Page 182 - English Vocabualry In Use 3 (Upper Intermediate)

Exercises

87.1 Fill each gap with a suitable collective noun.

1 Thereare swarms ofmosquitoesintheforestsinScandinaviainthesummer.
2 Aswelookedintothewater,wesawa ofbrightlycolouredfish.
3 Therewasa ofyouthsonthecorner;theydidn’tlookveryfriendly.
4 There’sa ofcardsonthebookshelf.Willyoufetchthemforme,please?
5 A ofbiologistsisstudyingmarinelifeinthisarea.
6 Lookatthat ofbirdsonthattree.Bothofthemhavebeautifulmarkings.Iwonderwhat
theyare?
7 Couldyouputa ofspoonsofsugarinthiscoffeeforme,please?It’sverybitter.Yes,just
two,that’sfine.Thanks.

87.2 In each case, one of the examples is wrong. Which one? Put a line through it.

1 Companyisoftenusedforactors/swimmers/operasingers.
2 Castisoftenusedforpeopleinaplay/abook/afilm.
3 Crewisoftenusedforthestaffofanambulance/aplane/ahospital.
4 Packisoftenusedforcats/dogs/wolves.
5 Flockisoftenusedforsheep/pigeons/pigs.
6 Herdisoftenusedforcows/fish/goats.

87.3 Match the collective nouns on the left with the words on the right.

1 aclumpof c a houses
2 arangeof b flies
3 agangof c firtrees
4 aswarmof d deer

5 arowof e grapes
6 aheapof f mountains
7 aherdof g criminals
8 abunchof h bedlinen

87.4 Rewrite these sentences using collective nouns. Don’t forget to change the verb to
singular or plural where necessary.

1 Therearesometablesontopofoneanotherinthenextroom.

There is a stack of tables in the next room.
2 Therearealargenumberofpeoplewaitingoutside.
3 Thepeoplewhoworkthereareverywellpaid.
4 Alargenumberofsheephadescapedfromafield.
5 Shegavemesixidenticalglasses.
6 Shegavemefiveorsixbeautifulroses.

87.5 Some collective nouns are associated with words about using language. Underline any
you can see in this text, check their meanings in a dictionary and make a note of them in
your vocabulary notebook.

THE journalists raised a host of difficult questions about the actions of the police during the
demonstration. There had been a barrage of complaints about police violence. The Chief of Police
replied that he was not prepared to listen to a string of wild accusations without any evidence.
In the end, he just gave a series of short answers that left everyone dissatisfied.

English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 181