Unit Eight After the Fire

On the fifth day we returned to London to see how much of the city had survived the fire. The militia and the volunteers were putting- out the last of the fires, and people were already beginning to clear up the rubble and hunt for what remained of their possessions.
Here and there we could make out the remains of some well-known
building, and occasionally we would come across a house or church that the fire had miraculously left untouched. It was clear that a lot of hard work would be needed; the citizens of London would have to get down to rebuilding their houses, and the authorities would have to carry out a major programme for restoring the city churches.

Notes

CLEAR UP ABCE You clear up a mess or a misunderstanding. When a storm is over and the clouds go away you can say, 'It's clearing up."
COME ACROSS AD You come across things or people when you
find them by chance. GET DOWN TO AD You get down to work, or to doing your work, when you start to concentrate on it..
CARRY OUT ABC You carry out a plan or a test.

Exercises using verbs from the passage

A Complete these sentences:

1 The fire spread quickly and it took three hours to it
2 What a beautiful snuffbox. Where did you it?
3 Your handwriting is terrible-I can't it at all.
4 After the war, the Government .a major rebuilding programme

5 Well, I'm glad we've . that. It was becoming quite a problem.

6 Several tests were before the drug was put on the market.

7 It's ten o'clock and time you some work.
8 We'd better this mess before they get here.

B Answer these questions:
1 When must doctors carry out tests on patients?

2 When must you not use water to put out a fire?

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3 How often do people come across gold in rivers?

4 Name three things you can clear up.

5 What do governments try to do with their policies?

6 When is it difficult to get down to work?

7 When two English people are talking to each other, can you make out what they are saying?

8 How often do you come across people you knew when you were very young?

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

1 put out, clear up.

2 come across, carry out.

3 get down to, clear up.

4 come across, make out.

A Vb prep + NP, B Vb+NP+ prep CVb+prom+ prep D Vb + prep + pron. E Intrans

Exercise: