Unit 7: Passive


1 Underline the correct words in this article.

A Race Against Time

Governments across Europe are already (1) starting/being started to worry. Why? Because low birth
rates combined with longer life expectancy (2) mean/are meant that the Continent will soon have
fewer people working and fewer people paying taxes. As a result, a whole range of measures must (3)
take/be taken to deal with the problems that this change in demographics (4) will bring/will be
brought.

At the recent Annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a session called 'Reforming
Pension Systems' (5) took place/was taken place. The speaker, director of the population division
of the United Nations, (6) highlighted/was highlighted that this is a global problem, not just a
European one. However the facts cannot (7) ignore/be ignored: the situation in Europe is
particularly serious. Look at the findings of a recent European Commission study: Italy's
population (8) expects/is expected to drop from 58 million to 48 million by 2050, Spain's (9) will
fall/will be fallen from 40 million to 35 million, and Germany's from 82 million to 76 million.
Sweden is one of the few countries where the population will probably (10) increase/be increased.

And as the populations get smaller, they are also getting older. From 2007 onwards an enormous part
of Europe's population (11) will start/will be started to retire. Solutions will have (12) to
find/to be found to deal with the problems that this will (13) create/be created. Certainly
governments must (14) encourage/be encouraged private pension plans, and old-fashioned tax and
social security models must (15) look at/be looked at in a completely new way.



2 Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do not mention
who did the action.


1          They grow much less coffee in Colombia these days.

            These days ____________________________________________________________

2          Someone delivered this package this morning.

            This package ____________________________________________________________

3          The city council is redeveloping the old docklands area.

            The old docklands area ____________________________________________________________

4          They’ve put up interest rates again.

            Interest rates
____________________________________________________________

5          We’ll discuss your idea in the meeting tomorrow.

            Your idea ____________________________________________________________

6          When is your date of birth?

            When exactly ____________________________________________________________ born?

7          Someone stole Peter's car last week.

            ____________________________________________________________ stolen last week.

8          Did anyone tell Alex about the meeting?

            ____________________________________________________________ about the meeting?