UNIT 2 – LESSON 2: LIFE IN

THE COUNTRYSIDE
Exercise 1: Complete the sentences, using the comparative form of the adverbs from the correspondent
adjectives in the brackets.
more heavily
1. It usually rains ___________________ in Central Viet Nam than in other region. (heavy)
2. I will have to try a bit ___________________
harder than this. (hard)
3. The hall was lighted ___________________ than the corridors. more brightly (bright)
4. Time goes by ___________________ when we are busy. more quickly (quick)
more happily
5. Our family has lived ___________________ in the country than in the town since last year. (happy)
more noisily
6. The boys were playing the game ___________________ than the girls. (noisy)
more easily
7. This task can be completed ___________________ than that one. (easy)
better
8. A tractor can plough ___________________ than a buffalo or a horse. (good)
Exercise 2: Use the adjective in brackets in their correct forms of comparison to complete the sentences.
cheaper
1. Tea is ___________________ coffee. (cheap)
more effective
2. The new harvest machine is ___________________ than the old one. (effective)
more beautiful
3. The countryside is ___________________ the town. (beautiful)
more powerful
4. A tractor is ___________________ a buffalo. (powerful)
taller
5. My sister is ___________________ me. (tall)
heavier than
6. Blue whales are ___________________ elephants. (heavy)
longer than
7. The Mekong River is ___________________ the Red River. (long)
8. Do you think English is ___________________
easier than French in grammar? (easy)
9. My new bed is ___________________
more comfortable than my old bed. (comfortable)
10. The film about my village town is more interesting than the book.
___________________ (interesting)
Exercise 3: There are ten mistakes in this passage. Can you find and correct them?
Last summer Tuan invited me go to his village in Thai Binh Province with his father.
It’s harvest time, so all people there were very busy. The villagers got up very early and go to the field to
cut rice, load it onto buffalo-drawn carts or tractor and drove it home. Tuan’s father helped his parents on
the farm work. Tuan and I followed his father to go to the fields. There was so many space and I love the
vast open space, the fresh air and the feel of freedom in the countryside. We would run around the fields
and shout out loudly without disturbing anybody. I have never saw any interesting place like this. In the
afternoon, some of Tuan’s cousins take us to the fields to fly kites – It’s was so exciting!
In the next morning, Tuan and I went to the market with his grandmother. There were many interesting
thing there. Locals sell their home –made products and many fresh fruits such as bananas, oranges, apples
and they also sold animals such as chickens, geese, ducks, cats, dogs and pigs. I enjoyed the atmosphere
there.
The trip to the countryside gave me my first experience of farm work: cutting rice, dry rice, planting
vegetables, collecting potatoes. It’s really unforgettable!
1. ___________________  ___________________
2. ___________________  ___________________
3. ___________________  ___________________
4. ___________________  ___________________
5. ___________________  ___________________
6. ___________________  ___________________
7. ___________________  ___________________
8. ___________________  ___________________
9. ___________________  ___________________
10. __________________  ___________________
Exercise 4: Choose the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of
the following questions.
1. I am not sure who lives happier: nomads or city dwellers.
A. who B. lives C. happier D. city dwellers
2. A camel runs much more slowly as a horse.
A. A B. runs C. much D. as
3. City people seem to react quickly to changes than in the countryside.
A. seem B. quickly C. than D. the
4. My father used to hate eat sea food, but now he likes doing it.
A. used B. eat C. but D. doing
5. How many water do you drink everyday?
A. How many B. do C. drink D. everyday
Exercise 6: Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best completes each of the following
exchanges.
1. - Lan: “Have you ever ridden a cart?” - Nam: "_______"
A. Yes, we do. B. That’s a good idea. C. No, but I’d like to. D. Not at all.
2. - Nick: You’ve made new friends? - Aly: "_______"
A. Yes, I did. B. Yeah- right on the first day.
C. Yes, please. D. You’re welcome.
3. - Ba: "Why don’t we take a trip to my home town?" - Nam: "_______"
A. Yes, we do. B. That’s a good idea. C. Not at all. D. You’re welcome.
4. - Nick: "How is your stay there?" - Nam: "_______"
A. Yes, please. B. So exciting. C. Never mind. D. Sure
5. - Lan: "What are you doing there?" - Nam: "_______"
A. Lots of things. B. Good idea. C. Ok. D. Not at all.
Exercise 7: Complete the conversation, using the phrases/sentences (A-H) given.

