Name                   Class           

Unit 4  Test | Essential Total score: /50 6

Listening
1 U4:1 Listen and tick ( ).  Score: /5
1 Which chore did Alan do after lunch? 4 What didn’t Eric do when he was a boy?

a b a b

2 What did Paul buy at the supermarket? 5 What did Roz give to her dad?

a b a b

3 What did the pupils use at school? 6 What did Mary and Pat need for their first chore?

a b a b

2 U4:2 Listen and circle the correct words to complete the notes. Score: /5

In the past:

• women 1 didn’t have / had any washing machines.

• they 2 didn’t do / did the washing outside.

• they 3 had / didn’t have to put things away all the time.

• they washed the 4 dishes / floors with sand or salt.

• cleaning the floor is 5 noisier / slower with a vacuum cleaner.

• they used a 6 mop and bucket / broom to wash the floor.

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Name                   Class           

Unit 4  Test | Essential 6

Reading
3 Read and circle the correct words to complete the sentences. Score: /5

Life in the past

Now Magazine talked to Mrs Jackson about life in the past and how different it was
­compared to today. Here’s what she had to say:
Now Magazine: Mrs Jackson you lived during a time when things were quite different
in the house, isn’t that right?
Mrs Jackson: That’s true. I’m nearly 90 years old and I still remember helping my
mum around the house. My main chores were making my bed and
sweeping the floor. We didn’t have a vacuum cleaner in those days,
so we used a broom a lot.
Now Magazine: That must have been difficult. And did you use a mop and bucket to wash the floor?
Mrs Jackson: Yes, we did, but we also washed the floor on our hands and knees. It was a lot cleaner
that way!
Now Magazine: Oh, that sounds quite tiring! And what other chores do you remember that were different
when you were young?
Mrs Jackson: Well, taking out the rubbish was a lot easier! We didn’t have so many things and so
much packaging. Everything was simpler. Now we have so many boxes and bottles. You
have to recycle this and throw that away. We just used to throw away things we couldn’t
eat, like eggshells!
Now Magazine: That’s interesting. And what about cooking?
Mrs Jackson: That was much simpler, as well. We cooked simple food and then we washed the dishes
by hand. We didn’t have a dishwasher. We didn’t have washing-up liquid when I was very
young – I was a teenager when I used it for the first time. Before that we used soap! We
did have tea towels, though!

1 Mrs Jackson talks about the chores she did in the past / does now.
2 When Mrs Jackson was young she swept the floor with a vacuum cleaner / broom.
3 Mrs Jackson thinks floors are cleaner now / were cleaner in the past.
4 Taking out the rubbish / Washing the dishes today is more difficult than in the past.
5 Mrs Jackson used / didn’t use washing-up liquid when she was a young child.
6 Mrs Jackson dried the dishes with tea towels / dishwashers.

4 Read and choose the correct words to complete the text. Score: /5

3rd May 1953

did
Today we had a lot of housework to do. Betty and I 1     all the washing in the garden. It was a ­sunny
day, so it was fun! After that we put all the children’s toys 2         and mended their clothes
with the sewing 3        . Then we went to the kitchen and we 4         the floor with a
broom and washed it after that. We cooked a nice meal for the family and we 5         the dishes
after they finished. We always dry the dishes with a 6         and we talk about what we’re going
to cook the next day.

1 a do b did
2 a away b after
3 a microwave b machine
4 a made b swept
5 a washed b made
6 a tea towel b mop
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Name                   Class           

Unit 4  Test | Essential 6

Writing
5 Complete the sentences with the words below. Use one word in each space. Score: /5

away bucket didn’t dried machine make mop put take towel

take
1 I didn’t     out the rubbish. Katie took out the rubbish.

