A computer some computers secretary two secretaries

A restaurant good restaurants

 

ii Uncountable [U] nouns only have one (singular) form. They refer to things which are difficult to count because they are in a mass – wine, perfume, sugar. They also refer to more abstract things which are not physical objects – information, advice. We do not use a/an with uncountable nouns.

 

iii some/any

	plural countable nouns	uncountable nouns
+	We need some machines.	We need some equipment.
-	There aren’tany restaurants. There are no cinemas.	There isn’t any food. There is no entertainment.
?	Would you like some carrots?* Do you have anycoins?	Would you like some spaghetti?* Do you have any money?

 

* We use some to make an offer when we think the answer will be ‘yes’.

Would you like some tea? Yes, I would.

Can I offer you some coffee? Yes, please.

We use any to make an offer when we don’t know the answer.

Do you want any coffee? No, thank you.

ASSIGNMENTS

A Tick the countable nouns.

1 reservation	9 information	17 table
2 fax	10 seat	18 tip
3 air conditioning	11 luggage	19 transport
4 bathroom	12 flight	20 job
5 bill	13 menu	21 work
6 employee	14 money	22 shopping
7 equipment	15 overtime	23 suitcase
8 hotel	16 receipt	24 leisure

B Complete the spaces with some, any or a.

1 I’m sorry, but we don’t have …………… rooms free tonight.

2 Do you have …………. information about trains to Stockholm?

3 I have …………… good news – our sales are up by 20% this month.

4 I have …………… suitcase here, and …………. other luggage in the taxi.

5 I haven’t got ………… money. When do the banks open?

6 Do you have ………… bottle of 1996 Chateau Margaux?

7 We don’t have ………. Milk for our coffee. Is there ……… shop open here?

8 I want to buy ………… souvenirs before I go home.

C Choose the correct word to complete these dialogues.

1 B: Do you have any/a luggage to check in?

A: Yes. I have a/some suitcase here. Can I have a window seat, please?

B: I’m afraid there aren’t some/any more seats by the window, madam.

 

2 A: Excuse me. I want to buy a/some souvenirs to take home. Are there any/some souvenir shops

near here?

B: Yes, there’s a/some very good shop just on the corner.

 

3 A: How much/many time do we have before our train?

B: Forty minutes.

A: Do you want another drink?

B: No. You have a/some drink. I want to look in the shops.

 

4 A: I want to buy some/any wine at the duty –free. Do you want a/any souvenirs?

B: Yes, please. Here. I’ll give you a/some money.

 

TEXT B

1 Study this vocabulary and definitions and think of Russian equivalents:

to take the strain (off) – to relieve the tension

independent business person – a person who has his/her own business

expert – a professional who knows a lot about something

to make a booking – to make a reservation

leisure travellers – non-business travellers

discount – a reduction in the usual price of something

discounted rate – a size of reduction in the usual price (ставка дисконта размер скидки)

to be available – to be at someone's disposal (not busy and therefore free to talk to you or to do a particular task)

annual corporate membership – membership for a year

to negotiate – try to reach an agreement or compromise by discussion with others

air fare – the money paid for a journey by air

to make a deal – to make an agreement or arrangement with someone

no-frills carrier – an aircraft without unnecessary extras, a cheap airline

hotel chain – a group of hotels

benefit – something good,advantage

lounge – a seating area in an airport for waiting passengers

entry charge – payment for admission

give access – to give an opportunity to enter the place

2 Read and translate the text. Pay attention to the words in bold..

TRAVEL CLUBS: A SERVICE THAT TAKES THE STRAIN

By Jill James

Business travellers who work for big companies usually have a company travel department to book their trips. But independent businesspeople, or those who work for small and medium-sized companies, do not have experts to make the bookings. Travel clubs have developed to help these people.

Globetrotters Club (www.globetrotters.co.uk) has been looking after leisure travellers for decades. It has 450 to 500 company members worldwide, and the club’s newsletter is sent to all members six times a year. Its eNewsletter is e-mailed to more than 11,000 people monthly. Discounts are available to members’ as well as information and advice.

Another club, Wexas (www. Wexas.com), can get big discounts for its members, because it is a large organization. Annual corporate membership costs $170. Wexas negotiates discounted rates with 70 of the world’s leading airlines; it checks air fares daily and makes special deals and rates available to members. It also books flights with no-frills carriers.

