Grammar

1. Read the article. What qualities does she think young people should have to set up their own business successfully?

(Đọc bài viết. Bà nghĩ những người trẻ nên có những phẩm chất gì để thành lập doanh nghiệp của riêng mình thành công?)

Amelia Humfress is a 24-year-old entrepreneur whose aim is to make her own company, Steer, the best in the world for teaching people how to make their own websites. She has decided that it is the courses of Steer that can make it different from other companies. The courses vary from web design to computer coding. They focus more on the learners’ chances to experience and practice rather than theoretical lessons. Amelia did not start out setting up such a school. It was when she was looking for a web design course for herself that the idea for the company Steer came to her. Her plan grew slowly. At first, she lacked confidence, but she then found an office where she could start the business. Soon her business grew quickly. Amelia thinks that more young people should start the businesses that they dream about. It is just a lack of confidence, not any other factor that holds them back.

Answer:

Amelia Humfress believes that young people should have the following qualities to set up their own business successfully:

• Confidence: According to Amelia, lack of confidence is the only factor that holds young people back from starting their own businesses.

• Practical skills: She thinks that practical skills are more important than theoretical knowledge, and that courses should focus on learners’ chances to experience and practice.

• Initiative: Amelia took the initiative to start her own business when she couldn't find the right web design course for herself. She believes that young people should take the initiative to start their own businesses if they have an idea they are passionate about.

LEARN THIS! Cleft sentences

a. We use cleft sentences It is /was ... that... to emphasise a piece of information.

It was the sales assistant that persuaded me to buy that tie.

b. We use cleft sentences to make contrast.

It was a tablet that Joe bought, not a laptop.

c. The emphasised part can be a noun (phrase) or an adverb (phrase or clause).

It was the question 5 that Mark missed.

It was because of the tattoo on her hand that Kate could not get a job.

d. If the emphasised information is a proper noun (a personal subject or object), who / whom can be used instead of that.

It was Joe who bought a tablet last week.

It was Monet whom I admire the most.

2. Read the Learn this! box. Underline three examples of use a, b and c in the article.

(Đọc Tìm hiểu điều này! hộp. Gạch dưới ba ví dụ sử dụng a, b, c trong bài)

Answer:

In the article:

There is an example of use a in the sentence "It is the courses of Steer that can make it different from other companies".

An example of use b can be found in the sentence "It is just a lack of confidence, not any other factor that holds them back", where there is a contrast between lack of confidence and other factors.

An example of use c is in the sentence "It was when she was looking for a web design course for herself that the idea for the company Steer came to her", where the emphasised adverbial phrase is "when she was looking for a web design course for herself".

3. Finish each of the following sentences emphasising the underlined information.

(Hoàn thành mỗi câu sau đây nhấn mạnh thông tin được gạch chân)

1. Dancers in A O Show gave their performance with great devotion.

It was with great devotion that dancers in AO Show gave their performance.

2. The Vietnamese silk paintings typically depict the countryside and landscapes.

It ____________________________________________________________________.

3. Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night, not Gaugin.

It ____________________________________________________________________.

4. We missed the chance to meet a celebrity because we came so late.

It ____________________________________________________________________.

5. The young entrepreneur has mentioned some new design techniques.

It ____________________________________________________________________.

Answer:

1. Dancers in A O Show gave their performance with great devotion.

• It was with great devotion that dancers in AO Show gave their performance.

2. The Vietnamese silk paintings typically depict the countryside and landscapes.

• It is the countryside and landscapes that Vietnamese silk paintings typically depict.

3. Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night, not Gaugin.

• It was Vincent van Gogh who painted Starry Night, not Gaugin.

4. We missed the chance to meet a celebrity because we came so late.

• It was because we came so late that we missed the chance to meet a celebrity.

5. The young entrepreneur has mentioned some new design techniques.

• It is the young entrepreneur who has mentioned some new design techniques.

4. Make cleft sentences from the following cues.

(Đặt câu chẻ từ các gợi ý sau)

1. It / be / creativity and inspiration / most artists / need

It is creativity and inspiration that most artists need.

2. It / be / with / self-confidence / scientists / make / good inventions

3. It / be / sociability / some jobs / require / not intelligence

4. It / be / Dame Anita Roddick / found / The Body Shop / in 1976

5. It / be / because / they / have / colourful tones and optimistic images / Dong Ho paintings / be / part of Vietnamese Tet holidays

Answer:

1. It / be / creativity and inspiration / most artists / need

• It is creativity and inspiration that most artists need.

2. It / be / with / self-confidence / scientists / make / good inventions

• It is with self-confidence that scientists make good inventions.

3. It / be / sociability / some jobs / require / not intelligence

• It is sociability that some jobs require, not intelligence.

4. It / be / Dame Anita Roddick / found / The Body Shop / in 1976

• It was Dame Anita Roddick who found The Body Shop in 1976.

5. It / be / because / they / have / colourful tones and optimistic images / Dong Ho paintings / be / part of Vietnamese Tet holidays

• It is because they have colourful tones and optimistic images that Dong Ho paintings are a part of Vietnamese Tet holidays.

5. USE OF ENGLISH Reread the Learn this! box. Identify the mistake in each of the following sentences.

(Đọc lại Learn this. Xác định lỗi sai trong mỗi câu sau)

1. It is sympathy, not pride brings friends together.

2. It is a leading environmentalist that came to our school club last month.

3. It was Monday that the winners of the school sports games were awarded.

4. It was when Jack came back from the war we learnt the truth about his cousins.

5. It is shyness that the teacher wants the children to grow out of it.

6. It was Rachel Carson that wrote Silent Spring, not Julia Hill.

Answer:

1. Correction: It is sympathy, not pride, that brings friends together.

2. Correction: It was a leading environmentalist who came to our school club last month.

3. Correction: It was on Monday that the winners of the school sports games were awarded.

4. Correction: It was when Jack came back from the war that we learned the truth about his cousins.

5. Correction: It is shyness that the teacher wants the children to grow out of.

6. Correction: It was Rachel Carson who wrote Silent Spring, not Julia Hill.

6. SPEAKING Work in pairs. Ask and answer about your favourite high-flyer. The following cues can help you.

(Làm việc theo cặp. Hỏi và trả lời về người bay cao yêu thích của bạn. Các tín hiệu sau đây có thể giúp bạn)

1. The high-flyer you admire

2. How you got to know about him / her

3. The reason why you like him / her

4. What you think decides his / her success

Answer the questions again using cleft sentences to emphasise some information.

Who is your favourite high-flyer?

Rachel Carson. It is Rachel Carson whom I admire.

Answer:

How did you get to know about her?

• I got to know about her through her book "Silent Spring". It was her book "Silent Spring" that introduced me to her.

What is the reason why you like her?

• I like her because of her dedication to the environment and her activism to protect it. It is her dedication to the environment and her activism to protect it that I admire the most.

What do you think decides her success?

• I think her determination and courage to speak out about the harmful effects of pesticides and her willingness to challenge the status quo played a significant role in her success. It was her determination and courage to speak out about the harmful effects of pesticides and her willingness to challenge the status quo that decided her success.