2 I’m afraid I can’t wash your trousers because the washing          isn’t working.

3 Mary          the dishes with a tea         .

4 You                   the bed this morning. Please do it now.

5 Here’s the          and         . Can you wash the floor, please?

6 Dad          all my things         ! Now I can’t find my phone!

6 Look at the answers. Order the words in brackets to write questions. Score: /5

When did she make the bed?

1                     (When / she / make / did / the bed)

She made the bed in the morning.

2                                   (they / did / the food mixer / Where / put)

They put it next to the microwave oven.

3                                              (he / do / What / did)

He washed the dishes.

4                                           (Why / you / didn’t / cook)

Because I was very tired.

5                                         (yesterday / did / Who / the chores)

Martin used the vacuum cleaner and I put things away.

6                                   (she / When / take out / did / the rubbish)

She took out the rubbish yesterday.

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Name                   Class           

Unit 4  Test | Essential 6

Speaking
7 Look and say. Score: /10
Mark swept the floor on Monday.
Sue didn’t sweep the floor on Monday.
He used a broom.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

sweep the floor put things away take out the make the bed wash the dishes
rubbish

Mark (washing-up
(broom) (morning)
liquid)

Sue
(bedroom) (evening)

8 
Look. Then ask and answer -wh questions using the past simple.  Score: /10

Why didn’t Ruth do the washing? Because she took out the rubbish.

Ruth (why) do / washing ( ) take out rubbish ( )

John (when) make / bed ( ) eight o’clock ( )

Sally (where) live ( ) London ( )

Pete (what / chore) do ( ) put things away ( )

Beth (how) wash / dishes ( ) dishwasher ( )

Dan (why) use / washing machine ( ) Ben / wash clothes ( )

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 Audio Scripts and Answers
6
Unit 4 | Essential 6 What did Mary and Pat need for their first chore?
G 1: It’s such a relief that we cleaned up the entire
Listening house, Mary.
G 2: I know what you mean. Mum and Dad are going
1 U4:1 Listen and tick (✔).
to be very happy!
1 Which chore did Alan do after lunch?
G 1: It was a good idea to sweep the floor before we
W:  Hey, Alan, thank you for helping me out with the
washed it.
dishes this morning. There was a lot to wash up!
G 2: Yeah, I agree. But next time, let’s put things
B:  That’s OK, Mum. The dishwasher isn’t working
away the day before! That took ages.
and you had to prepare the lunch!
W:  That’s true. I didn’t have time to do the washing
Answers: 2 a 3 a 4 a 5 b 6 b
up. And it was so nice of you to take out the
rubbish after we all finished our lunch.
B:  My pleasure, Mum! Now could you help me put 2 U4:2 Listen and circle the correct words to complete
my things away, because … the notes.
2 What did Paul buy at the supermarket? M:  OK, class. Today we’re talking about life in the
M:  I went to the supermarket this morning and I had past and our focus is on households and chores.
a really big list with me. It’s Saturday tomorrow I’m sure you can all imagine that life in the old
and we all help around the house with the days – not that long ago, actually – wasn’t that
chores. We had some washing-up liquid, so I easy. Women had to do most of the chores and
didn’t need to buy that. But we needed a broom it was tough! They didn’t have any washing
and a mop and a bucket. I forgot the broom, of machines so they had to wash everything
course … Luckily, we still have the old one so we by hand. They also did the washing outside,
can use that tomorrow! probably because there was more space and
3 What did the pupils use at school? water! They didn’t have as many things as we
W:  Yesterday was a really great day, everyone. You do today, so they didn’t have to put them away
all worked as a team to clean up the classroom all the time. Washing the dishes must have been
for our visitors and I’m proud of you! You did a quite hard. Imagine not having any washing-up
great job of cleaning the floor with the vacuum liquid. They used other things, like sand and salt!
cleaner and you put all our classroom things Another chore that’s definitely easier today is
away. All I had to do before leaving school was to sweeping the floor. We do it today with a vacuum
take out the rubbish. Well done! cleaner – it’s faster and louder! But in those days
4 What didn’t Eric do when he was a boy? all they had was a broom. The only chore I think
W:  I remember I used to help my parents out a lot hasn’t changed much is washing the floor. They
with all the housework. Did you, Eric? used to do it with a mop and a bucket, and that’s
M:  Yeah, I did. We all had our special chores and we what we still use today …
had to make sure we did them every day.
W:  I helped my mum do the washing a lot. Especially Answers: 2 did 3 didn’t have 4 dishes 5 noisier
my T-shirts. I didn’t want anything to happen to 6 mop and bucket
them in the washing machine! But I didn’t wash
the dishes. I hated that!
Reading
M:  Really? I enjoyed that, to be honest. And I still
do … I’m never going to get a dishwasher. For me, 3 Read and circle the correct words to complete
the worst chore was making my bed. I didn’t do it the sentences.
then … and I still don’t!
5 What did Roz give to her dad? Answers: 2 broom 3 were cleaner in the past
M: Roz, can you help me a minute, please? 4 Taking out the rubbish 5 didn’t use
G: Sure, Dad. 6 tea towels
M:  Look, I’ve got all this washing-up liquid on my
hands and I need to wash them really well. 4 Read and choose the correct words to complete
Could you please bring me the tea towel that’s the text.
over there? I need to dry my hands and then dry
the dishes. Answers: 2 a 3 b 4 b 5 a 6 a
G: Sure, Dad. Where is it?
M: Right over there. Next to the microwave oven.
G: OK, here you are.

