English Skill 6

Articles : a, an, the

In English no singular countable noun appears without a determiner.
Articles are also a type of the determiner.

We use a / an only with singular

countable nouns. However, if there is an
adjective before the noun, we put articles
before the adjective.
We have a beautiful house.
There is an amazing bird.

We use 'an' if the following word begins
with a vowel sound. We use 'a' if the following word begins with a
consonant sound.

Unlike a / an, we can use 'the' with both countable and uncountable
nouns. 'The' makes it important or clear which thing, things, person or
people we are talking about. This can be because we have already talked
about them before.
I saw a woman standing at the gate. The woman was wearing a red sari.

We also use 'the' when the information that follows it identifies the noun.
Can you give me the book that is on your desk?
Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal.

We use 'the' when the noun is the only one in the world or in the place
where we are.
I read the article on the internet.
Let's ask the teacher.

We also use 'the' with musical instruments when we mention it in relation
to skills of playing it.
He plays the madal very well.
She does not know how to play the piano.
But when it refers to an item, we use a / an.
He gifted me a madal.

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We also use 'the' before the names of
rivers, seas, mountain ranges, deserts
and groups of islands or states.
Kathmandu is on the Bagmati River.
It's a picture of the Himalayas.
My brother works in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE).

We also use 'the' with holy books.
The Ramayana tells the story of Lord Ram.
The Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world.

Cases of no article

We do not use any article with plural and uncountable nouns while we
are talking about these things in general.
Water is colourless. Nurses have difficult life.

We do not use articles before countries, mountains, lakes, islands or

continents. We do not use articles with names of sports either.

Mt. Everest is in Nepal.

Madagascar is in Africa. Africa
They are playing volleyball.

However, we use the before a country's name
that refers to a group of states or islands.
For example: the Netherlands, the UK, the USA,
the Maldives

We do not use any article before places (school,
hospital, prison, and university) when the function of the place is more
important than the building. When the building is more important, we
use an article.
I go to school every day. I'm a student.
My father went to the school to meet the teachers.
He was taken to hospital after the accident.
The bus stops at the hospital.

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Some and any

Like articles, 'some' and 'any' are also the
determiners. We use some when we talk
about plural countable nouns or uncountable
nouns without specifying them. We use 'any'
in questions or negative sentences. However,
when we expect positive answers in polite
requests, we may use 'some' instead of 'any'.

I have an orange. I have some oranges.
You don't have any oranges. Would you give me some rice, please?
Does she have any oranges? I want some rice.
I don't want any rice.
Does she want any rice?

31 Fill in the gaps with a, an, the, some or any. Then,
listen and check.

a. A : I bought _________ oranges for you.
B : Thanks. Where are they?
A : They are in _________ kitchen.
b. A : Mum, can I have _________ slice of bread with _________

butter, please?
B : Yes, of course.
A : Is there _________ jam?
B : No, I'm afraid not. Do you want _________ apple?
A : No thanks.
c. A : What's that? Is that _________ pen?
B : No, it's _________ torch I told you about last time.
d. A : I can see _________ butterflies.
B : Where?

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A : Over there, by _________ trees.
e. A : Did you have _________ swimming lesson today?
B : No, because there was _________ problem with _________

water.
f. A : We need _________ sugar for this dish.
B : Do we need a lot?
A : No, just _________ spoonful.
g. A : Look, I have got _________ new dress. Do you like _________

design?
B : Yes, I like _________ bright little flower on its front.

32 Complete the sentences with 'the' or - (no article).

a. _______ Himalayas are the youngest of mountain ranges.
b. Can I see _______ principal?
c. I don't usually like _______ mushroom curry. However, I like

_______ mushroom curry my mother prepares.
d. Can you play _______ guitar?
e. A cake is made of _______ eggs, _____ butter and ______ flour.
f. She comes from _______ Netherlands.
g. He bought his watch in _______ China.
h. My father goes to _______ temple every morning for prayer.
i. They went to _______ prison to study about life of prisoners.
j. We play _______ football after school.
k. _______ water freezes at 0 degree Celsius.
l. _______ water in this glass is not drinkable.
m. A large part of _______ Russia is in _______ Asia.

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33 Complete the sentences with a, an or some.

a. I want _________ sugar in my tea.
b. I’m going to the shop. Mum wants _______ pulse and _______ eggs.
c. This is _________ nice apple.
d. _________ onion is _________ vegetable.
e. Let’s have _________ fruit. There are _________ nice grapes in the

kitchen.

Writing

34 Describe the most important possession you have.

What is it? How did you get it? What is so special about it? How does
it look ? Why do you value it so much? Write at least three paragraphs
about the possession.

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12 Apologising

1 Listen and sing.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
I'm sorry, my friend!
I never meant to offend.

Forgive me for my ignorance.
It will never happen hence.
I promise I won't hurt you anymore.
It is my promise be sure!

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
I'm sorry, my friend!
I never meant to offend.

Conversation

2 Listen and practise.

Security : Hello. What are you doing here? You aren't
allowed to enter this building.

Sujan : I'm sorry, but I have an appointment with
Mrs Panta. She is my aunt.

Security : Could you show me your ID card, please?

Sujan : Here you are, sir.

Security : Well, it looks OK. You may proceed now.

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Speaking

We apologise in different situations. We say sorry when we have hurt
someone, when we fail to do something we have promised, or we do
something not allowed.

Apologising Accepting an apology
I’m sorry That’s okay
That’s all right
I’m so/very sorry if I No problem
……………… Never mind
It's OK. ....
I apologise for……..

A: Excuse me! You are stepping on my foot.
B: I’m sorry. I lost my balance.
A: It’s OK. Be careful the next time.

3 Ask for an apology in the following situations. One
has been done for you.

are stepping on my foot / lost reading my newspaper /
my balance / be careful from thought you were finished
next time with it

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are writing with my pen / are taking my book / thought
thought it was mine it was mine

Listening

4 Listen to the audio and fill in the blanks.

Sixth graders are in the first period of their class on
___________. Jeevan is _________minutes late to the class.

Jeevan : Excuse me, madam. May I come in?

Teacher : Why are you ___________, Jeevan?

Jeevan : I am very sorry, madam. But I got stuck in a ___________.

Teacher : Really? You have told me the ___________ thing every

time you are late.

Jeevan : But, ma'am. I was really ___________ in the traffic jam.

I do apologise for being late.

Teacher : Next time, please come ___________, otherwise you
will miss the ___________. Well, come in.

Jeevan : Ok, ma'am. I promise!

Teacher : Good! Then you may have a ___________.

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Writing

5 Now use the given situations and write dialogues.

a. A tourist tries to take a photo/ Keeper warns him/ Tourist says
sorry. Not seen the sign.

b. A driver tries to park a car. The security warns him. Driver says
sorry. Not seen the no parking sign.

Reading

6 Read and learn. Then, answer the questions.

Gyanjyoti Secondary school

Kathmandu, Nepal

Notice

Issued date: 2077-12-05
Dear parents and guardians,
We are extremely sorry to notify you that our entrance exam set
for 15 of Chaitra 2077 has been cancelled because of the lock-down
announced by the government to contain the corona pandemic.
We will inform you of any new development as and when it
happens. In the meantime, stay home and stay safe.
Principal

Questions
a. What is the notice about?
b. Who has issued the notice?
c. Why are they sorry?
d. Who is this notice for?

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Grammar

Negation

We can change a sentence into negative by adding not to the auxiliary
verbs or modals, (is, am, are, can, could, may, etc.).
She is hiding under the desk.
- She is not hiding under the desk.
If we do not have an auxiliary verb, we can bring a dummy auxiliary
verb 'do' 'does' or 'did' and add not after it.
She loves chocolate.
-She does not love chocolate.
When we have have or has, we need to be extra careful. They can be both.
If there is have + noun or to + verb, we have to use the dummy auxiliary.
Meena has a new colour box.
- Meena does not have a new colour box.
When have/ has + verb past participle appears, just add not after it.
He has finished his task. He has not finished his task.

7 Change the following into negative statements.

a. Menuka was a dancer.

b. They play football on Saturdays.

c. She made an aeroplane.

d. We are going to Pokhara next week.

e. She can sing sweetly.

f. I am happy to be at school.

g. They have a new desk.

h. Manica has visited China twice.

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Reading

8 Read and learn.

Birtamod, Jhapa

30 September 2013

Dear Ali,

I am very sorry for being angry with you
yesterday. I now realise that I was wrong.
I truly regret my behaviour.

I sincerely apologise for what I did. I know that no one should be treated
like that. I understand my behaviour was very inappropriate.

I promise you that I will never be angry with you in the future. I am
sorry for my mistake and hope you will forgive me.

Sincerely,

Akbar

Comprehension

9 Answer the following questions.

a. Who has hurt whom?
b. Who sent the letter?
c. When was the letter written?

10 Find the words in the letter that have similar meanings
to the following.

a. understand a situation b. feel sad about a mistake

c. honestly

d. to tell somebody that you are sorry for your mistake or
wrongdoing

e. not suitable

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Writing

11 Suppose you have hurt your friend’s feelings, or
you have taken your friend’s belongings without
seeking permission. Write a letter/ e-mail asking
the friend to forgive you. Help Pretty do so first.

3 February 2021

Dear Muna,

I took a book from your desk today. It is not good to take things
without asking but I really needed it for .......................... exam
today. I left .............................. book on the bus yesterday, so
............................ just took ....................................... Please forgive ....
.............................. ...................................... promise to give it back to
............................... tomorrow.

With love,

Pretty

12 Now write an apology e-mail to your teacher for not
completing your task in time.

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Reading

13 Read and learn.

The Plum Stone

-Leo Tolstoy

One day Vanya's mother went to the market. She came across a cart
of plum. She foraged her pocket for some money. She still had a few
rubbles in her pocket. Thus she decided to buy some plums, a treat to
the children. As she came home, she washed them and left them on a big
plate in the centre of the dining table. She planned to give the plums to
the children after dinner. It was not every day that plums were bought.
It was hard for the family to have the luxury of plums for everybody
every day.

Vanya had not tasted plums
all his life and was very
curious about it. First he
sniffed the fruit, wrinkled his
nose at the pleasing smell.
He was totally enticed by
the smell. Dinner time was
still a long way off and he
did not have the patience to
wait. He just could not resist
his temptation. “No one will
notice if I take one,” he said
to himself.

As soon as he was alone in the
room, he seized a big plum
and ate it quickly. Vanya
exclaimed, "Hmmm.. plums
are very delicious indeed!"

