Happy Campers

1. [Multiple choice]

The writer of this letter says their holiday was ruined by some other people being inconsiderate. Which of these means ‘caused by’?

(The spoiling of the holiday was down to the thoughtlessness of some other campers.
‘Up to’ and ‘down to’ can both mean the responsibility of – eg “It is up to you / down to him to decide” = it is your / his responsibility to decide.
)

Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. up to
• 2. down to (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

How many people were in the large group which disrupted this couple’s quiet camping holiday?

(The two people who arrived on the pitch adjacent to the couple’s had ‘8 or 9’ friends in a group elsewhere on the site.)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. Just 2.
• 2. Between 2 and 5.
• 3. 5-7.
• 4. 8 or 9 in total.
• 5. 10 or 11 altogether (correct)
• 6. Just over a dozen.

3. [Multiple choice]

What was the weather like during this holiday?

(The people ‘sat out in the sun’.)

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. disappointing
• 2. sunny (correct)
• 3. windy
• 4. wet
• 5. foggy
• 6. cold
• 7. glorious

4. [Multiple choice]

What verb is used about sound meaning it is audible at a distance?

(It carries. Eg “Eric’s voice really carries, doesn’t it? You can hear everything he says, even though he’s trying to keep his voice low.” The sound of the bass guitarist carried for miles around = could be heard.)

Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. carry (correct)
• 2. shatter
• 3. invade
• 4. disturb

5. [Multiple choice]

Why was these other people’s laughter ‘not in the least bit amusing’?

(Because not everyone who heard their laughter and joking was ‘in on the joke’ i.e. it was not their amusement, it was not fun shared by them, they were not involved in the fun, they had not chosen the disruption they were subjected to.
If someone is the worse for wear he / she is tired or in poor condition because of a lot of work or rather drunk, because he / she has drunk too much alcohol.
)

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. Because they were too loud.
• 2. Because their neighbours had not wanted to be subjected to their noise, however much they were enjoying themselves. (correct)
• 3. Because their jokes were not funny.
• 4. Because they were rather the worse for wear (i.e. tired, or in a poor physical state, or drunk).

6. [Multiple choice]

The writers ended up

(They went out for the day because it was no longer relaxing to stay on the campsite.)

Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. complaining to the campsite managers.
• 2. feeling exhausted.
• 3. feeling obliged to go out for the day. (correct)
• 4. going home early.

7. [Multiple choice]

Which of these is used meaning ‘the people who were guilty of doing something wrong’?

(The offending parties are the culprits, the people responsible for having done something wrong. The offended / injured parties are the victims of a wrong-doing.)

Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. the poor souls
• 2. the injured parties
• 3. the hooligans
• 4. the culprits (correct)
• 5. the victims
• 6. the offended parties

8. [Multiple choice]

The writers of the letter ended up feeling

Answers for Quiz [8].

• 1. amused.
• 2. disappointed.
• 3. angry. (correct)
• 4. annoyed.
• 5. ill with fatigue.

9. [Multiple choice]

They state that their own holiday had been

(Blighted – spoiled, harmed, destroyed, impaired, neglected.
Eg 1) The view out of our window is blighted by the gasworks i.e. spoiled, impaired.
2) The apples were blighted this year = were infected with some sort of disease.)

Answers for Quiz [9].

• 1. spoiled.
• 2. tiring.
• 3. shattered.
• 4. blighted. (correct)
• 5. ruined.
• 6. the disaster of a lifetime.
• 7. disrupted.