Complete using a, an, the or -.
Not just a cup of tea
(1) Tea is (2) an evergreen plant. It was accidentally discovered by (3) Emperor (4) Shen Nung of (5) China. Whilst on (6) a trip, he was boiling (7) a pot of water when (8) a tea leaf fell into it.
(9) British sailors, returning from (10) the Far East, brought packets of (11) tea back (12) home as presents for their relatives.
(13) The first advertisement for (14) tea appeared in (15) a newspaper called Mercurius Politicus in 1660. (16) The advertisement in (17) the newspaper said that (18) tea could cure (19) colds and other illnesses.
(20) The poor were prepared to pay as much as (21) a third of their weekly wage to have (22) tea.
(23) Tea has been (24) the most popular drink in (25) Britain for three hundred years.
(26) The average Briton drinks thirty cups of (27) tea (28) a week. In fact, (29) the British import almost twenty-five percent of all (30) tea exported in (31) the world.
1. There is furniture in the house; it's almost empty. * little
- In this sentence, we need to choose the word that best describes the amount of furniture in the house. Since the sentence states that the house is almost empty, it implies that there is a small amount of furniture, so the correct choice is "little."
2. Can I ask you questions about your research? - Sure. * a few
- The speaker is giving permission for the person to ask a few questions, indicating that there is a small number of questions that can be asked. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
3. Jim spends money on records, but he spends a lot on books. * a little
- The sentence suggests that Jim spends a small amount of money on records but a large amount of money on books. Therefore, the correct choice is "a little" to represent the small amount of money spent on records.
4. Why did you put sugar in your coffee? It won’t be sweet. * little
- The sentence implies that putting sugar won't make the coffee sweet because only a small amount of sugar was added. Therefore, the correct choice is "little" to describe the small amount of sugar added.
5. There are still minutes left, so we can wait for Maria. * a few
- The sentence suggests that there is a small number of minutes left, indicating that there is enough time to wait for Maria. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
6. Hurry up! We can miss our train; time is left before the departure. * little
- The sentence states that there is a small amount of time left before the train's departure, implying that there isn't much time remaining. Therefore, the correct choice is "little."
7. Maybe if you just showed warmth to people, they wouldn't be so scared of you. * a little
- The sentence suggests that showing a small amount of warmth to people could potentially reduce their fear. Therefore, the correct choice is "a little."
8. People who have patience can't be good teachers. * a few
- The sentence implies that having a few people with patience cannot be good teachers. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
9. Very few people came to the exhibition. * few
- The sentence indicates that only a small number of people attended the exhibition. Therefore, the correct choice is "few."
10. He cannot leave right now. There are more things he needs to do. * a few
- The sentence suggests that there are a small number of things that he still needs to do, indicating that he cannot leave immediately. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
Not just a cup of tea
(1) Tea is (2) an evergreen plant. It was accidentally discovered by (3) Emperor (4) Shen Nung of (5) China. Whilst on (6) a trip, he was boiling (7) a pot of water when (8) a tea leaf fell into it.
(9) British sailors, returning from (10) the Far East, brought packets of (11) tea back (12) home as presents for their relatives.
(13) The first advertisement for (14) tea appeared in (15) a newspaper called Mercurius Politicus in 1660. (16) The advertisement in (17) the newspaper said that (18) tea could cure (19) colds and other illnesses.
(20) The poor were prepared to pay as much as (21) a third of their weekly wage to have (22) tea.
(23) Tea has been (24) the most popular drink in (25) Britain for three hundred years.
(26) The average Briton drinks thirty cups of (27) tea (28) a week. In fact, (29) the British import almost twenty-five percent of all (30) tea exported in (31) the world.
- In this sentence, we need to choose the word that best describes the amount of furniture in the house. Since the sentence states that the house is almost empty, it implies that there is a small amount of furniture, so the correct choice is "little."
2. Can I ask you questions about your research? - Sure. * a few
- The speaker is giving permission for the person to ask a few questions, indicating that there is a small number of questions that can be asked. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
3. Jim spends money on records, but he spends a lot on books. * a little
- The sentence suggests that Jim spends a small amount of money on records but a large amount of money on books. Therefore, the correct choice is "a little" to represent the small amount of money spent on records.
4. Why did you put sugar in your coffee? It won’t be sweet. * little
- The sentence implies that putting sugar won't make the coffee sweet because only a small amount of sugar was added. Therefore, the correct choice is "little" to describe the small amount of sugar added.
5. There are still minutes left, so we can wait for Maria. * a few
- The sentence suggests that there is a small number of minutes left, indicating that there is enough time to wait for Maria. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
6. Hurry up! We can miss our train; time is left before the departure. * little
- The sentence states that there is a small amount of time left before the train's departure, implying that there isn't much time remaining. Therefore, the correct choice is "little."
7. Maybe if you just showed warmth to people, they wouldn't be so scared of you. * a little
- The sentence suggests that showing a small amount of warmth to people could potentially reduce their fear. Therefore, the correct choice is "a little."
8. People who have patience can't be good teachers. * a few
- The sentence implies that having a few people with patience cannot be good teachers. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."
9. Very few people came to the exhibition. * few
- The sentence indicates that only a small number of people attended the exhibition. Therefore, the correct choice is "few."
10. He cannot leave right now. There are more things he needs to do. * a few
- The sentence suggests that there are a small number of things that he still needs to do, indicating that he cannot leave immediately. Therefore, the correct choice is "a few."