📝 Unit 7: A Simple Living
Past perfect · imperative → passive recipes · simple-living vocab · 200-word essay
Task 1 — Past perfect fill-in (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Complete each sentence using the past perfect form of the verb in brackets.
(1) By the time we arrived at the temple, the pirith chanting (begin) ........... .
(2) The students (already finish) ........... the test when the bell rang.
(3) I realised I (forget) ........... my umbrella at the bus stand.
(4) Father told me he (never see) ........... such a heavy flood in his life.
(5) When Kavindu's friends came, he (sweep) ........... the entire house.
(1) By the time we arrived at the temple, the pirith chanting (begin) ........... .
(2) The students (already finish) ........... the test when the bell rang.
(3) I realised I (forget) ........... my umbrella at the bus stand.
(4) Father told me he (never see) ........... such a heavy flood in his life.
(5) When Kavindu's friends came, he (sweep) ........... the entire house.
(1) had begun
(2) had already finished
(3) had forgotten
(4) had never seen
(5) had swept
5 marks.
(2) had already finished
(3) had forgotten
(4) had never seen
(5) had swept
5 marks.
Task 2 — Imperative to passive: recipe transformation (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Rewrite each cooking instruction in passive form.
(1) Dice the onions and chillies. → First, the onions and chillies ...........
(2) Boil two cups of water. → Two cups of water ...........
(3) Add the lentils and turmeric. → The lentils and turmeric ...........
(4) Stir the mixture for ten minutes. → The mixture ...........
(5) Serve with rice or hoppers. → It ...........
(1) Dice the onions and chillies. → First, the onions and chillies ...........
(2) Boil two cups of water. → Two cups of water ...........
(3) Add the lentils and turmeric. → The lentils and turmeric ...........
(4) Stir the mixture for ten minutes. → The mixture ...........
(5) Serve with rice or hoppers. → It ...........
(1) ... are diced.
(2) ... are boiled.
(3) ... are added.
(4) ... is stirred for ten minutes.
(5) ... is served with rice or hoppers.
5 marks.
(2) ... are boiled.
(3) ... are added.
(4) ... is stirred for ten minutes.
(5) ... is served with rice or hoppers.
5 marks.
Task 3 — Match instruction to picture (5 marks)
(5 marks)
For each picture, write a Don't / Should instruction.
Pictures:
(a) A plate of junk food with a red cross
(b) A ceiling fan
(c) An open tap with water running
(d) A gardener growing vegetables
(e) An old-style filament bulb
Pictures:
(a) A plate of junk food with a red cross
(b) A ceiling fan
(c) An open tap with water running
(d) A gardener growing vegetables
(e) An old-style filament bulb
(a) Don't eat junk food.
(b) Switch off the fan when you leave the room.
(c) Don't waste water — close the tap when not in use.
(d) Grow your own vegetables at home.
(e) Use energy-saving (CFL or LED) bulbs.
5 marks.
(b) Switch off the fan when you leave the room.
(c) Don't waste water — close the tap when not in use.
(d) Grow your own vegetables at home.
(e) Use energy-saving (CFL or LED) bulbs.
5 marks.
Task 4 — Synonyms & antonyms (5 marks)
(5 marks)
From the passage on simple living (above):
(1) Find a word that means 'rich'.
(2) Find a word that means 'gathered together / not stressed'.
(3) Find a word that means 'profit'.
Find OPPOSITES from the text for:
(4) easy → ...........
(5) generous → ...........
(1) Find a word that means 'rich'.
(2) Find a word that means 'gathered together / not stressed'.
(3) Find a word that means 'profit'.
Find OPPOSITES from the text for:
(4) easy → ...........
(5) generous → ...........
(1) wealthy
(2) collected
(3) gain
(4) complex
(5) maximise (i.e. opposite of "give away")
5 marks.
(2) collected
(3) gain
(4) complex
(5) maximise (i.e. opposite of "give away")
5 marks.
Task 5 — Comprehension: A simple life (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Read the passage on simple living (above) and answer the questions.
(1) What three habits make life easy according to the writer?
(2) What kind of person is described as 'self-sufficient'?
(3) Write the sentence which shows the financial benefit of growing your own food.
(4) Find a phrase that means 'free from worry or tension'.
(5) Underline the correct title for the passage:
(a) Money is everything
(b) The advantages of a simple life
(c) Why we should travel
(1) What three habits make life easy according to the writer?
(2) What kind of person is described as 'self-sufficient'?
(3) Write the sentence which shows the financial benefit of growing your own food.
(4) Find a phrase that means 'free from worry or tension'.
(5) Underline the correct title for the passage:
(a) Money is everything
(b) The advantages of a simple life
(c) Why we should travel
(1) Reusing, recycling and giving things away.
(2) A person who can manage his own work — painting, gardening, mending shoes.
(3) "In addition if one is in the habit of growing fruits and vegetables for one's own consumption, that person saves a lot of money for a worthy cause."
(4) stress free.
(5) (b) The advantages of a simple life.
5 marks.
(2) A person who can manage his own work — painting, gardening, mending shoes.
(3) "In addition if one is in the habit of growing fruits and vegetables for one's own consumption, that person saves a lot of money for a worthy cause."
(4) stress free.
(5) (b) The advantages of a simple life.
5 marks.
Task 6 — Notice: kitchen garden launch (40–50 words)
(5 marks)
Write a notice inviting students to a 'School Kitchen Garden
Launch'. Use about 40–50 words.
Launch'. Use about 40–50 words.