When it was time for dinner, his mother counted the plums and found
that one was missing. She informed her husband about it.

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The whole family sat around the table to eat and in the course of the
meal, the father enquired, "Well children, have any of you eaten a plum
without your mother's knowledge?" Each child answered in turn, "No."
Vanya’s heart began to beat very fast and he blushed. He lied that he did
not eat the plum.

Then the father said, "It is wrong to steal a plum, but that's not all. You
see, plums have small stones and if you swallow a stone, you will die
the next day. That's what really bothers me."

Vanya became very upset and blurted out, "I did not eat the stone. I
threw it out of the window."

The entire family burst into peals of laughter. Vanya felt guilty and
ashamed. He wept bitterly.

His parents hugged him. His mother consoled him and said, "Your
father presented the matter in such a way that you would come up with
the truth." She added, “God loves children who are honest."

Vanya apologised to the whole family, "I'm sorry! I had eaten the plum.
I could not resist the temptation. I just ate one." He also promised that
thereafter he would speak only the truth.

Comprehension

14 Write true or false.

a. Vanya's family looks rich.
b. Vanya's mother wanted to give the plums to all in the family.
c. That was the first time Vanya had tasted a plum.
d. Vanya's father was telling the truth.
e. When the family laughed, Vanya also laughed.
f. Vanya confessed his act of stealing.

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15 Number the events 1-5 to keep them in the correct order.

a. Vanya's mother kept the plums on the table.

b. Vanya said he threw the plum stone out.

c. Vanya ate the plum.

d. The family gathered for dinner.

e. Vanya's mother told Vanya's father about the loss of a plum.

16 Discuss the following questions.

a. How does Vanya describe the plums?

b. How did the family react when Vanya confessed?

c. Perhaps the father knew from the very start that it was Vanya who
had eaten the plum. Perhaps he told the lie about the plum stone
just to make Vanya confess what he had done.

Why is it so difficult to confess the wrong we have done? Is it
because we are afraid of the punishment? Or is it because we are
afraid of losing our pride?

d. It is actually not true that you will die if you swallow a plum
stone. The father was telling a lie. But because of the lie, and
because Vanya believed it was true, Vanya admitted that he had
taken the plum.

Does this show us that it is sometimes all right to use a lie?

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13 Expressing Ability

1 Listen and sing. -by Christina Rossetti

A pin has a head, but has no hair ;
A clock has a face, but no mouth there ;
Needles have eyes, but they cannot see ;
A fly has a trunk without lock or key ;
A timepiece may lose, but cannot win ;
A corn-field dimples without a chin ;
Rivers run, though they have no feet ;
A saw has teeth, but it does not eat ;

Conversation

2 Listen and practise.

Ram : Can you speak more than two
languages?

Gopal : No, I can't. Can you?

Ram : Yes, I can.

Gopal : What language other than Nepali
and English can you speak?

Ram : I can speak Newari. Actually, it is
my first language.

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Grammar

Expressing ability

- We use can to express the present or future ability.

He can speak Newari. We can’t make a helicopter with little
knowledge.

Can you hear me?

- We use could to express ability in the past.

Bishnu could walk when he was just nine months old.

Pabitra could type when she was just four years old.

- Can has only two forms: can (present simple) and could (past
simple). We use be able to in the other tenses. However, we can use
be able to in present simple and past simple as well.

They are able to speak English.

They were able to speak English even when they were small.

They will be able to speak Chinese by next year.

They have been able to finish the lesson.

Speaking

3 Work in groups. Ask the questions. If the answer is
'yes', ask follow-up questions.

Can you ...

a. play cricket? (How long have you played?)
b. fold a piece of paper in half more than six times? (Can you show

me?)
c. draw well - for example, draw a picture of me? (Can you do it

now?)

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Are you able to ...

d. write clearly with both your right and left hands? (Can you show
me?)

e. pat on the top of your head with one hand and rub your stomach
in a circle with the other at the same time? (Can you show me?)

Listening

4 Listen and fill in the blanks.

Umesh : Hi, Seema. Can you help me?
Seema : Sure! What's the matter?
Umesh : I ___________ this math problem.
Seema : I _________ you with that.
Umesh : Really? ___________ this problem to me?
Seema : Well, we ___________ out the answer unless we do this

part first.
Umesh : Okay! But it's so hard.
Seema : Yeah, but I know you _________ it. Just go slowly.
Umesh : Class is almost over. ___________ me during the lunch

today to finish this?
Seema : Well, I ___________ you 10 minutes after lunch.
Umesh : Great!

Writing

5 Make a list of things you can do. Then work in
groups to compare it with your friends' list.

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6 Write five sentences about yourself.

I couldn’t play chess last year but now I can.
I couldn’t run properly when I was two years old, but now I can run

very fast.
a. .........................................................................................................
b. ..........................................................................................................
c. ..........................................................................................................
d. ..........................................................................................................
e. ..........................................................................................................

Reading

7 Read and learn.

The Frogs Who Wanted A King

A long time ago, the frogs lived happily in a
marshy swamp. There was no law or rule in
the swamp. They were free to do whatever
they wanted. The elder frogs thought that
this was not right. They needed someone
to rule them.

So, they went up to Jupiter, the
king of all gods, and pleaded, "O
mighty Jupiter, send us a king
that would rule over us and
maintain order in our swamp!"
Jupiter laughed at their
croaking and devised a plan to
teach them a lesson. He threw
a huge log into the swamp,
which landed with a big splash.

