a. John Lyne from Britain is perhaps the world’s most unfortunate man.

b. The older he got, the worse things became. He’s been run over, nearly drowned and had a car crash.

c. John’s life has been more accident-filled than one would think possible. But he doesn’t think he’s unlucky.

d. At eighteen months old, he accidentally drank disinfectant and had to have his stomach pumped.

e. As far as he’s concerned, most of his accidents could have ended a lot more seriously, so he may actually be the world’s luckiest man!

(Adapted from Friends Global)

Where in paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 does the following sentence best fit?

These skills go beyond memorising facts and figures.

a. Nam: Hmm, do you think we need to have a university degree to pursue a career?

b. Mr Kien: ... So, I’ve talked to you about future job opportunities. Any questions?

c. Nam: But how do you get a job without a degree or any experience? Employers look down on job applicants without a university degree.

d. Mr Kien: Well, it depends on the industry and the field of work that you’re interested in. There’re many jobs that don’t require a university degree.

e. Mr Kien: Not necessarily. You need to show that you’re hard-working and willing to learn. Many companies hire school-leavers and provide on-the-job training.

(Adapted from Global Success)

Hi Inika,

a. Well, since we last met I’ve been working on my new house mostly.

b. Although we’ve spoken to three different builders so far, we haven’t decided which one to hire.

c. We’ve decided to build an extension, so we’ve taken all the measurements and talked to some builders.

d. Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well lately, but it’s good that you’ve seen a doctor. I’m sure it’s nothing serious.

e. I’ve been busy with work and Fahim has started a new job, so we haven’t had much spare time, but we’ve spent every spare minute doing jobs in the house and garden.

Anyway, let’s meet up soon. I haven’t seen you in ages.

Hadia.

(Adapted from C21-Smart)