
 TOC V Name: __________________________
ENGLISH III Date: __________________________

4. There is a metro next to the offices. True False

5. Mikel has never seen snow before. True False
6. Mikel and Lucia had dinner together. True False
7. Mikel doesn’t have Lucia’s email address. True False
8. Lucia wants to send Mikel some documents. True False

Discussion
How do you make plans with friends? Email, messenger, phone calls or another way?

GRAMMAR GUIDE
Las normas del present simple y el present continuous

Empleamos el presente simple en inglés para…

 Hablar de cosas que suceden de manera habitual. En este caso, suele ir acompañado de
adverbios de frecuencia. (always, every. Often, normally, usually, sometimes, seldom, never, first,
then)
I drink milk every day. He goes to the gym often. I walk in the park on Sundays.
 Referirnos a afirmaciones generales o a hechos científicos:
I like chocolate. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Adults don’t know everything.
 Para eventos que van a ocurrir con seguridad en un futuro próximo.
The train arrives at 6:12. Does the conference start next Monday?
 Para dar instrucciones, esto es, en modo imperativo.
Open the door. Please finish your homework.
 Los verbos de estado son usados generalmente en presente simple: see, hear, look, feel, taste,
smell, seem, want, suppose.
Por otro lado, el presente continuo en inglés sirve para…
 Describir acciones que están sucediendo al mismo tiempo que hablamos.
He is having dinner right now. Is it raining?
 Hablar de cosas que están ocurriendo en la actualidad o que están cambiando, aunque no sea en
este mismo momento.
She is currently looking for a flat. Are you studying a lot these days?
 Hablar de eventos ya definidos que ocurrirán en un futuro próximo.
I’m not going to Samantha’s party next weekend. Are you working next week?
 Situaciones temporales: I’m staying with Mark for three weeks
 Expresiones usadas con frecuencia: at the moment, at this moment, today, now, right now.

GRAMMAR PRACTICE

a. He’s knocking on the door. He always knocks before entering his boss’ room.
b. He’s reading. He reads every day after dinner.
c. They are kissing. They kiss every time he rides into battle
d. He’s waiting impatiently for his wife to finish her clothes shopping

a. He’s playing chess. He plays chess with his friend every Friday evening.
b. He’s playing with a car. Isn’t he too old to be playing with cars?
c. He’s shouting. He’s a loudmouth!
d. He’s playing baseball. He plays baseball every chance he gets.
 TOC V Name: __________________________
ENGLISH III Date: __________________________

a. He’s ironing his shirt. His wife has refused to do it for him!
b. He’s fishing. He’s caught two fish already.
c. He’s building a wall. He’s laid 300 bricks already today
d. He’s playing the violin. He practices 2 hours a day and is getting very good.

EXERCISE 2
Complete the sentences with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
Use contractions where possible.

1. She___________________ (run) because she's late for her lesson

2. Our teacher always ___________________ (give) us lots of homework
3. We_____________________ (not want) to go to the concert
4, What time __________________ (you / meet) Pete tomorrow?
5. I______________________ (not work) today. I'm on holiday
6. People_____________________ (speak) English in Jamaica
7. Archie____________________ (not use) his computer at the moment
8. _________________________________ (Tony / live) near the park?

EXERCISE 3

Complete the text with the right form of the verb. Use simple present tense or present progressive.

Harold Black's a famous pianist.

He___________________(1: give) two or three concerts
every week. He ___________________(2: travel) a lot and
this week he's in New York. He___________________(3:
stay) at an expensive hotel. He's at his hotel now.
He___________________(4: have) his breakfast in the
dining−room. He___________________(5: drink) a cup of
coffee and he___________________(6: read) a
newspaper. Harold's always very busy.
He___________________(7: play) the piano regularly.
He___________________(8: practise) for four hours every
day. He___________________(9: go) to bed late and he
always ________________(10: get up) early. But he
sometimes___________________(11: get) dressed too
quickly, and this morning he___________________(12:
wear) one blue sock and one red one!

SOURCES:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org
http://esl.fis.edu/vocab/q21/doing2_r.htm
https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/preint/grammar/grammar_01_012e?cc=global&selLanguage=en
 TOC V Name: __________________________
ENGLISH III Date: __________________________

Preparation task
1. b
2. a
3. a
4. a
5. a
6. b
Task 1
1. b
2. c
3. d
4. a
Task 2
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. False