A. It’s a real life, I think.

B. You don’t worry about delay or being late any more.
C. I see.
D. the fresh air and the open space
E. to make you fit and happy
F. It’s really interesting
G. We can’t enjoy social activities there, especially in the
evening.
H. the traffic systems in the city

Nick: Hi, Mai. Have you just come back from your stay in the countryside?
 Mai: Yes, I stayed on my uncle’s farm for the weekend. (1) ______________________.
Nick: Do you really like the life in the countryside? Why?
Mai: First, you can enjoy (2) ______________________.
Nick: What do you mean, Mai?
In the countryside, we have the yard or the garden to play in. You can run around, kick a ball
Mai:
or chase butterflies. (3) ______________________.
In my opinion, the countryside … it’s only nice if people are retired or they get old. (4)
Nick:
______________________.
But in the country, you are not in a hurry. (5) ______________________. We can say “no” to
Mai:
traffic jams here.
Well, (6) ______________________are becoming much better. Anyway, we can ride a bicycle
Nick:
around (7) ______________________.
(8) ______________________. Maybe we can live in the town and go to the countryside at the
Mai:
weekend or during the summer holiday.
C. READING
Exercise 1: Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or
phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
 Poor farmers use the (1) __________ land over and over. The land also needs a rest so that it (2)
__________ be better and ready for the following crop. (3) __________ farmers must have food to support
their lives. They cut down (4) __________ for firewood and for soil. In some areas where all trees are (5)
__________, the land becomes a desert. No one wants to live in the desert, but people still need wood to
prepare for their meals and warm them up in the winter. It’s hard to (6) __________ the awareness of the
poor to save the environment for the future.
1. A. similar B. same C. likely D. alike
2. A. will B. have C. used to D. seems
3. A. Therefore B. However C. So D. Moreover
4. A. trees B. plants C. bushes D. leaves
5. A. disappeared B. gone C. done D. made
6. A. seems B. rise C. raise D. height
 Last summer, Long went (1) __________ a holiday for two weeks to the island of Cat Ba. He (2)
__________ a hotel which had a wonderful swimming pool and beautiful views of the sea. It was in a
village where the local people went fishing in the winter, and foreign visitors came in the summer.
Long spent his first day on the beach, but on the second day he felt very ill. First, he was too hot, then he
was too cold. He couldn't understand why he felt (3) __________ that. So he went to see the local doctor,
who was a very nice man, and (4) __________ voice was so sweet.
"Summer is a time when people often feel ill," the doctor said. "It's too hot for most of us! (5) __________
this medicine, and stay out of the sun." Long took the doctor's (6) __________ and stayed in his room for the
rest of his holiday. He soon felt better. "What a cheap holiday!" he thought happily.
1. A. to B. for C. on D. in
2. A. lived B. rented C. hired D. stayed
3. A. like B. as C. so D. Ø
4. A. spoke B. an C. who D. whose
5. A. Eat B. Drink C. Take D. Have
6. A. chance B. advice C. opportunity D. advise
Exercise 2: Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to
each of the questions.
 With the habit of working in teams and being helpful to one other, villagers usually earn their living
from farming, raising livestock and making handicrafts. They live in a small community with a temple or a
communal cultural house where great events, such as festivals worshipping the village god and traditional
games are organized. Villagers in the Southern usually live in houses lined up along central road and built
on stilts to keep above flood waters. Along the coastal lines, fishermen depend on the sea as a means of
livelihood. In the Central of Vietnam, a place suffering lots of natural disasters all the year round, citizens
tend to be more studious and hard-working than those in regions with favourable conditions. People in the
central highlands and the northern mountains live by growing rice, rubber trees coffee and tea as well as
hunting.
