Articles with generic reference

Exercise 1. In the following sentences decide whether the nouns underlined refer generically to something or refer to something in particular. Try making them plural; if there is no change in meaning, they are generic.

1. An African elephant has larger ears than an Indian elephant.

2. A car isn’t the best way to travel in a city.

3. An undertaker was arrested for drunken driving.

4. A stream is a small river.

5. A dog is sitting listening to a record-player.

6. If you don’t like public transport, you should get a car.

7. You can never trust a politician.

8. A car drove past.

9. The best pet for a child is a dog.

10. I’ve been studying a seagull.

Exercise 2. Complete the following formal or technical statements with a suitable noun. The article is also missing.

1. The organ which pumps blood around our bodies is called ………….. .

2. Nowadays many people keep a television in ………….. as well as in ………….. so that they can watch in bed.

3. Between the ages of one and five, ………….. learns to speak a language fluently.

4. ………….. must make sure that the patient understands what is wrong.

5. ………….. has made it possible to communicate with loved ones immediately.

6. For my part, except in a few short stories, I have never attempted to deal with any but my own countrymen, and if I ventured to do otherwise in short stories it is because in them you can treat your characters more summarily. You give ………….. broad indications and leave him to fill in the details. (W.S. Maugham)

7. If we want to promote learning, we must make ………….. a friendlier place, somewhere where ………….. and ………….. can cooperate.

8. Comprehension depends on …………..’s ability to remember all the words in ………….. .

Exercise 3. Select the correct answer to each question.

1. Which is the largest of the ape and monkey families, full-grown?

a) the chimpanzee b) the orang-outang c) the gorilla

2. Which of these is not a mammal?

a) the whale b) the shark c) the dolphin

3. Which of these hasn’t got a shell on its back?

a) the snail b) the turtle c) the crab d) the octopus

4. Which of these hasn’t got horns?

a) the hippo(potamus) b) the bull c) the goat d) the antelope

5. Which of these has spots rather than stripes?

a) the zebra b) the leopard c) the tiger

6. Which of these insects doesn’t sting?

a) the ant b) the wasp c) the bee d) the ladybird

7. Which won’t bite you?

a) the mosquito b) the flea c) the butterfly d) the fly

8. Which of these beasts hasn’t got a hump?

a) the bison b) the ox c) the camel

9. Which of these birds can fly?

a) the penguin b) the ostrich c) the goose d) the emu

10. Which of these has most legs?

a) the spider b) the scorpion c) the beetle d) the worm

e) the centipede

11. Which of these creatures is not extinct?

a) the mammoth b) the dinosaur c) the pterodactyl d) the buffalo

12. Which of these is not a fabulous creature?

a) the dragon b) the unicorn c) the chameleon d) the mermaid

13. Which of this is not related to the dog?

a) the wolf b) the jackal c) the yak

14. Which of these is not nocturnal?

a) the moth b) the badger c) the bat d) the koala bear

15. Which of these birds has the longest wings?

a) the albatross b) the seagull c) the humming-bird

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1703