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The frogs were frightened at first and all of them rushed to the bank
and looked at the log. They waited for some time for the log to speak to
them, but the log did not move.

"Who is this?" one of them asked.

"He's our king!" said the elders.

The boldest of them went towards the log
and touched it. It still did not move. The
greatest hero of the frogs jumped upon the
log and started dancing upon it. "Come
my friends! He's harmless!"

Then, all the frogs went up on the log and
did the same. This enjoyment continued
for several days. The frogs didn't care
about their new king log lying there. Their
lives were still the same. There was still no
law in the swamp and the frogs still did
whatever they wanted.

So, the elders decided to go to Jupiter
again. They all said to him, "We want a
real king, one that will rule over us." This
request angered Jupiter and this time he sent them a big stork.

As soon as the stork landed on the log, all the frogs gathered to welcome
the new king. The stork didn't waste a minute. It gobbled up all the
frogs quickly. The frogs didn't even have time to repent.

Comprehension

8 Write true or false.

a. The elder frogs thought that living in the marsh was not right.

b. The first king of the frogs was harmless.

c. The frogs were happy to have a harmless king.

d. Even after the arrival of the first king, there was no rule in the
marsh.

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9 Put the sentences in order from 1 to 4.

The log was thrown into the marsh.

The frogs went to Jupiter to ask for a king.

The greatest hero of the frogs jumped upon the log and started
dancing upon it.

The bravest among the frogs went towards the log and touched
it.

10 Fill in the blanks by selecting the correct answer from
the parenthesis.

a. The story takes place in a ................................. (desert / pond /
marshy swamp).

b. The first king of the frogs was ................................. (very dangerous
/ harmful / harmless).

c. Instead of a log, the frogs wanted a real................................. (bird /
tree / king).

d. Jupiter sent the frogs a ................................. (stork / big frog / angel)
the second time they asked him for a king.

e. The frogs gathered to ................................. (fight against / welcome
/ to see) their new king.

11 Answer the following questions.

a. Where does this story take place?
b. Why did the elders think that they needed a king to rule them?
c. Why weren't they happy with the first king?
d. How did Jupiter teach them a lesson?

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Writing

Review of the writing process:

Brainstorm Revise Edit
Draft Publish

When you write something, you will have to go through the steps
of the writing process. First of all, you will need the topic and some
brainstorming about it. Then, you will have make a draft. Your draft
needs revision and editing. Sometimes, these two steps happen together.
Finally, you will have to publish your writing.

A story without details makes your writing poor. It won't engage the
readers. The following tips can help you start writing a personal story.

Personal narrative

A personal narrative tells readers about something that happened to
you and how you felt about it. A good personal narrative:

• Expresses the writer’s feelings about a personal experience.

• Uses the first-person point of view.

• Has an interesting beginning, middle, and end.

• Places events in a logical sequence.

• Uses time-order words to show the sequence of events and to make
transitions from one idea to the next.

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First choose a topic and note ideas: Brainstorm
• Went to Chitwan Natinal Park
• Visited grandparents with brothers
• Went on elephant safari
• Many different kinds of animals
• Saw lots of plants
• Then saw a Royal Bengal tiger sleeping under a bush
• Took the tiger's picture
After the brainstorming, put the events in sequence:
In a personal narrative, events happen in a certain order, or sequence.
You can plan your narrative by organising your ideas into a sequence-
of-events chart or timeline. Some events may not be necessary to be
included in your story.

1. Visited grandparents in Chitwan.

2. Grandpa took us for a jungle safari.

3. We took a jungle guide for help.

4. We saw various types of animals.

5. We saw some rhinos grazing in the grassland.

6. I also saw a tiger sleeping under the bush.

7. I took a picture of the tiger.

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Now, draft of your story:

Look at how this writer used his chart to write a draft of the narrative.
He added the details of his experience and shared his feelings about it.

My brothers and I visited my grandparents. They Main idea
live near the Chitwan National Park in Sauraha, of personal
Chitwan. I’ll never forget the day I photographed a narrative
tiger.
Main idea
Soon after we met, Grandpa decided to take us for of second
an elephant safari in the park. We hired a jeep. The paragraph
driver took us into the jungle. There were some
bushes and meadows. We saw various kinds of birds Supporting
and animals there. Rhinos were grazing in the field. details follow
Peacocks were dancing. As we went further inside a sequence
the jungle, I saw a Royal Bengal tiger. The driver
stopped the jeep. Grandpa led us a bit closer to it. Main idea
He asked us to be careful and make no noise. is restated
in final
The big cat was sleeping under a thick and tall bush. paragraph
I readied my camera. I then moved a bit for a good
shot. The cat looked at me. I panicked but clicked on
the camera anyway. I still have that picture with me.

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Now revise
One way to improve your writing is to elaborate the ideas. While
elaborating, you add important details and ideas that might have been
missing in your draft.

While revising you can add your feelings.
We hired an elephant for a ride. We were excited to go on the trip.

You can also add some descriptive details to make your writing effective.
The mahout took us deep into the dense forest.
We came to see many types of animals but the most fearsome was a

Royal Bengal tiger.