ENVIRONMENT CLUB — SCHOOL KITCHEN GARDEN LAUNCH
All students are invited to help plant the new school kitchen garden on
Saturday, 9th April 2027 at 7.30 a.m. Bring a small spade and a water
bottle. Free king coconut for every participant. Sign up with Mr. Perera by
7th April.
— Secretary.
47 words. 5 marks.
All students are invited to help plant the new school kitchen garden on
Saturday, 9th April 2027 at 7.30 a.m. Bring a small spade and a water
bottle. Free king coconut for every participant. Sign up with Mr. Perera by
7th April.
— Secretary.
47 words. 5 marks.
Task 7 — Short paragraph (50–60 words)
(5 marks)
Write a paragraph on ONE of the following. Use about 50–60 words.
(a) My grandmother's simple kitchen
(b) Five things I have given away this term
(c) Why home-cooked food is better
(a) My grandmother's simple kitchen
(b) Five things I have given away this term
(c) Why home-cooked food is better
MODEL — My grandmother's simple kitchen (60 words)
My grandmother's kitchen is a sunny room with one earthen stove, three
clay pots, and a window opening onto a curry-leaf bush. She doesn't own a
microwave or a blender. Everything she cooks is grated, ground or chopped
with her own hands. Yet the simplest parippu from her hearth tastes
better than anything I have ever ordered in a hotel.
5 marks.
My grandmother's kitchen is a sunny room with one earthen stove, three
clay pots, and a window opening onto a curry-leaf bush. She doesn't own a
microwave or a blender. Everything she cooks is grated, ground or chopped
with her own hands. Yet the simplest parippu from her hearth tastes
better than anything I have ever ordered in a hotel.
5 marks.
Task 8 — Recipe / letter (~100 words, 10 marks)
(10 marks)
Answer (a) OR (b). Use about 100 words.
(a) Write a letter to a pen friend abroad explaining how your family is
trying to live more simply this year.
(b) Write a 100-word recipe for kiri bath in passive instructions.
(a) Write a letter to a pen friend abroad explaining how your family is
trying to live more simply this year.
(b) Write a 100-word recipe for kiri bath in passive instructions.
(b) MODEL — Kiri bath (108 words)
First, two cups of unwashed rice are placed in a heavy-bottomed pan with
three cups of water. The pan is brought to the boil and then simmered on
low heat until almost all the water has been absorbed. Next, one and a half
cups of thick coconut milk and a generous pinch of salt are added. The
mixture is stirred gently with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.
When the rice has thickened into a creamy mass, it is spread evenly on a
flat tray and pressed with a banana leaf. Once cool, the kiri bath is cut
into diamond shapes and served with lunu miris.
10 marks.
First, two cups of unwashed rice are placed in a heavy-bottomed pan with
three cups of water. The pan is brought to the boil and then simmered on
low heat until almost all the water has been absorbed. Next, one and a half
cups of thick coconut milk and a generous pinch of salt are added. The
mixture is stirred gently with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.
When the rice has thickened into a creamy mass, it is spread evenly on a
flat tray and pressed with a banana leaf. Once cool, the kiri bath is cut
into diamond shapes and served with lunu miris.
10 marks.
Task 9 — Article / speech (~200 words, 15 marks)
(15 marks)
Write on ONE of the following. Use about 200 words.
(a) An article: 'Simple living is not poor living'.
(b) A speech on 'Why young Sri Lankans should grow their own food'.
(c) An essay on 'The hidden cost of fast fashion'.
(a) An article: 'Simple living is not poor living'.
(b) A speech on 'Why young Sri Lankans should grow their own food'.
(c) An essay on 'The hidden cost of fast fashion'.
(a) MODEL — Simple living is not poor living (215 words)
When my classmate brings a new gadget every term, we whisper that her family
must be very rich. When my cousin's family eats lunch every day from a
four-tier carrier instead of a hotel takeaway, we whisper that they must be
very poor. We are wrong both times. Simple living is not poor living. It
is a quiet kind of wealth that money cannot quickly buy.
Firstly, a simple life is a calmer life. The fewer things we own, the
fewer things own us. My cousin's family has only one TV and no second car;
they also have time on Friday evenings to play carrom together — a quality
many 'rich' families cannot afford.
Secondly, simple living protects what little we have. A kitchen garden
turns kitchen waste into next week's curry. A repaired kettle survives ten
years of bed tea. A patched school shoe sees a whole term out.
Thirdly, simple living is kinder to the country. The polythene bag we did
not use, the rice we did not throw, the saree blouse we wore for a third
year — each is a small gift to Sri Lanka.
Simple, in short, is the smarter rich. We should learn it early.
15 marks.
When my classmate brings a new gadget every term, we whisper that her family
must be very rich. When my cousin's family eats lunch every day from a
four-tier carrier instead of a hotel takeaway, we whisper that they must be
very poor. We are wrong both times. Simple living is not poor living. It
is a quiet kind of wealth that money cannot quickly buy.
Firstly, a simple life is a calmer life. The fewer things we own, the
fewer things own us. My cousin's family has only one TV and no second car;
they also have time on Friday evenings to play carrom together — a quality
many 'rich' families cannot afford.
Secondly, simple living protects what little we have. A kitchen garden
turns kitchen waste into next week's curry. A repaired kettle survives ten
years of bed tea. A patched school shoe sees a whole term out.
Thirdly, simple living is kinder to the country. The polythene bag we did
not use, the rice we did not throw, the saree blouse we wore for a third
year — each is a small gift to Sri Lanka.
Simple, in short, is the smarter rich. We should learn it early.
15 marks.