Article practice1

Fill in the blanks with the following texts with articles (a/an/the) as necessary. Some of the blanks may not require an article. Put a cross (×) in those blanks.                                                                               

1.Once there lived (a) — poor cobbler. He had (b) — rich neighbour. (c) — neighbour was blessed with (d) — ill health. So he was (e) — angry man. He was always (f) — unhappy man. Once he used to think that (g) — richest man was (h) — happiest man in (i) — world. But his (j) — idea was not correct.

2.Today women are playing (a) — important role in all spheres of (b) — life. They are no longer confined within (c) — four walls of the kitchens. They have come out of their cocoons and are working hand in hand with (d) — men. They are joining (e) — wide range of professions and making a great (f) — contribution to the economy. Now, it has come to (g) — realization of all that it is not possible to develop the country keeping women, (h) — large section of (i) — population, in (j) — dark.

3. Mr. Karim is an English (a) — teacher. He is (b) — M.A. in English. He serves in (c) — ideal institution. He tries to lead (d) — honest life. He is (e) — most favourite teacher to the students. He speaks English like (f) — English. To speak (g) — truth he is friendly to (h) — students. He tries heart and soul to help (i) — students in every possible way. We want (j) — teacher like him.

4. Communicative competence’ means the ability to use (a) — language in (b) — appropriate manner in different situations. There are two ways of developing communicative competence in (c) — language. (d) — first is acquisition which is similar to (e) — way people develop their ability in their mother tongue. It’s a natural subconscious process in which people are not usually aware of acquiring (f) — language. They are only aware of (g) — communication. So, acquisition is picking up (h) — language in (i) — instinctive way. It may be called (j) — implicit method of learning.

5. Literacy as (a) — skill was first institutionalized in Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt and China soon after (b) — art of writing was invented. Education then was not for (c) — general people but (d) — privilege for (e) — chosen (f) — few who took on strategic roles in (g) — running of (h) — state and in religion. In Greece, education became more widespread in about the 5th century BC. (i) — Greeks, however, sent only their (j) — male children to school.

6. (a) — idle man and (b) — active man cannot be equal. We know (c) — story of (d) — ant (e) — grasshopper. (f) — ant was industrious. On the other hand the grasshopper was really (g) — lazy. The ant knows that (h) — industrious shine. On (i) — contrary (j) — lazy suffer in life.

                                    Answers

1.(a) a;  (b) a;   (c) the; (d) ×;   (e)  an;  (f) an;  (g) the;   (h) the;  (i) the;  (j) ×

2.(a) an;  (b) ×;   (c) the; (d) ×;   (e)  a;  (f) ×;  (g) the;   (h) a;  (i) the;  (j) the

3.(a) ×;  (b) an;   (c) an; (d) an;   (e)  the;  (f) the;  (g) the;   (h) the;  (i) the;  (j) a

4.(a) ×;  (b) an;   (c) a; (d) the;   (e)  the;  (f) a;  (g) ×;   (h) a;  (i) an (j) the

5.(a) a;  (b) the;   (c) the; (d) a;   (e)  the;  (f) ×;  (g) the;   (h) the;  (i) the;  (j) ×

(a) an;  (b) an;   (c) the; (d) an/the;   (e)  a/the;  (f) the;  (g) ×;   (h) the;  (i) the;  (j) the