Word choice
While revising you should take care of your word choice as well. In a
personal narrative, you should put the events in order. To create order
in your writing, you should use time words:
As soon as I saw the tiger, I wanted to have a photo. Then, I went a

bit closer towards the tiger to have a clear view. When I was about
to click on the photo, the tiger cast a look at me.

Here are some time words you can use:
first / next / then / last / finally / yesterday /
tomorrow / after / before / one day / later / as soon as

First we hired a jeep. Then, the driver led us deep into the dense forest.
Soon we were in the ...

After you have written a draft, you can exchange it with your friends
and give suggestions to each other. When you see your friend's writing
consider the following:
• Your voice is very clear. I can tell that this really happened to you.
• This main idea could be a good beginning.
• Add time-order words to show sequence of events.
• Add details to create more excitement.

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12 Now compare the draft and final narrative by the writer.
Do you find any difference? Mark the changes made.

The Day I Photographed a Royal Bengal Tiger

I’ll never forget the day I photographed a Royal Bengal tiger. My brothers
and I were visiting my grandparents. They lived near Chitwan National
Park in Sauraha, Chitwan.

Soon after we met, Grandpa decided to take us for a jungle safari in the
park. First, we hired a jeep. The driver took us deep into the dense forest.
We came across some patches of grassland as well. On the way, we saw
peacocks dancing and singing. In another patch of grassland, we saw
a few rhinos grazing. Watching animals and taking their photographs
gave us a real excitement.

At a point near the bush, our driver stopped the jeep. From there, we
could see a Royal Bengal tiger sleeping under the bush. Grandpa wanted
us to have a clear view. Thus, we went closer to the sleeping beast. I
readied my camera. As I moved further for a better view, the big cat
lazily turned its head to look at us. I panicked, but gathered the courage
to click on the camera anyway. I still have that lifelike picture with me.

13 Now follow the writing process and write about a
memorable event of your life.

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Reading

14 Read and learn. -Edgar Albert Guest

It Couldn’t Be Done

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

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Comprehension

15 Choose the best alternative.

a. Which is the meaning of tackled as it is used in lines 7 and 15?

i. grabbed hold of ii. stopped by force.

iii. obstructed to cause loss. iv. engaged to deal with

b. Which statement best describes the main message of the poem?

i. It is best not to waste time trying impossible things.

ii. Everything seems impossible until someone does it.

iii. Try the impossible even if you fail at it.
iv. Be careful because a task may be impossible.
c. Which two lines in the poem indicate the main character tackles

the challenge with confidence?
i. "But he with a chuckle replied"
ii. "So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin"
iii. "Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;"
iv. "With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin "

d. The language in the poem creates a mood of -

i. arrogance ii. determination
iii. worry iv. envy

16 Write true or false.

a. Don't listen to bad advice.
b. Think hard before you start.
c. You never know until you try.
d. A positive attitude always helps.

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Grammar

Connectives: because, since, as, because of

As, because, because of and since are conjunctions. As, because and
since all introduce subordinate clauses whereas because of is followed
by a noun phrase. They connect the result of something with its reason.

• Are you angry with me because I ate your biscuits?
• Since there are no face-to-face classes theses days, teachers are

teaching online.
• They are expecting government's support as they have lost their

jobs.
• They lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

17 Use because, because of, since or as to complete the
sentences.

a. I was late today ............................ traffic jam..

b. She is coughing ............................common cold has caught her.

c. He was successful ............................he worked hard.

d. ............................you are working hard this time, you may top the
exam.

e. She could not complete her assignments last night ............................
there was a power cut.

f. Ramila cannot speak ............................she is sick.

Writing

18 Write a paragraph about an occasion when you were
challenged to do something and you did it.

What did you do? When and where? Who had challenged you?
Why did you take up the challenge? How did you feel? And so on.

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14 Stating Units and

Quantities

1 Listen and sing. Then do the exercises.

Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

W.H. Davies

Pick the rhyming words from the poem.

What is the main idea of the poem?

How busy are you? What do you do to get refreshed?

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Grammar

Common nouns and quantifiers

Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition:

A common noun is a noun that names any one of a class of persons or
things and may occur with a limiting modifier (such as a or an, some,
every, and my).

For example: a boy, a girl, a goose, some birds, many lions

Can you pick any five common nouns from the poem 'Leisure'?

Can you give a proper noun for each of the following?

a. city b. man c. river

d. book e. zoo f. elephant

2 Look at the examples. Then, choose the correct word
and complete the rules.

How many meals do you have every day?
How much water do you drink?
We don’t have much milk.
There aren’t many guavas in the garden.

Rule:

We use much and many in negative sentences and questions.
We use many with plural __________ (countable / uncountable) nouns.
We use much with __________ (countable / uncountable) nouns.

3 Circle the correct words in the questions below.

a. How much / many curd is there in the bowl?
b. How much / many potatoes do you want?
c. How much / many time do we have?

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d. Are there much / many sheep in the field?
e. How much / many subjects do you study?
f. How much / many money do you have?

4 Here are the answers to the questions above. Match the
questions and the answers.

No, there isn’t. a Yes, there are about 20.
Three, please. Just ten minutes.


Nine. About fifty rupees.

