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1. Decide if these statements about balloons are true or false.

The first manned flight took place more than 200 years ago.                                       True / False

The gondola is the part of balloons where the heated air is.                                         True / False

The Montgolfier brothers' balloon may not have carried passengers.                          True / False

There is proof that the Nazca people traveled in balloons.                                           True / False

The Vikings had the technology to make balloons.                                                        True / False

Joe Kittinger used a hot air balloon for his record flight and jump.                               True / False

2. Match the nouns from the text with their definitions.

adventure                                          exciting or extraordinary experience

evidence                                             something that gives a sign or proof

source                                                 opinion based on incomplete information

speculation                                         cloth made by weaving or knitting

construction                                        origin, where something comes from

fabric                                                   building

3. Now fill each gap in the sentences with one of the words from the previous exercise.

They have found no ( evidence ) that he was there.

The journey to the cave was a great (                      ), it was very exciting.

We tried to find the (                      ) of the noise but we couldn't. We had no idea where it came from.

It looked like a piece of cloth but it was woven from a very strong (                      ).

The (                      ) took several years and now the new building looks fabulous.

There were (                      ) about the costs but nobody knew the exact figure.

Grammar

This entry has several examples of modal verbs with the meaning of probability.

Examples:

The Montgolfier brothers' balloon may not have been the first to carry human passengers.

Meaning: It is possible that the Montgolfier brothers' balloon was not the first to carry human passengers.

Hot air balloons could have been used to design and to observe the mysterious Nazca lines in Peru.

Meaning: It is possible that hot air balloons were used to design and to observe the mysterious Nazca lines in Peru.

The next exercise helps you to practice this usage of modal verbs.

4. Modal verbs of probability. Transform the sentences using modal verbs.

I am sure she is Japanese.

Transformation: She must be Japanese.

It is possible that they are rich.

Transformation:  .......................................................................................    (3 good answers)

I am sure she didn't do it.

Transformation: .......................................................................................     (2 good answers)

It is very likely that they stole the picture.

Transformation: .......................................................................................

It is possible that we lost the key but it's not very likely.

Transformation: .......................................................................................     (3 good answers)

If you would like to practice modal verbs of probability more then click here.