Exercises

I.

A, An, or (Nothing)
1. There were many dogs in the park. One dog was ___ Dalmatian.
2. Pandas and ___ tigers are both endangered animals.
3. She is wearing ___ blue dress with red earrings.
4. Christmas comes once ___ year.
5. ___ ant is __ insect.
6. The Nile is ___ river.
7. I went to the shop to get ___ bread.
8. He broke ___ glass when he was washing dishes.
9. You should take ___ umbrella.

II.

A, An, The or Nothing

1. Are you shopping for ___ health club to join so you can get in shape?

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
Shop wisely! You could end up choosing ___ wrong club and losing more money than
pounds.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
You may find out too late that ___ health clubs aren't for you.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
___ San Diego fitness experts recommend thoroughly checking out several health clubs
before you join one.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
First, know what you want and need in ___ fitness facility, and don't pay for what you'll
never use.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
If you only want exercise classes, ___ exercise studio without weight machines and
locker rooms may work for you.
a. a
1

b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
7. If you're looking for ___ place to only do bodybuilding, you'll be happy in a basic gym.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
8. You may be in ___ market for a full-service health club; then, make sure it offers lots of
activities.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
9. Look for a place near your house, and check out ___ exercise instructors and personal
trainers.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
10. They should be educated in physical education or certified by ___ organization such as
the American Council on exercise.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
11. Certified instructors have at least some knowledge of anatomy, exercise physiology,
injury prevention and ___ cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
12. You should evaluate ___ equipment and make sure fitness machines are modern and in
working order.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
13. Try to talk to other members of the club. Find out what they believe are ___ advantages
and disadvantages there.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
14. Look in ___ locker room, workout room, and shower--everywhere should be clean.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
2

15. ___ locker room sanitation is usually a good indication of how clean other areas are.

a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
16. Finally, before you sign ___ agreement to join, read the contract carefully.
a. a
b. an
c. the
d. no article is needed
III.

The Definite Article" (the), the Indefinite Article" (a or an) or the Zero Article" (-)
Taiwan
1. Taiwan was called "Isla Formosa" by ___ Dutch.
2. ___ first Presidential election was March 23, 1997.
3. There are many ___ earthquakes in Taiwan every year.
4. Taiwan has ___ strong economy.
5. ___ Taipei is the capital of Taiwan.
6. Taiwan is ___ island.
7. ___ large mountain range runs down the center of Taiwan.
8. Taiwan is ___ industrialised country.
9. Taiwan is ___ tropical island.
10. ___ language and culture of Taiwan is Chinese.
11. Another name for Taiwan is ___ Republic of China.
12. Taiwan is ___ democratic country.
13. Chinese New Year is ___ important holiday in Taiwan.
14. Taiwan has ___ population of 22,000,000 people.
15. ___ Tropic of Cancer crosses Taiwan.
DO WE REALLY NEED TO SLEEP?

IV.
Complete the text using the indefinite article ("a" or "an"), the definite article ("the") or no
article ("-").

Sleep is (1)

powerful influence on all our lives and a 60-year-old person has spent

almost twenty years asleep. The traditional theory about (2)

sleep is that our brain
needs to rest for several hours to refresh itself and to 'file' in our memory everything that
has happened to us during the day. We can put off sleeping for a limited period, for
instance if we go to (3)
all-night party, but sooner or later we have to sleep. If we are
not allowed to sleep, we suffer hallucinations, and eventually die.
However, Dr Ray Meddis has a fascinating new theory. He suggests that we don't really
need to sleep at all. We sleep only because our brain is 'programmed' to make us do so. he
believes that (4)

sleep instinct originates from prehistoric times. Primitive man was

3

'programmed' to sleep to protect himself from the darkness with its many dangers. Animals
seem to have been similarly programmed. (5)
number of hours they sleep does not
depend on physical activity but on how much time they need to eat. Horses, cows and (6)
elephants, for example, which spend many hours eating, sleep only 2 or 3 hours. Cats,
on the other hand, who have (7)
than half their lives.

lot of spare time, sleep for 14 hours (8)

day, more

According to Dr Meddis, the 'tiredness' we feel at (9)

end of (10)
day is produced
by a chemical mechanism in the brain which makes us sleep. We are 'programmed' to feel
'tired' or 'sleepy' at (11)
midnight, even if we have spent the day relaxing on the beach
or doing nothing. Dr Meddis believes that the unpleasant symptoms we suffer when we
don't sleep enough are not because we have not rested but because we have disobeyed
our brain's programming. (12)
longer we don't sleep, (13)
worse we feel. But Dr
Meddis believes that if scientists could locate and 'turn off' the sleep mechanism in our
brain that produces tiredness, we could live completely normal and healthy lives without
sleeping.
So is sleeping (14)

waste of time? Well, even Dr Meddis does not deny (15)

psychological value of sleep, and he asks us, "if scientists invented (16)
you took it, would keep you awake for ever, would you take it?"

great

pill which, if