Vocabulary

5 Choose the correct quantity word to fill in.

liters slice tube cup bar
bunch spoonfuls glasses jar piece
pinch loaf packet sheet bottles

a. You needn't buy milk. I bought a ______________ yesterday.
b. I can't find the ______________ of toothpaste. Do you know where

it is?
c. She always has a ______________of tea with some biscuits for

breakfast.
d. Would you like a ______________of cake with the coffee?
e. There is a ______________of bread on the kitchen table.
f. She had a ______________of green grapes for snack.
g. I usually take three ______________of sugar in my tea.
h. There are two ______________of lemonade in the fridge.
i. Who has left this ______________of cake here?
j. I've just put 30 ______________of petrol in my car.

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k. I feel like eating a ______________of chocolate.
l. She bought a ______________of paper and drew a beautiful

picture.
m. Five ______________ of water is enough for cooking today.
n. Put the ______________of jam into the fridge, please.
o. Put a ______________of salt and two ______________of sugar in

the water before you drink it.

Writing

Descriptive paragraph

A descriptive paragraph tries to paint a picture in words. Thus a writer
of a descriptive paragraph should always pay attention to the senses.
The words should appeal to our senses. Thus, it is necessary we know
how we notice things through senses.

These are the five senses. A good descriptive writing is aware of them
all. Humans also have the ability to feel -- for example, they're scared,
happy, angry or so on. A descriptive writing handles feelings as well.

6 Describe your town. Use quantifiers when possible.

There are lots of good things about my town.A variety of shops and ancient
templesintheirmidsthavegivenitadistinctcolourandsmellthatvisitorscan
notice.Therearenotmanytressinthecitybutthegreeneryinitsoutskirts......

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Reading

7 Read and learn.

Menuka General Store: Price list

Items Price per KG

1. Pokhreli Rice Rs. 120

2. Jira Masino Rice Rs. 95

3. Trishuli Mansuli Rs. 90

4. Sona Mansuli Rs. 70

5. Indian Basmati Rs. 85

6. Lentil (black) Rs. 170

7. Lentil (Red) Rs. 150

8. Gram (White) Rs. 180

9. Wheat flour Rs. 60

10. Sugar Rs. 80

11. Beans Rs. 105

Items Price per litre

12. Milk Rs. 90

13. Curd Rs. 120

14. Dhara sunflower oil Rs. 215

15. Mustard oil Rs. 200

16. Soya bean oil Rs. 180

17. Mineral water Rs. 20

Comprehension

8 Write true or false.

a. The cheapest rice is Sona Mansuli.
b. Nepali Basmati rice is costlier than Indian Basmati.
c. Red Lentil is more expensive than Black Lentil.

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d. Mustard oil is more expensive than Dhara Sunflower oil.
e. Soyabean oil is cheapest among oils.

9 Answer the following statements.

a. Which is the most expensive item in the shop?

b. Let's say you have five hundred rupees. How much money would be
left with you if you bought two liters of Dhara Sunflower oil?

c. How much more will it cost for you to buy curd rather than milk?
d. Do you know Nepali names for Red Lentil and White Gram?

Listening

10 Listen to the vegetable price and complete the table.

Price list for the Kalimati wholesale market

Items Price per kg

1. Cabbage

2. Rs. 70

3. Rs. 45

4. Tomato

5. Rs. 80

6. Rs 120

7.

8. Yam

9.

10. Mushroom

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Reading

11 Read and learn. Then answer the questions.

50 %
discount
all item

Shop Rs. 5000 and get additional
5% discount till 30th magh

Questions

a. What kind of a shop is it? What does it sell?
b. How do you buy these items? Do you weigh them while buying?
c. How much is the discount offered?
d. What do you need to do to get 5% additional discount?
e. When does the additional discount offer end?

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Project

Team up with your teacher. Survey
the items your friends need at school.
Arrange money for these items. You
may write a request letter to your
Principal asking for some fund for the
purpose. Then, buy the items from
the market. You will then need to set
up stalls at school to sell the items
to visitors. Prepare a list of price for
each item, adding a small margin of profit to its cost price. Put the list on
display. Make sure you are using the English language and appropriate
unit and quantity expressions during the transactions. Now, hopefully,
you will have enough money to pay back your loan and share some
profit.

Listening

12 Listen and fill in the blanks.

Waiter : What do you want to have, sir?

Dev : I want to start with a plate of _________________.

Waiter : Do you want any vegetable, sir?

Dev : A plate of _________________ please.

Waiter : Any juice?

Dev : I’d like to have a glass of orange _________________.

Waiter : Orange juice. Fine.

Dev : And I want _________________ and _________________.

Waiter : Any drink?

Dev : A glass of _________________ water please.

Waiter : Right. Anything else?

Dev : No. Thank you.

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Writing

13 Answer the questions.

a. How many meals do you eat every day?

b. What food do you often eat? What don’t you like to eat?

c. Do you eat healthy food?

d. Do you eat fruit every day? If not, how often?

e. How much water do you drink in a day?

f. What do you do to keep yourself fit?

14 Sit in pairs. Ask the above questions to your partner
and take notes.

15 Now write a couple of paragraphs about your partner.
See an example below.

Juna eats three meals a day. Her
main meal includes rice, pulse
and vegetable curry. She eats a
lot of vegetables. But she doesn’t
eat much meat. She usually
drinks a glass of juice a day. She
drinks about two litres of water
every day. But during winter,
she does not take that much
water. To keep fit and healthy,
she plays badminton with her
brother in the morning. She
sometimes goes for a morning
walk with her father. She also
goes for swimming with her
friends at the weekend.

