I. Complete the memo. Use the comparative or superlative form of the words in brackets. MEMO The company’s annual report shows that unfortunately, our sales figures were (1) ……………..…………….. (low) than those for the previous year. This is no surprise but what is (2) ……………..…………….. (alarming) is that a number of our (3) ……………..…………….. (old) clients have switched to another supplier. We are aware that there are (4) ……………..…………….. (expensive) suppliers than ourselves but cost may not be (5) ……………..…………….. (important) factor in our clients’ decision to switch suppliers. One former client, for example, has said that their new supplier is not only (6) ……………..…………….. (efficient) but also offers a (7) ……………..…………….. (good) all-round service. Reports like these are (8) ……………..…………….. (worrying) than anything else. If we cannot compete (9) ……………..…………….. (effectively), then we will not survive. We have to make every effort to convince our clients that we can still give them (10) ……………..…………….. (good) value for their money than anyone else. II. Fill in the relevant adverbs in their comparative or superlative forms. Bicycles look set to become (11) ……………..…………….. (common) used form of transport in Britain. Not only are bicycles better for the environment than cars, but they allow you to travel (12) ……………..…………….. (convenient). You can get from point A to point B (13) ……………..…………….. (quick) than by car and you can find somewhere to leave your bike much (14) ……………..…………….. (easy). Many younger people now ride a bike to work because they find it (15) ……………..…………….. (good) suits their lifestyle and enables them to get around (16) ……………..…………….. (practical). In addition, they often arrive (17) ……………..…………….. (early) than their colleagues who drive to work and who have to wait (18) ……………..…………….. (long) in traffic jams than they do. III. Complete the conversation. Use the comparative or superlative of “much / many”, “little / few”. 0. A: Why are you late? B: Sorry. There was ….. more ….. traffic than usual this morning. 19. A: Doctors recommend eating ……………………………….. salt. B: I know. Salt’s bad for you. 20. A: All these products are friendly to the environment but this one causes ………………….. damage. B: Can you prove that? 21. A: I wish there were ……………………………….. hope that we will succeed. B: Don’t give up! 22. A: He has ……………………………….. hobbies than his wife. B: That’s because he’s always working. 23. A: A lot of people have read the book, you know. B: Yes, that’s true - but even ……………………………….. have seen the film. 24. A: We have ……………………………….. information about her life after she became successful than about her earlier life. B: And I suppose we have ……………………………….. information about her childhood. A: That’s right. We know almost nothing about it. 25. A: Who got ……………………………….. marks in the test? Andy, Serena or Malcolm? B: Andy, of course. She made ……………………………….. mistakes. In fact, she only made one. 26. A: I’m so tired! I wish I had ……………………….. free time and …………………….. work. B: Well, can’t you go away for a few days and relax? IV. Complete the article. Use the correct form of the words in brackets. WEATHER ON OTHER PLANETS If you think the weather on Earth is weird, the weather on other planets is (27) ……………………………..…… (far / strange). Even though the sun shines (28) …………………………..……… (much / weakly) on Mars than it does on Earth, Mars gets (29) …………………………..……… (far / many) ultraviolet tanning rays. At the same time, the temperature on Mars is usually (30) …………………………..……… (much / cold) than the temperature at our North Pole. That’s warm, though, compared to Neptune’s (31) …………………………..……… (large) moon Triton, which scientists believe is (32) …………………………..……… (cold) place in our solar system. Are you looking for somewhere (33) …………………………..……… (a little / warm) than Mars? Then try Venus, where the sun is so hot that a picnic lunch would vapourise (34) …………………………..……… (almost / quickly) you unpacked it. We might complain about the weather on Earth but it’s (35) …………………………..……… (by far / good) place to live in our solar system!