Learn English #10 •Intermediate | Advanced

Read the newspaper story below, and then answer the questions that follow it.

Hair by axe, sword and vacuum cleaner

A Hungarian hairdresser has stopped using the traditional scissors and comb in favour of axes, swords and vacuum cleaners.

Stylist Szabolcs Bodnar has been very successful since he stopped using the traditional utensils in favour of things which he claims allow him to express himself better.

He cuts hair at his shop in Budapest by placing it on a chopping block and striking it with an axe.

The hair is then styled using a vacuum cleaner, or straightened using an iron.

Bodnar said, "People never fall asleep when I am cutting their hair. Today's hairstyles allow for more creativity and inventiveness, and that is what I offer."


• Text from Ananova.com

Reading comprehension

True or false?

    true false
1. Szabolcs Bodnar doesn't use scissors when he cuts hair.
2. His hairdressing business is popular.
3. Bodnar probably takes a long time to do each haircut.
4. Bodnar says that people think his service is not boring.
       

Exercises

1. Sharp things, kitchen utensils and electrical appliances

Sort the nouns into the three categories: sharp things, electrical appliances and kitchen utensils.

    sharp
things		 electrical
appliances		 kitchen
utensils
1. axe
2. blender
3. grater
4. iron
5. scissors
6. spatula
7. spoon
8. sword
9. vacuum cleaner
         

 

2. Verb + noun + to +infinitive

Look at the example: The newsletter allows me to practise my English.

Verbs that follow this pattern are:

advise, allow, ask, help, oblige, persuade, remind and want.

Order the words to make sentences using these verbs.

Please ensure the Java Virtual Machine is installed and enabled

 

3. More exercises
You will find more exercises relating to this text in the Advanced section:

 

What do you think?

Would you like to have your hair cut by Szabolcs Bodnar? Why/why not? Have you ever tried a very different hairstyle, or do you always have your hair cut in the same way? What hairstyles are in fashion at the moment? Is there a specific period in the past when you really liked or didn't like the hairstyles?

 

More exercises

 


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