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15 Expressing

Probability

1 Listen and sing.

When I'm in doubt,
I can't say what it is.
I can guess
What it can be.

Who is at the door?
He might be Shyam.
He might be Kishor.
But I'm not sure.

When I have some clues,
Wearing something green
Or wearing something blue
I can say, "He must be Jay."

But do you know that?
Jay always wears a hat.
So has he done today
Thus, I surely say, it is Jay.

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Conversation

2 Listen and practise.

Father : Where is John?
Mother : He may be in his room. I’m not sure. Hello, Sam! Please, check

if John is in the room.
Sam : No, Mum! He isn’t in his room.
Father : Where might he go?
Sam : He might be at Mark’s home. Last night, I heard Mark and

John were talking on the phone.
Father : That’s OK. Where is Rita then?
Mother : Well, she must be in the kitchen. Today it’s her turn to prepare

tea.
Sam : She can’t be in the kitchen. She went upstairs with the puppy

just a few minutes ago.

Answer the following questions.
a. Is mother sure where John is?
b. How sure is she about Rita?
c. Is Sam sure where John is?
d. Is Sam sure about Rita not being in the kitchen?

Grammar

Possibility: must / might / may

A : Where is Bina?
B : This is club period. She must be in the dance hall.
A : Where is the head teacher?
B : She may be in her office. But I’m not sure. She often goes out.
A : Is Mike coming to the party?

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B : I’m not very sure. He might come. He must have been invited.
A : Do you know Madan is going to join dance classes?
B : This can’t be true. He hates dancing.

When we are not sure about something, we use different auxiliary verbs to express
different possibilities.
We use might or may + a verb, when we are not very sure about something.
The teacher might tell us a story today.
If we are a bit more confidant, then we use can+ a verb.
The teacher can take a test today. She was preparing a set of questions.
When we are highly sure, we use must + verb.
The teacher must be taking a test today. She told us yesterday.
However, use can't + a verb when we are negatively almost sure.
Here can’t is the opposite of must. We don’t use mustn’t for possibility. We use
it for forbidding somebody to do something.
We use will when we are very sure.
You mustn’t play with knives. They might hurt you.

3 Read the above example. Then, complete the rules.

Rules: We use _____ when we are almost 100% sure about something.
But we use ______ or ______ when we think there is a good possibility of
something. We use ______ when we are 100% sure that it is not possible.
If we are confirmed about something, we use will or won’t.

4 Complete the sentences. Use must, might or can’t.

a. Meena always does really well in exams. She _____________ be
careless about her studies.

b. That woman has a very expensive car. She _____________ be rich.

c. Will Madan throw a party on his next birthday?

I’m not sure. He _____________ give a party but it _____________
not be like before. His father is not home these days.

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d. Where is my purse?
It _____________ be in the room. I saw it earlier there.
e. It _____________ be cold outside. People on the street are wearing

very thick clothes.
f. If you don’t water your plant, it _____________ die soon.
g. If you don’t water your plant, it _____________ live for long.
h. If you haven’t eaten all day, you _____________ be hungry.
i. I think I _________________ make a mistake. I am not very sure

how to do it.
j. I am not taking my coat. It _____________ be cold. It is summer.

5 Match the statements. ____ She might be ill.

a. They have four houses.

b. You’re driving too fast. ____ That can’t be true.

c. She looks so young. ____ They must be good
friends.

d. They’re always together. ____ You might get into an
accident.

e. He says he has 1000 cows. ____ They must be rich.

f. She looks pale. She isn’t active too. ____ She can’t be over 30.

Speaking

6 Use the clues to talk about possibilities. Use correct
modal verbs: must, may, might and can't.

a. rain tomorrow / 70% chance
It may rain tomorrow.

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b. Nepal wins the game / 60% chance
c. he has a calculator / 95% chance
d. Ramesh in Kathmandu / 5% chance
e. yak farm in the hills / 3% chance
f. I have five rupees in the pocket / 98% chance

7 Who are these people? How old are they? Guess.

singer / leader / thirties

Who is this? He may be a singer.

Can he be a leader? He may not be a
How old can he be? leader. A leader
doesn’t look up
toward the sky
while speaking.

He might be in his thirties.

students / teachers / trekker / farmer / watchman / policeman /
look so young / teens walk without caring wear blue uniform /
fifties
for the crops

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Reading

8 Read and learn.

Hundred Years Hence

You might think of your tomorrow and imagine how it would be like. However,
have you ever thought of the time one hundred years from now?

In 2012, the BBC had asked people to predict the world 100 years hence. Then,
the BBC asked futurologists Ian Pearson and Patrick Tucker to evaluate the
predictions made by people across the world. Here are some predictions and
their comments. You may also read the predictions and evaluate them.

Prediction 1: Oceans will be extensively farmed and not just for fish, but
also for vegetables and other food items.

Patrick: By the end of the century, we will
need to feed 10 billion people
and nature can't keep up with
demand. Thus, we will need
much more ocean farming for fish.
Moreover, algae farming is also
on the way for renewable energy.
And cultivating sea for seaweed as food is also highly likely.

Prediction 2: We will have created incredibly intelligent humans who are
immortal.

Tucker: It is possible. With the latest development in the field of genetics and
artificial intelligence, there will be increase human intelligence. It
will allow our species to defeat death.

Prediction 3: We will be able to control the weather.

Tucker: Scientists have already developed some weather control technology.
They have developed technology for making it rain. Moreover, the
scientists are deeply concerned about climate change. They have been
studying how weather works. We will probably have technology
to be able to control weather when we need to. However, it won't
necessarily be cheap enough to use routinely.

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Prediction 4: We will all be wired to computers to make our brains work
faster.

Patrick: We can expect this as soon as 2050
for many people. By 2075 most
people in the developed world
will use machine of some sort to
support their brains. By the end of
the century, almost everyone will
connect themselves with a computer.
If someone else does this, you will
have to compete, won't you?

Comprehension

9 Find the words that are similar in meaning to the following.

a. people who can predict or study future

b. prophecies c. a period of one hundred years

d. man made e. unbelievably

f. living forever

10 Answer the following questions.

a. Who are the two experts who evaluate the predictions?
b. How will the ocean change in 100 years?
c. How will humans try to defeat death?
d. Will all people be able to control weather in hundred years? What

will be the problem?
e. Why would people connect their brain to computers?
f. Which of the predictions do you find more likely to happen? Why?

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Grammar

Talk about probable future

If you walk in the rain, you'll suffer from common cold.

If you don’t come to school, you will miss the lessons.

The sentences above express the probable future. In the sentences above,
there are two clauses: if clause and main clause.

In the if clause we use the present tense. But in the main clause, we use
will/ may/ might/ can + base form of a verb.

Here are some more examples of the first conditional.

If you study hard, you'll get good grades in exam.

If you don't follow traffic rules, you may get into an
accident.

If you cheat your friend, he or she may get angry.

If you break the window pane, you will be punished.

11 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.

a. If you don’t do your homework, your teacher (will be / is / are)
angry with you.

b. If you try it, you (can do / do / is doing) it.
c. If your pen doesn’t work, you (can use / use / is using) mine.
d. If you call him, he (will come / comes / is coming).
e. If Madan doesn’t come today, we (won’t call / calls / are calling)

him later.
f. You can eat it if there (is / will be / are) a banana in the fridge.
g. If they start now, they (won’t reach / reach / reaches) the station in

time.
h. I might go to the park if it (is / are / will be) sunny tomorrow.

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Let’s play!

12 Here is an example of a conditional game played by
five students.

A : If he doesn’t work, he’ll fail the exam.
B : If he fails the exam, his parents will be sad.
C : If his parents are sad, they won’t give him money.
D : If they don’t give him money, he won’t get tiffin.
E : If he doesn’t get tiffin, he’ll be hungry.

Now form groups of four or
five classmates and play a
similar game. The one who
can’t give a correct sentence
using the condition will be out
of the game. The one remaining
till the end of the game will be
the winner.

A : If you try to fight with a pig, you’ll get dirty.

B : If you get dirty, ….

If Karma becomes sick, _____________________________________

If Himal reads well, ________________________________________

If Bikram bunks the classes, _________________________________

If Hari makes noise in the class, ______________________________

If my father quits his job, ____________________________________

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Listening

13 Listen and fill in the gaps.

Raju is waiting for his father. He is coming home at 5
o’clock. If his father is back in time, Raju will ask him
for some ___________ . If Raju gets it, he will buy a
___________ . His teacher has asked him to buy one.
If he does not get the money, he won’t be able to buy
it. If he doesn’t buy it, his teacher will be ___________
with him.

Raju ____________ be happy if his father gives him money. He will buy
a protractor with the money. If he has a protractor, he ___________
learn how to draw an angle easily. He ___________ be able to measure
an angle if he doesn’t have a protractor.

Writing

14 Complete the sentences as given in the example. Use
your own idea.

a. If I lose my pen, I’ll buy a new one.
b. If I see a tiger in front of me, ____________________________ .
c. If I have to choose food for dinner, ________________________ .
d. If I forget my homework, ____________________________ .
e. If I show my drawing to my father, ________________________ .
f. If she loves chocolate, ____________________________ .
g. If they are afraid, ____________________________ .
h. If I read carefully, ____________________________ .

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15 Complete the given email. Use the present simple or
will / won’t. Use the short forms (I’ll or I won’t).

16 Read the email and answer the questions.

a. Who wrote this email?
b. Who is this email written to?
c. What is the writer doing?
d. What happens if he fails the exam?
e. In what condition will he go to see his friend?

17 Write a similar email to your friend telling him or her
about your possible future. Use the first conditional
at least in five places in your email.

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Reading

18 Read and learn. -Robert William Service

My Future

"Let's make him a sailor," said Father,

"And he will adventure the sea."
"A soldier," said Mother, "is rather

What I would prefer him to be."

"A lawyer," said Father, "would please me,
For then he could draw up my will."

"A doctor," said Mother, "would ease me;

Maybe he could give me a pill."
Said I: "my ambition is modest:

A clown in a circus I'd be,

And turn somersaults in the sawdust

With audience laughing at me."
. . . Poor parents! they're dead and decaying,

But I am a clown as you see;

And though in no circus I'm playing,
How people are laughing at me!

Comprehension

19 Read the poem and answer the questions.

a. Who are there in the poem?
b. What does the father want his son to be and why?
c. Why does the mother want to make her son a soldier or a doctor?
d. What does the boy want to be? What do you want to be?

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