It has special business rates with 34 partner hotel chains, covering more than 20,000 hotels in 190 countries. It also has direct contracts with hundreds of selected hotels at further discounts. Perhaps one of its most useful and popular benefits is its airport lounge programme, which, for a small entry charge, gives access to more than 100 lounges worldwide.

3 Decide whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F).

a) Large companies usually have a special department to make travel bookings. ____

b) Travel clubs help business travelers make bookings. _____

c) Globetrotters Club send eNewsletters six times a year. _____

d) Globetrotters Club members live in many different countries. ____

e) Wexas can offer good prices on scheduled airlines. _____

f) Wexas cannot book flights on cheap airlines. _____

g) Wexas has partner hotels in many countries. _____

 

 

GRAMMAR FOCUS 2 – a lot of, many and much

 

i We use a lot of in positive and negative sentences and questions with both plural countable and uncountable nouns.

I have a lot of luggage. I have a lot of bags.

We don’t have a lot of time. We don’t have a lot of books.

Do you have a lot of money?

Do you have a lot of American clients?

 

ii We can use many or a lot of in positive statements.

I have many English customers.

I’ve got a lot of English customers.

Many is more formal than a lot of.

 

iii We do not normally use much in positive statements.

They’ve got a lot of money. (NOT *much money)

 

 

iv We use many with plural countable nouns in questions and negative sentences.

Do you have many visitors?

There aren’t many vegetarian restaurants.

 

v We use much with uncountable nouns in questions and negative sentences.

Do you do much advertising?

I don’t have much time.

ASSIGNMENTS

A Customs regulations around the world are very different. Complete the questions below, using

much or many.

1 How ……….. bottles of perfume can you take into Japan?

2 How ……….. beer can you import into Britain?

3 How ……….. duty-free gifts or souvenirs can you take into Argentina?

4 How ……….. butter can you import into Andorra?

5 How ……….. fishing rods can you take with you to Iceland?

6 How ……….. potatoes can you take into Great Britain?

7 How ……….. jewellery can you carry with you into Algeria?

8 How ………..wine can you import into France?

 

B Match the answers with the questions.

a You can’t take any alcohol if you are a Moslem. Non-Moslems can take six bottles.

b You can’t take any plants or vegetables – they carry viruses.

c 1 kg. This country wants to protect agriculture, its main industry.

d As many as you want, but they must be disinfected.

e Two litres, if you live outside the European community. If you travel from a country inside the

EU, you can take up to 90 litres.

f If your personal jewellery weighs more than 100g you must leave it at customs until you leave the country or complete a temporary importation form.

g As many as you want, but the total value must not be more than US$300.

h One bottle of 57 ml.

 

C Correct the mistakes in these sentences. Use a lot of, many or much.

1 They don’t have much vegetarian dishes here.

2 How many does it cost?

3 The restaurant hasn’t got much tables left.

4 I don’t have many time at the moment.

5 I drink much coffee.

6 There aren’t much hotels in the city centre.

7 It costs much money.

8 I don’t want many spaghetti. There’s ice cream for dessert.

 

D Underline the correct words in this dialogue. Read the dialogue and act it out.

ANGELA:	Jack, have you got (1) a/some moment for a chat?
JACK:	Of course, go ahead. Now’s a good time.
ANGELA:	There (2) is/are (3) an/some important work that we need to do over the next few months. It should be (4) an/some interesting job, and I think you’re the best (5) person/people to do it.
JACK:	Oh, really?
ANGELA:	Yes. Well, (6) an/a piece of empty land has come onto the market on the other side of town.
JACK:	Uh, huh…
ANGELA:	And, as you know, we haven’t got (7) many/much space at our present site. Well, we think it’s (8) an/some ideal opportunity to expand.
JACK:	Yeah, we don’t have much room here.
ANGELA:	Well, we’re thinking about building completely new offices. We’d like you to do (9) a/some research on the whole idea, and then write (10) a/some report on whether to go ahead or not. Are you interested?
JACK:	Well, I haven’t got (11) much/many experience of this kind of thing. I ….
ANGELA:	I know, but there really isn’t anyone else here who is suitable.
JACK:	Oh…
ANGELA:	And we need to make (12) a progress /progress on this as quickly as possible. We’re taking on fifteen new people in March.
JACK:	Um, right, but there (13) is/are (14) many/a lot of (15) information/informations to collect. I…
ANGELA:	Well, with this new responsibility we might consider reviewing your salary.
JACK:	Well, OK, it sounds like (16) an/a interesting challenge. I’ll do it.