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Woman Passes 950th Driving Test (7th November, 2009)

A 68-year-old Korean woman finally passed her driving test. She failed her first 949 tests and succeeded at the 950th try. Mrs Cha Sa-soon always knew she would pass one day. She started taking driving lessons in April 2005. She had big problems with the written test. She took it almost every day for three years. One test costs just over $4.60. She spent almost $4,500 in total on her tests. She needed 60% to pass but always got less than 50%. The examiner Jung-seok really wanted her to pass. He said: "I feel sorry every time I see Cha fail.

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It’s great that Mrs Cha never gave up. We can all learn a lesson from her. She spent so long trying to get her driver’s license. I bet she knows the rules of the road better than anyone now. Some people give up after failing two or three times. Mrs Cha is a good example of an old English saying: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” I wonder if she ever got mad. A lot of us would go crazy, I think. Mrs Cha is a special woman. She also proves another English saying about being patient: “All good things come to those who wait.”

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	finally passed	a.	949 tests
2	She failed her first	b.	in total
3.	She started taking driving	c.	test
4.	the written	d.	her driving test
5.	almost $4,500	e.	50%
6.	less than	f.	lessons

Paragraph 2

1.	We can all learn	a.	after failing
2	She spent so	b.	of the road
3.	the rules	c.	crazy
4.	Some people give up	d.	a lesson
5.	an old English	e.	long trying
6.	go	f.	saying

LISTENING GAP FILL

A 68-year-old Korean woman __________________ driving test. She failed her first 949 tests and succeeded __________________. Mrs Cha Sa-soon always knew she would pass one day. She started taking driving lessons in April 2005. She __________________ with the written test. She took it almost every day for three years. __________________ over $4.60. She spent almost $4,500 in total on her tests. She needed 60% to pass __________________ than 50%. The examiner Jung-seok really wanted her to pass. He said: "__________________ time I see Cha fail.

It’s great that Mrs Cha never gave up. __________________ lesson from her. She spent __________________ to get her driver’s license. I bet she knows the __________________ better than anyone now. Some people give up after failing two or three times. Mrs Cha is a good example of an __________________: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” I wonder if she ever got mad. A lot of us __________________, I think. Mrs Cha is a special woman. She also proves another English saying about being patient: “All good things come __________________.”

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A 68-year-old Korean woman (1) ____ passed her driving test. She failed her first 949 tests and succeeded at the 950th try. Mrs Cha Sa-soon always (2) ____ she would pass one day. She started taking driving lessons in April 2005. She had big problems with the written test. She took it (3) ____ every day for three years. One test costs just over $4.60. She spent almost $4,500 in (4) ____ on her tests. She needed 60% to pass but always got less than 50%. The examiner Jung-seok (5) ____ wanted her to pass. He said: "I feel sorry every time I see Cha fail.

It’s great that Mrs Cha never (6) ____ up. We can all learn a lesson from her. She spent so long (7) ____ to get her driver’s license. I bet she knows the rules of the road better than anyone now. Some people give up after failing two or three times. Mrs Cha is a good example of an old English (8) ____: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” I wonder if she ever got mad. A lot of us would (9) ____ crazy, I think. Mrs Cha is a special woman. She also proves another English saying about being patient: “All good (10) ____ come to those who wait.”

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	final	(b)	finals	(c)	finally
2.	(a)	knew	(b)	known	(c)	knowing
3.	(a)	around	(b)	almost	(c)	near
4.	(a)	total	(b)	totally	(c)	totals
5.	(a)	real	(b)	really	(c)	realize
6.	(a)	gave	(b)	given	(c)	giving
7.	(a)	tried	(b)	tries	(c)	trying
8.	(a)	saying	(b)	said	(c)	says
9.	(a)	come	(b)	go	(c)	have
10.	(a)	thing	(b)	things	(c)	thingamajig

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	finally passed her driving test
2.	She failed
3.	driving lessons
4.	written test
5.	She needed 60%
6.	feel sorry
Paragraph 2
7.	learn a lesson
8.	driver’s license
9.	a good example
10.	an old English saying
11.	go crazy
12.	being patient

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	2005. She had big problems with the written test. She took it almost every day for three years. One test costs
( )	another English saying about being patient: “All good things come to those who wait.”
( 1 )	A 68-year-old Korean woman finally passed her driving test. She failed her first 949 tests and succeeded at the
( )	two or three times. Mrs Cha is a good example of an old English saying: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try
( )	It’s great that Mrs Cha never gave up. We can all learn a lesson from her. She spent so long trying to get her
( )	just over $4.60. She spent almost $4,500 in total on her tests. She needed 60% to pass but always got less
( )	driver’s license. I bet she knows the rules of the road better than anyone now. Some people give up after failing
( )	than 50%. The examiner Jung-seok really wanted her to pass. He said: "I feel sorry every time I see Cha fail.
( )	950th try. Mrs Cha Sa-soon always knew she would pass one day. She started taking driving lessons in April
( )	again.” I wonder if she ever got mad. A lot of us would go crazy, I think. Mrs Cha is a special woman. She also proves

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	her 949 failed first tests She.
2.	started driving She taking lessons.
3.	written had the She with problems test big.
4.	One just costs $4.60 test over.
5.	her to pass really wanted Jung-seok.
6.	Cha It’s never great gave that up Mrs.
7.	her learn a We lesson can from all.
8.	road the of rules the knows She.
9.	, succeed don’t you first at If again try , try.
10.	to All those good who things wait come.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about driving tests for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about driving tests. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about driving tests. Include imaginary interviews with Mrs Cha and her driving examiner. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Mrs Cha. Ask her three questions about driving tests. Give her three of your opinions on how to pass tests. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Driving Tests (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)