Learning to swim

• Can you swim?

• Where did you learn?

• What kind of information do you expect to find in the passage?

80. Swimming should be made compulsory at school. If it81. is lack of qualified teachers and swimming facilities82. in schools, students should have to take out courses83. are organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

• (80) What is “it”?

• Answer this question with a complete sentence: “Are there many qualified teachers?”

• Replace “it” with …

• there

80. Swimming should be made compulsory at school. If it81. is lack of qualified teachers and swimming facilities82. in schools, students should have to take out courses83. are organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

• (81) Is “lack” a noun or verb in this sentence?

• When “lack” is a noun, it is usually used with an article in front of it and the preposition “of” after it. Ex. “___ lack of”

• What article is missing?

• is a lack of ...

80. Swimming should be made compulsory at school. If it81. is lack of qualified teachers and swimming facilities82. in schools, students should have to take out courses83. are organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

• (82) You can order “take-out” food.

• You can take out your books before class.

• You cannot take out courses.

• What word should you delete?

• out

• You can also replace “out” with “up”, “the” or “some”.

80. Swimming should be made compulsory at school. If it81. is lack of qualified teachers and swimming facilities82. in schools, students should have to take out courses83. are organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

• What does line 83 give us extra information about?

• What word can be added to make it clear that this line is giving extra information about the courses?

• that/which are organised …

• You can also delete are.

84. In order to become competent swimmers, children can85. master the basics firstly. The most important points to86. remember are the followings:

• (84) Is mastering the basics optional if someone wants to become a competent swimmer?

• “Can” gives the impression that people have the choice of mastering the basics or not.

• What word should you replace “can” with to make it clear that this is necessary.

• should/must

84. In order to become competent swimmers, children can85. master the basics firstly. The most important points to86. remember are the followings:

• (85) “firstly” is used to introduce the first in a series of reasons, ideas, etc.

• The idea here is that you must master the basics before you can become a competent swimmer.

• Replace “firstly” with …

• first

84. In order to become competent swimmers, children can85. master the basics firstly. The most important points to86. remember are the followings:

• (86) What seems strange about the word “followings”?

• Replace “followings” with …

• following

87. when practise a swimming stroke, learners should try to 88. keep their wastes and thighs close to the surface of the water,89. to minimise drag and use less of energy;

• Who is “practising a swimming stroke”?

• It would be awkward to use the word “learners” twice in the same sentence.

• What pronoun can you add to act as the subject of the verb “practise”?

• they

• You could also replace ‘practise’ with ‘practising’.

87. when practise a swimming stroke, learners should try to 88. keep their wastes and thighs close to the surface of the water,89. to minimise drag and use less of energy;

• (88) “Waste” means rubbish?

• Do you think learners would be asked to keep their rubbish close to the surface of the water?

• Your “thigh” is the top part of your leg.

• What body part sounds like “waste”?

• What do you call the narrow part in the middle of the human body?

• Replace “waste” with “waist”.

87. when practise a swimming stroke, learners should try to 88. keep their wastes and thighs close to the surface of the water,89. to minimise drag and use less of energy;

• (89)“Use” can be a verb or a noun.

• If we use it as a verb …

• to (minimise drag) and (use less of energy;)

• delete of

• If we use it as a noun …

• to minimise (drag) and (use less of energy;)

• delete less

90. Learners should extend their hands and arms far forward as possible91. and raise their shoulders towards their ears the beginning of a stroke92. in order to generate the greatest forward force;

• (90) One word is missing in a familiar structure.

• Ex. “I will study ___ hard as possible.”

• What word needs to be added before “far”?

• as

90. Learners should extend their hands and arms far forward as possible91. and raise their shoulders towards their ears the beginning of a stroke92. in order to generate the greatest forward force;

• (91) Complete this sentence: I didn’t play well ___ the beginning of the game.

• What preposition is missing in front of ‘the beginning’?

• at

• during, for and in would also be acceptable.

90. Learners should extend their hands and arms far forward as possible91. and raise their shoulders towards their ears the beginning of a stroke92. in order to generate the greatest forward force;

• (92) There are no errors.

93. it is very important learn how to breathe in and out correctly94. while swimming, as this extends the ability to cover long distance;

• (93) Complete this sentence: It is important ___ do your homework carefully.

• What word is missing in front of learn?

• to

93. it is very important learn how to breathe in and out correctly94. while swimming, as this extends the ability to cover long distance;

• “distance” is countable in this situation.

• We are speaking in general terms about any long distance.

• There are two ways of making this line correct.

• “to cover a long distance;”

• “to cover long distances;”

95. board floats are water paddles are the only correct teaching aids96. for swimming. Proper use help a learner’s development of97. both kicking and arm strokes. Never use inflatable rubber ring,98. which should only be used as a rescue device of swimmer in distress.

• (95) There are no errors in this line.

95. board floats are water paddles are the only correct teaching aids96. for swimming. Proper use help a learner’s development of97. both kicking and arm strokes. Never use inflatable rubber ring,98. which should only be used as a rescue device of swimmers in distress.

• (96) Is “use” a noun or a verb here?

• Does the verb agree with the subject.

• Change “help” to …

• helps

95. board floats are water paddles are the only correct teaching aids96. for swimming. Proper use help a learner’s development of97. both kicking and arm strokes. Never use inflatable rubber ring,98. which should only be used as a rescue device of swimmers in distress.

• Is “ring” countable or uncountable?

• We’re speaking generally about any inflatable rubber ring.

• There are two possible ways of correcting this line.

• “an inflatable rubber ring”

• “inflatable rubber rings”

95. board floats are water paddles are the only correct teaching aids96. for swimming. Proper use help a learner’s development of97. both kicking and arm strokes. Never use inflatable rubber ring,98. which should only be used as a rescue device of swimmers in distress.

• (98) Complete this sentence: Rings should be used ___ swimmers that are in trouble.

• Replace “of” with …

• by or for