//TEST// English

A Test on English Proverbs

Q1. Below are sentences that are the paraphrasing of proverbs.

In each case, encircle the proverb that matches with the paraphrasing best :( 2 marks for each item)

1. Usually people of the same type tend to be together.

(a) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

(b) Birds of a feather flock together.

(c) Every bird likes his own nest best.

(d) Eagles catch no flies.

2. Sometimes things are not as valuable as they appear to be.

(a) All that glitters is not gold.

(b) Liberty is better than gold.

(c) Today gold, tomorrow dust.

(d) Where gold speaks every tongue is silent.

3. You must always try not to plan the successful results of something

until those results actually occur.

(a) Divide and rule.

(b) Life is not a bed of roses.

(c) Good finds good.

(d) Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

4. One should take care of one's own family, friends, or fellow citizens

before helping other people.

(a) You reap what you sow.

(b) Nothing hurts like the truth.

(c) Charity begins at home.

(d) It takes two to tango.

5. Don't form an opinion about something based on appearance alone.

(a) We soon believe what we desire.

(b) Don't judge a book by its cover.

(c) Seeing is believing.

(d) Two wrongs don't make a right.

6. When there is evidence of a problem, then there probably is a

problem.

(a) Where there is smoke, there is fire.

(b) A burnt child dreads the fire.

(c) Of two evils choose the least.

(d) Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

7. People in general think that nothing can be accomplished without

effort.

(a) Look before you leap.

(b) No man can serve two masters.

(c) No pain, no gain.

(d) To run one's head against a stone wall.

8. When you hurry too much, you are likely to do a poor job, and you

may waste time doing it over.

(a) It is hard to please all parties.

(b) Necessity knows no law.

(c) Misfortunes never come alone.

(d) Haste makes waste.

9. When a group of people with the same goals work together, they can

accomplish more than individuals can do.

(a) Misery loves company.

(b) Too many cooks spoil the broth.

(c) In unity there is strength.

(d) Two's company, but three's a crowd.

10.It's better not to try to improve something that is already satisfactory.

(a) Make hay while the sun shines.

(b) Leave well enough alone.

(c) Strike while the iron is hot.

(d) Don't cry over split milk.

Q2 Complete the following: (3 marks for each item).

1. Actions speak louder than words.

2. If you can't beat them, join them.

3. Easy come, easy go.

4. You can't teach an old fox new tricks.

5. A friend in need a friend indeed.

6. One man's meat is another man's poison.

7. A cat has 9 lives.

8. Blood is thicker than water.

9. When the cat's away, the mice will play.

10.No news is good news. 

MY ESSAYS ( each of them contains more than 600 words)

(All written by Mariam Mirzoyan)

>>> Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

>>> Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

>>> Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

 >>> It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

>>> When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain yourposition.

>>> A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.

>>> Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to livein a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasonsand details to support your answer.

>>> If you could change one important thing about your hometown,what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples tosupport your answer.

>>> How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

(you're free to use these as an example )

ESSAY TOPIC 12 : Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

In my opinion neighbors have a great importance in people’s lives. They are the people who live next to us and good relationships with neighbors are always necessary. But sometimes it can be impossible, because some neighbors  may not be good for us. There are some qualities that a good neighbor should have.

Firstly and the most importantly, neighbor shouldn’t be loud. Everybody loves quiet neighbors. Especially me, I’ve never had an opportunity to have a quiet neighbor. The boy living at the upper floor of our apartment plays drums. And he plays it all the time. Sometimes it even feels like he plays drum on my head, it’s really annoying. He doesn’t let me concentrate or have a rest. It’s even worse when he stops playing it for a moment, because in my head I still hear the terrible noise of it, it feels like someone is hitting my head with a drum stick. I’m really tired of my neighbor, I tried to ask him to play it not that frequently and he stopped playing it for a while, then started playing it again and again. So  quite neighbor is highly required for me.

Secondly, a good neighbor should be nice and friendly in my opinion. We see our neighbor’s faces all the time and if we don’t smile at them or be nice to them we won’t have a good relationship with them. I, as a neighbor, try to be very friendly to all of my neighbors. Because if you’re being friendly with them, they will be friendly with you as well and you can be a good friends not just neighbors. Me and the girl living the opposite apartment of ours are really good friends. I remember us being stranger s at first when they first moved to the front apartment, then we both tried to be nice and friendly to each other, now we are good friends and help each other when any of us needs.

Then, I think it would be better if one’s neighbor was more astute and clever. It’s better to communicate with a smart person than with someone who is not aware of anything.Maybe someday you may need an old book and you can ask for it from your smart neighbor. You can even ask for some advice about different unknown things for you. My friend told me about her neighbor who is really astute. She told that when she has a question she always asks it to that neighbor, because, as she says, her neighbor knows about literally everything. She even helps her with her lessons when her parents are not home. I think it’s really great to have such an astute neighbor.

