Iceland

Name : class: No: Life is good in Iceland Iceland is an island in the north Atlantic Ocean. It is between Greenland and Norway. It is part of Europe. This country has a population of about a quarter of million people. Most of the people live in towns. Reykjavik is the capital and the largest city. Iceland is not as cold as its name sounds. The temperature in January in Reykjavik is the same as in New York City. Icelanders speaks Icelandic, which is similar to German, but 99 percent of Icelanders also speak English. Icelanders are the hardest workers in Europe. They work the longest hours. Many people have two or three jobs, and children work during school vacations. Icelanders work hard because life is very expensive, and they want a high quality of life. Iceland is the most expensive country in Europe. Iceland doesn’t make cars or machines. Many of these things come from other countries. That is why they are expensive. However, Iceland has a lot of fish, so fish is not expensive. Icelanders have a great system for health and education. Health care and Education are free. All children must go to school from 6 to age 16. Every person in Iceland can read and write. Icelanders are healthy too. The air is clean there because people get natural hot water from the ground to heat their homes. With clean air and a good health care system, Icelanders live long lives. Men in Iceland live the longest lives of any men in the world. Iceland is a great country. The air is clean. People live long. There’s almost no crime. Icelanders have a high quality of life, but they work hard!

Exercise 1 Key vocabulary Do you know these words? Match the words with the meanings. 1. An island a. ¼ or 25 percent of 2. A quarter of b. like but not exactly 3. A capital c. land with water all around 4. A temperature d. something people may go to prison for 5. Similar to e. a very good way of living 6. A high quality of life f. make hot 7. To heat g. the heat measured in degree 8. A crime. H. the main city in a country Exercise 2 Vocabulary in context Complete these sentences with the word in the box. A quarter of crime high quality of life similar to Capital heat island temperature 1. Iceland is a(n) , but it is also a country. 2. About a million people live in Iceland. 3. Iceland’s language is German. 4. In Iceland, people use hot water from the ground to their home 5. There are few people in prison in Iceland because there is almost no 6. Icelanders like a(n) , so they work very hard. 7. Reykjavik is the of Iceland. 8. In winter, the in Reykjavik is the same as in New York City.

Exercise 3 Vocabulary building Complete each sentence with the correct phrase in the box. Use a dictionary if you need help. Air quality quality of life quality of service quality of work 1. There are too many cars, and the in the city is bad. 2. At the new restaurant, the is very good. 3. People in poor countries sometimes have a lower than in rich countries. 4. The car is expensive, but the in making it is very good. Exercise 4 Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F). 1. In January, Reykjavik is colder than New York City. 2. The language of Iceland is English. 3. Icelanders get their hot water from the ground. 4. Fish is expensive in Iceland. 5. Icelanders read a lot of books. 6. Children in Iceland work during school vacations.