(Source: Adapted from Vietnam Travel Center)
1. Which can be the topic of the passage?
A. Villagers across the country B. Villagers around the world
C. Vietnamese life in the countryside D. Vietnamese life in the city
2. Which activity is NOT MENTIONED as a way for villagers to earn their livings?
A. Farming B. Fishing C. Studying D. Hunting
3. Why do Southern villagers need to build their houses on stilt?
A. To protect the house from being attacked by wild animals
B. To protect the house from being flooded
C. To protect the house from earthquakes
D. To protect the house from evil things
4. Which sentence is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. There are many disasters in the Central of Vietnam
B. Houses in the Southern part of Vietnam often
C. People in the Northern Mountainous earn their livings by hunting
D. Villagers often work individually
5. Which explanation has the closest meaning to the word “studious” in the passage?
A. spending a lot of time studying B. lacking of academic knowledge
C. being lazy in studying D. being very intelligent
 Living in the country is something that people from the city often dream about. However, in reality, it
has both advantagesand disadvantages.
There are certainly many advantages to living in the country. First, you can enjoy peace and quietness.
Moreover, people tend to be friendlier. A further advantage is that there is less traffic, so it is safer for
young children.
However, there are certain disadvantages or drawbacks to life outside the city. First, because there are
fewer people, you are likely to have few friends. In addition, entertainment is difficult to find, particularly
in the evening. Furthermore, the fact that there are fewer shops and services means that it is hard to find
jobs.
In short, it can be seen the country is more suitable for some people than others. On the whole, it is
often the best for those who are retired or who have young children. In contrast, young people who have a
career are better provided in the city.
1. According to the passage, living in the country has ________.
A. only good points B. only bad points
 C. both good and bad points D. no disadvantages
2. How many advantages does living in the county have?
A. two B. three
C. four D. no
3. Living in the country is safer for young children because ________.
A. there is less traffic B. there are few shops
C. there are fewer people D. there are few services
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. People in the country tend to be friendlier than people in the city.
B. It’s hard to find entertainment in the country.
C. There are fewer shops and services in the country.
D.The country is only suitable for retired people.
5. Having few friends is ________.
A. one of drawbacks to life in the country
B. the only disadvantage to living in the countryside
C. one of certain drawbacks to life outside the city
D.one of certain advantages to life outside the city
Exercise 3: Read the passage and then decide whether the sentences are True (T) or False (F)
City life has its advantages and disadvantages and so does country life; however, there seems to be an
increased interest in the country, especially among young families. If you are thinking about moving to the
country as well but are not sure if it is a good idea, it may help to look at the benefits of country life. In the
country, you are woken up by the singing of the birds rather by the noise from the traffic. Homes in the
countryside are surrounded by nature which has a shooting effect on both the mind and the body. Due to
virtual absence of cars and factories, you will not be breathing any potentialliy toxic fumes in the country.
Clean air is one of the main advantages of country life over city dwelling. In the country, everyone knows
everyone and people actually say ‘hello’. Communities in the country are much smaller but they are more
connected and open. People in the country are really friendlier and are prepared to help without asking
anything in return.
(Source: Adapted from Country life)
T F
1. More and more young families like living in the countryside.
2. Communities in the city are much smaller than those in the city.
3. In the countryside, birds’ singing is very noisy.
4. There are not many cars and factories in the countryside.
5. In the countryside, you shouldn’t pay money when being helped.
Exercise 4: Read the following passage. Decide if the statements from 1 to 4 are True or False and choose
the correct answer (A, B, C or D) for the questions 5 and 6.
It was an unforgettable 3-day trip to the countryside to visit my grandparents last summer holiday. My
family decided to go by motorcycle on this trip because we all wanted to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere
along the road there. The air was so great and clear. We felt very excited about this place. After having
lunch at my grandparents' house, we took a short nap and made all preparation to go fishing with
grandparents in the afternoon. The lake beside the house had many fishes and we had a joyful fishing and
a lot of dishes cooked with in the evening. It was our first day
On the second day, we got up early and rode bicycle around the village. The traffic was not heavy. We
went along the small roads, had lunch under the shade of an old banyan tree and saw the children playing
with kites in the afternoon. The wind made us feel relaxed and peaceful.
On the third day, dad and mom allowed my sister and me to help my grandparents with the work on the
fields. The summer came. It was time for harvesting. People were busier collecting all corn and rice. We
had a hard- working day. We went to sleep early and the village at night was so silent. It was such a
memorable travel of mine, we felt very happy during the after time of that summer.
1. The family traveled to the village by motorcycle because they couldn’t afford to go by bus. _______
2. The writer spent three days in the village. _______
3. To the writer of the passage, the trip to the village was unforgettable because there were too many
accidents on the way. _______
4. The writer of the passage has learnt a lot about the life in the village. _______
5. During the time in the village, the writer of the passage did all the following EXCEPT:
A. catching fish in the lake B. riding bicycle around the village
C. playing with kites D. helping his / her grandparents
6. It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A. life in the village is stressful B. life in the village is peaceful
C. life in the village is tiring D. life in the village is terrible

D. WRITING
Exercise 1: Rearrange the words to make complete sentences.
1. people / In the countryside, / are/ and / life / is / more / simpler/welcoming/.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. In general, /is /much/ convenient/ because/ in the city / life / many living facilities / available / more/ are/
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
3. busier/Like/her parents/other farmers, /are/harvest time /at
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
4. said that /felt /more/ about the future / city dwellers / country folks/ The article / optimistic /than/
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
5. the summer/The sun / brightly /in / than / in/ the winter / more /shines/
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences with suitable forms of the adverbs given in the brackets.
1. Nick is a careful write than Phuc. (carefully)
 Nick writes essays ___________________________________________________________________
2. A snail is slower than a crab. (slowly)
 A snail moves _______________________________________________________________________
3. My father’s explanation about the subject was clearer than my brother’s. (clearly)
 My father explained the subject ________________________________________________________
4. My cousin is a better singer than I am. (well)
 My cousin sings _____________________________________________________________________
5. Phong is a faster swimmer than Phuc. (fast)
 Phong swims ________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 3: Rewrite the following sentences without changing their original meanings.
1. Tim is older than Sarah.
 Sarah _______________________________________________________________________________
is younger than Tim
2. Our house is large than yours.
 Your house __________________________________________________________________________
is smaller than our house
3. Bill is not as tall as David.
 Bill _________________________________________________________________________________
is shorter than David
4. Jack’s marks are worse than mine.
 My marks ___________________________________________________________________________
are better than Jack's marks
5. This book is the same price as that one.
 That book is _________________________________________________________________________
6. Your bike is slower than mine.
 My bike is ___________________________________________________________________________
faster than your bike
7. My house is bigger than your house.
 Your house __________________________________________________________________________
is smaller than mine
8. The black car is cheaper than the red car.
 The red car __________________________________________________________________________
is more expensive than the black care
9. This film is more interesting than that one.
 That film ____________________________________________________________________________
is worse than this one.
10. My kitchen is smaller than yours.
 Your kitchen ________________________________________________________________________
is bigger than mine
11. My mother cannot cook as well as me.
 I can _______________________________________________________________________________
cook better than my mother
12. She has a house which is not as modern as my house.
 My house ___________________________________________________________________________
is more ancient than hers
13. The movie was boring. I had been thought it was interesting.
 The movie __________________________________________________________________________
14. He cannot play tennis as well as Jack.
 Jack can _____________________________________________________________________________
play tennis better than him
15. I did not spend as much money as you.
 You spent ___________________________________________________________________________
16. I didn’t think this book is expensive as it is.
 This book ___________________________________________________________________________
17. A city has more interesting activities than the countryside.
 The countryside _____________________________________________________________________
18. A motorbike goes faster than a bike.
 A bike ______________________________________________________________________________
19. Life in the city is busier than life in the countryside.
 Life in the countryside is ______________________________________________________________
20. His uncle works less responsibly than Mr. Nam.
 Mr. Nam ____________________________________________________________________________
21. We fancy doing the housework.
 We _________________________________________________________________________________
22. Jane makes crafts better than her sister.
 Jane’s sister _________________________________________________________________________