Page 125 - Starting Strong: English Essentials

Leo : "I also heard you met up with a friend in Florence. Did she get you anything?"

Linda : "She did! She brought me a handmade scarf from Italy, which she said was made by Audio
a local artisan in Florence. It's a lovely, soft wool blend that only cost her around 8) No.4
_______euros, but the quality felt like it was worth a hundred times more."

Leo : "That’s a really thoughtful gift. You've mentioned your parents finding you a gift too,
right?"

Linda : "Yes! For my birthday, my parents gave me a vintage watch they found at a flea
market in London. They told me they had to visit three different markets to find the Audio
perfect one, and it only cost them 9) £_______. It’s the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever No.5
received because of all the effort they put into finding it."

2 Reading

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Reading Past Experience

Read the following passage on the experience of exchanging memorable gifts and choose the right
answer for the following questions by giving a tick (√) in the box.

A Thoughtful Gift

Last summer, my family and I took a vacation to a small coastal town in Portugal. We spent our days
exploring cobblestone streets, eating delicious food, and enjoying the sun. My younger sister, Maya
could not describe the vacation in a word. She smiled a lot because it was her first time traveling

outside our home country.

On our last day, we visited a local artisan market. My parents were browsing for souvenirs, but I was
on a mission. My grandmother had a beautiful collection of painted tiles at home, and I wanted to add
a piece from Portugal to it. I spent about an hour looking at different stalls, comparing colors and
designs.

I finally found a small shop run by an elderly artist. She had a basket of small, uniquely painted tiles

that weren't on display. I picked one up, a simple tile with a vibrant blue wave painted on it. The artist
told me that the design was a local symbol for good luck. The tile was not expensive. It was only 5
euros, but it felt perfect.

When we got home, I gave the tile to my grandmother. She was delighted and immediately found a
spot for it on her wall. It was a simple way to share my travel experience and show her that I was

thinking of her while I was away.

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