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 Audio Scripts and Answers
6
Writing Activity 8 asks pupils to ask and answer
wh- questions in the past simple. The focus is on
5 Complete the sentences with the words below. Use both regular and irregular verbs.
one word in each space.
Ask pupils to look at the table and think about how
Answers: 2 machine
to form the wh- questions and answers. Then have
3 dried; towel
them take turns to ask and answer questions in the
4 didn’t; make
past simple. Make sure they are using the correct
5 mop; bucket
form. Pupils should ask or answer five questions each.
6 put; away

7 Look and say.

6 Look at the answers. Order the words in brackets to
write questions.
Example answers: A: Mark didn’t put his things
away on Tuesday. B: Sue put her things away on
Answers: 2 Where did they put the food mixer?
Tuesday. She put her things away in the bedroom.
3 What did he do?
4 Why didn’t you cook?
A: Mark didn’t take out the rubbish on Wednesday.
5 Who did the chores yesterday?
B: Sue took out the rubbish on Wednesday. She took
6 When did she take out the rubbish?
out the rubbish in the evening.

Speaking A: Mark made the bed on Thursday. He made the

bed in the morning. B: Sue didn’t make the bed on
Teaching notes
Thursday.
For each item, award one point for accuracy and one
point for ability to communicate well.
A: Mark washed the dishes on Friday. He used
washing-up liquid. B: Sue didn’t wash the dishes
Activity 7 asks pupils to produce the vocabulary
on Friday.
items from this unit and form positive and negative
statements using the past simple of regular and
irregular verbs. 8 Look. Then ask and answer -wh questions using the
past simple.
Ask pupils to look at the pictures and read the
Example answers: A: When did John make the bed?
different housework lexis. Ask them to point to
B: He made the bed at eight o’clock.
the pictures and call the chores out, e.g. sweep the
floor, put things away, take out the rubbish, etc.
B: Where did Sally live? A: She lived in London.
Give pupils time to look at the prompts below the
ticks and think of sentences they could make with
A: What chore did Pete do? B: He put things away.
them, using the example answer as a guide. Then
have pupils take turns to form positive and negative
B: How did Beth wash the dishes? A: She used a
statements about the two people, in pairs, focusing
dishwasher.
on the correct form of the past simple. After a
positive sentence, pupils should make an additional
A: Why didn’t Dan use the washing machine?
sentence, using the prompts. They should make at
B: Because Ben washed the clothes.
least five sentences each.

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