To summarize, there are some qualities that a good neighbor should have. Being quite is the most important quality in my opinion, I’ve suffered enough because of my noisy neighbor I think. Then a good neighbor needs to be as nice and friendly as possible, because they live near you and friendly relationships are necessary for people living next to each other. Finally, everybody loves communicating with smart people and having a smart neighbor living just next to you is awesome, I think. 

(written by Mariam Mirzoyan) 

ESSAY TOPIC 11 : Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

In my opinion it’s always easier and faster to eat food at restaurants or at food stands. I know many people who prefer that way and I used to be one of those people, too. But after some time I realized that for eating food the best place is home. I have some reasons why.

First of all, you feel comfortable in your own house, you sit however and wherever you want, which you can’t do at restaurants, because it’s not polite. And sometimes chairs in restaurants may be not comfortable. That’s what happened to me about couple of months ago. I was at a restaurant with my friends. We sat down, but the armchairs were so big and they were bouncing and we were wearing dresses and it was really uncomfortable to sit. I even lost my appetite. That would never happen to me at home, because our chairs are really comfortable and I can sit on them however I want.

Secondly, it’s really awkward to eat when someone is watching and at restaurants that happens a lot. Sometimes when people wait for their food to arrive they carelessly stare at other people eating their food. One day I was with a friend of mine in a restaurant. She was really hungry but was hesitating to eat. When I asked her about the reason, she said that a boy sitting next to us stared at her and it was really uncomfortable for her to eat when somebody was watching. But when you’re at home you eat with your parents, siblings and it’s okay if they stare at you.

Thirdly, when you’re at home cooking for yourself you know how you make the food or what you put in it. So while eating you don’t think about if anyone has touched your food with  dirty hands. But at the restaurants we don’t know how cooks make food. Who knows what can happen during cooking. You can’t be there and watch  them to cook for you and you can’t be hundred percent sure if the cook has washed his hands before cooking, or if there is no hair in your food. By the way, that’s the first thing I think about when I eat something in a restaurant- hair in my food. That started to scare me after one time I found a really long blond hair in my soup. This never happens to me at home.

Fourthly, while you’re eating at home you can turn on the TV and watch your favorite program. Though, I know that watching TV while eating is really bad, but I keep on doing that and lots of other people also do.  Or you can turn on some music and listen to it while eating, and I even sing while eating, it makes my food seem better.

To summarize, there are some people that prefer to eat at restaurant or food stands, because it’s faster and easier to get, you don’t need to cook, you just sit there and wait for you food to arrive. But for me, I think, the best place to eat is at home, where you can sit and eat however you want, there are no strangers staring at you while you eat and when you cook and eat at home you know how the food was being done. So for me eating food at home is better and more comfortable. 

(written by Mariam Mirzoyan) 

ESSAY TOPIC 10 : When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

In my opinion the most important road to success is of course hard work. A person who works hard is the person who becomes successful. But for some people there are some other tiny roads that lead towards the success, one of which is luck. Luck also has an impact on people to succeed. But you cannot always depend only on your luck for hundred percent, because sometimes luck can turn to be your worst enemy and lead you not to the success but to the failure. Of course there is always a little chance to success by luck, but that’s not enough. So for me the only way to success is mainly hard work.

First of all, when you work hard you know about your abilities and your levels. You become more confident and sure about yourself. And the road to success becomes a lot easier than by luck. For example, I’m currently working hard for my exams, and I don’t care about luck. And I remember myself for about two months ago, when I was not working hard I was not sure about my abilities and I didn't know how I was going to be successful and pass my exams. But now, as I work hard, by time I become more confident and sure about myself and I wouldn't feel the same if I didn’t work hard and depended only on luck.

Secondly, when you become successful by hardworking you appreciate your success and your current successful position, which you cannot do if you succeed by luck or cheating or something else. And you gain knowledge and experience by hardworking and you can use it always and everywhere. Moreover, people who don’t work hard and become successful, later have some problems. One of my friends was working really hard to get a job that he wanted, I remember him suffering every day, practicing to pass a test to get that job. And there was another person who also really wanted the job, but he was too lazy to work hard and on the test he haphazardly by guessing chose the right answers, so at the end they both got the job. But after few days the person who didn’t work hard for the work got fired, because he didn’t work hard and didn’t have enough knowledge and experience for that job.

So, to summarize, I totally agree with the quotation above, in my opinion luck has nothing in common with success. If you want to be successful you should only work hard. People who always depend on their luck fail frequently and have problems later. When you work hard you become more confident about yourself, you learn new things, you gain knowledge, which I think is really important. And I think there is no chance that you work hard and don’t succeed. So only people who work hard succeed, others who have succeeded by luck have just a temporary success.

(written by Mariam Mirzoyan)