Unit Fifteen Lucius

Lucius went through the possibilities in his mind. There were several ways he could deal with the threat from the tribal army, but in this unknown country he thought a defensive action from the top of the hill would be the most sensible.

The soldiers and the pack animals slowed down as they reached the first slopes of the hill. Lucius looked at the sky; the weather was beginning to clear up. In the distance he could hear the wild calls of the enemy. He wondered if he would be able to get his tired legions into position before the rain stopped; already they were worn out from pushing the animals.

He got on his horse and gave the order to advance up the hill.

Notes

GO THROUGH AD You go through various possible courses of action, trying to find the best. You go through your pockets to find something.

DEAL WITH AD You deal with a problem or with a person who has a problem.

WEAR OUT ABC The men were worn out; pushing the animals had worn the men out. You also wear out clothes by wearing them a lot.

GET ON ADE You get on a bus, a horse, a bicycle, a train or a plane. When the bus arrived I got on.

Exercises using verbs from the passage

A Complete these sentences:

1 He the paper trying to find some news about the robbery.

2 The tyres were after 10,000 miles of driving.

3 After a month's rain the weather at last

4 He the bus when it was still moving.

5 I can't go on; I'm thoroughly.

6 The truck before the traffic lights.

7 Could you this? I'm too busy at the moment.

8 The doctor told him to or he would have a heart attack.

B Answer these questions:

1 Where do you get on a bus?

2 How do you feel if you work too hard?

3 What does the weather do after it has stopped raining?

4 What do people who work in a passport office do?

5 What do examiners do with examination scripts?

6 What does a cyclist do when going up a hill?

7 How would you deal with a wasps' nest in your kitchen?

8 What does a teacher do with his pupil's homework?

C Use the following pairs of verbs in sentences of your own:

1 deal with, wear out.
clear up.
2 get on, slow down.
3 go through, deal with.
4 slow down,
A Vb+ prep. + NP. B Vb+NP+ prep. C Vb + pron. + prep. D Vb + prep. + pron. E Intrans.

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Exercise: