HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATIONDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH PREPARATION READING HANDOUTS 1 Contents B2 READING EXAMINATION DESCRIPTION ............................................................. 3 PART 1 ........................................................................................................................ 7 Exercise 1 ................................................................................................................ 7 Exercise 2 ................................................................................................................ 9 Exercise 3 .............................................................................................................. 11 Exercise 4 .............................................................................................................. 13 Exercise 5 .............................................................................................................. 14 PART 2 ...................................................................................................................... 16 Exercise 1 .............................................................................................................. 16 Exercise 2 .............................................................................................................. 18 Exercise 3 .............................................................................................................. 20 Exercise 4 .............................................................................................................. 22 Exercise 4 .............................................................................................................. 24 Exercise 6 .............................................................................................................. 26 Exercise 7 .............................................................................................................. 28 Exercise 8 .............................................................................................................. 30 Exercise 9 .............................................................................................................. 33 Exercise 10 ............................................................................................................ 35 PART 3 ..................................................................................................................... 38 Exercise 1 .............................................................................................................. 38 Exercise 2 .............................................................................................................. 39 Exercise 3 .............................................................................................................. 40 Exercise 4 .............................................................................................................. 42 PART 4 ...................................................................................................................... 44 Exercise 1 .............................................................................................................. 44 Exercise 2 .............................................................................................................. 46 Exercise 3 .............................................................................................................. 49 References ................................................................................................................ 51 ANSWER KEY ........................................................................................................... 52 2 B2 READING EXAMINATION DESCRIPTION Common European Framework Which communication themes are the test takers expected to be able to handle? personal identification; personal qualities; house and home; daily life; free time, entertainment; intellectual and artistic pursuits; arts and crafts; sports; travel; tourism; relations with other people; health and body care; education; work and careers; job interviews and meetings; money and shopping; food and drink; services; banking; places; language; weather; current events; environment and pollution; climate; crime and punishment; technology and tools; Internet-related language; politics; marketing Which communicative tasks are the test takers expected to be able to handle? recognition or recall of detail, main ideas and sequence; recognition or recall of cause-effect relationships; inferring consequence, cause and effect relationships, character traits; inferring meaning from the author’s use of figurative language; analysis and reconstruction; evaluation tasks What kind of communicative activities and strategies are the test takers expected to be able to handle? reading for gist and specific information; for general orientation; reading and following instructions; reading for pleasure What text-types and what length of text are the test takers expected to be able to handle? employment advertisements and advertisements in general; forms; safety and security regulations, correspondence; instructions; newspaper and magazine articles; short stories What kind of tasks are the test takers expected to be able to handle? ‘pedagogic’ tasks reflecting real-life needs outside the classroom, in the personal and public domains. CEF scale for Overall Reading Comprehension: Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad The learner’s reading comprehension abilities are consistent with CEF Overall Reading Comprehension parameters 3 active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms. (Adapted from British Institutes. (2006). General Exam Description. B2 Level. Common European Framework. http://www.britishinstitutes.co.uk/userfiles/File/B2%20Exam%20presentation.pdf) 4 LINGUISTIC Edited from General Linguistic Range; Vocabulary Range C2 C1 B2 Can understand a very wide range of language precisely, appreciating emphasis and, differentiation. No signs of comprehension problems. Has a good command of a very broad lexical repertoire including idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms; shows awareness of connotative levels of meaning. Has a good command of a broad lexical repertoire. Good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms. Has a sufficient range of language to be able to understand descriptions, viewpoints and arguments on most topics pertinent to his everyday life such as family, hobbies and interests, work, RELEVANT QUALITATIVE FACTORS FOR RECEPTION SOCIO-LINGUISTIC PRAGMATIC Edited from Socio-linguistic Edited from Thematic Appropriateness Development and Propositional Precision Has a good command of idiomatic Can understand precisely expressions and colloquialisms with finer shades of meaning awareness of connotative levels of conveyed by a wide range of meaning. qualifying devices (e.g. Appreciates fully the socio-linguistic and adverbs expressing degree, sociocultural implications of language used clauses expressing by native speakers and can react limitations). accordingly. Can understand emphasis and differentiation without ambiguity. Can recognise a wide range of idiomatic Can understand elaborate expressions and colloquialisms, descriptions and narratives, appreciating register shifts; may, however, recognising sub-themes, and need to confirm occasional details, points of emphasis. especially if the accent is unfamiliar. Can understand precisely the Can follow films employing a considerable qualifications in opinions and degree of slang and idiomatic usage. statements that relate to Can understand language effectively for degrees of, for example, social purposes, including emotional, certainty/uncertainty, allusive and joking usage. belief/doubt, likelihood etc. Can with some effort keep up with fast and Can understand description or colloquial discussions. narrative, identifying main points from relevant supporting detail and examples. Can understand detailed information reliably. 5 STRATEGIC Identifying Cues and Inferring As C1. Is skilled at using contextual, grammatical and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood and intentions and anticipate what will come next. Can use a variety of strategies to achieve comprehension, including listening for main points; checking comprehension by using contextual clues. Can understand the simplest everyday polite forms of: greetings and farewells. hobbies and interests. the most significant differences between the customs. Can handle very short social exchanges.B1 travel. (Adapted from Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning. and looks out for signs of.coe. No descriptor available. work. Can understand the main points in an idea or problem with reasonable precision. travel. Teaching. and current events. No descriptor available. Can understand a simple story or description that is a list of points. using their most common exponents in a neutral register. usages. Can make and respond to invitations. Can understand a simple and direct exchange of limited information on familiar and routine matters. Has enough language to get by. Can use an idea of the overall meaning of short texts and utterances on everyday topics of a concrete type to derive the probable meaning of unknown words from the context. Can reasonably accurately understand a straightforward narrative or description that is a linear sequence of points. and current events. thank you. attitudes. using everyday polite forms of greeting and address. A2 Has a sufficient vocabulary for coping with everyday situations with predictable content and simple survival needs. Can recognise salient politeness conventions. with sufficient vocabulary to understand most texts on topics such as family. introductions. Can respond to a wide range of language functions. sorry etc. URL: www. Assessment (CEFR). apologies etc. saying please. Is aware of. values and beliefs prevalent in the community concerned and those of his or her own. Can extrapolate the meaning of occasional unknown words from the context and deduce sentence meaning provided the topic discussed is familiar. Can identify unfamiliar words from the context on topics related to his/her field and interests. A1 Has a very basic range of simple expressions about personal details and needs of a concrete type.int/lang) 6 . 1 5 Jobs in tourism have often been regarded as "seasonal" and "low paid' but things are changing fast. Whatever your interest you will need to have both the enthusiasm and the qualifications. It could also provide you with some vital contacts for your future career. There is an example at the beginning (0). Summer is not the only time we like to take our holidays. The two-year course involves studying the tourism industry and the use 7 . A Surprise yourself B Changing patterns C How to get started D Meeting the challenge E Rewards for the right person F Spoilt for choice G A new approach H A growth industry Why choose tourism? 0 H 4 Tourism is one of the world's biggest and fastest growing industries. giving you the opportunity to discover at first hand what the job may involve. autumn and winter coupled with the vital business tourism market mean that operators are now busy Newton Rigg College in Cumbria. Interesting and exciting career opportunities are opening up as the industry continues to grow. Increased leisure time. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-H for each part (1-6) of the article. higher standards of living and better transport are just some of the reasons why the tourism industry is expanding in the UK and overseas. Short breaks in spring. Many also provide the chance for work experience.PART 1 Exercise 1 You are going to read an article about careers in tourism. not far from the Lake District. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. is now offering a Higher National Diploma in Sustainable Tourism. More colleges and universities are now offering courses to equip you with the skills needed for a successful career in tourism. of the countryside and includes a six-week work placement opportunity. travelling around the country with groups of holidaymakers from all over the world. Some occupations are truly "sustainable" mean that may also require you to work long and often unsociable hours. increasing awareness of conservation and This is a "people" business where the greater emphasis now being placed on customer care and high standards of tourism projects and developments which service are essential. The course is is the pleasure of knowing you have already attracting applicants from this helped people to enjoy t heir holidays or country and from as far afield as Hong ensured that a conference has run Kong smoothly. from young school leavers to university graduates. The industry consists of a huge variety of organisations. 6 3 Why not consider the possibilities of a career in tourism? There are opportunities for all kinds of people. 8 . You could choose to work as a Tourism Officer in the UK. responsible for marketing and visitor services. The airline business could be of interest to you or you might like to try Event Management. and the career options are therefore many and varied.throughout the year and therefore require staff on a permanent basis. So if you think that working in tourism means just selling package holidays or a couple of months' work in a hotel. and there are many chances for "side-ways' moves into any one of a large number of related areas. including both the public and the private sector. An Working in tourism is not for everybody. or you might opt for the role of Tour Guide. As Newton Rigg is also an associate college of the University of Central Lancashire. The big plus factor employers will be seeking skills and qualifications in these areas. there are 2 opportunities for Students to progress from this course to degree level. which could involve helping to arrange anything from a local festival to a major international event such as the Tall Ships. you may be pleasantly surprised. A There are two main working methods. D Selective use of psychic power is vital. E Solutions to problems are not just medical . A day in the life of a pet psychic 9 . F An animal explains and its owner confirms. There is an example at the beginning (0). C Getting permission to go ahead is important. B Another animal professional accepts the truth.or just for animals. G Problems need examining from different angles.Exercise 2 You are going to read an article about someone who can talk to animals. There is one extra summary sentence which you do not need to use. Choose the most suitable summary sentence from the list A-1 for each part (1-7) of the article. I Sometimes just one look is enough. H An apparent contradiction is explained. It's quick. Then I take time to tune into the animal and see if it has anything to say for itself. And I check if it's okay with my helpers upstairs .God. Six months later he rang me. 5 Occasionally I am contacted by vets in England." For the last two years I've worked with Laszlo. your hands.m. I either hear words in my head or get the feeling that the animal is experiencing. From his behaviour they thought he was either mad or bad. I don't have fried foods. He just didn't know how to behave. because it can be very intrusive. He asked me to look at a sick emu which he called Bonzai. He felt like a complete clown. 1 My first appointment is at 10 a. 'Now we listen. Now he's a lovely boy. and sometimes it will reduce me to tears. because this is the work I'm meant to be doing. he just made me laugh out loud. 'That's why his name is Coco. 3 7 10 .from silver paper to clothes.0 I 4 I started communicating with animals while on holiday in Greece nearly thirty years ago: now I run a surgery from my home in London. 'Absolutely.' Laszlo said. And he didn't like his name. with silence. He had examined the body and found that the cause of the trouble was a blocked right ventricle. It may sound strange but I'm really a very down-to-earth person. Sometimes they want to be left alone. in the evening with wine or whisky. just like people do. I went off beef a long time ago because I could smell the fear in the animal. I tend to have just one main meal a day. I always ask the animal if it's okay to communicate. 'What does behave mean?" he asked. And we gave him a different name. Communicating with animals takes place on many different levels. so why waste them'. It's nearly always a yes. looking round him with an amazing expression on his face.' he said. Laszlo looked at me with a smile: 'I don't think you've got that quite right. If it swings clockwise it's yes: anticlockwise is no. I do feel guilty about not being a vegetarian. it gives factual answers. I love vegetables but I do eat meat. He was four days from being destroyed. the chief vet at Budapest Zoo. I don't enjoy them anyway.' I can't bear waste. but then I think that God put animals on the earth for us to domesticate and eat. I investigated. got a very definite response.' they said. So I sent off some pills for him and his owners. Once. The way he was lying against his mistress. Sometimes it's quite a laugh. You communicate with your eyes. I used my pendulum and when I came to its heart. So the owners get remedies too. or my spirit helpers. That can take time. 2 6 I hold my pendulum in front of the animal to get answers to my questions. particularly if the animal is communicating something funny about its owner. whatever you call them. I just happen to have a gift. 1 recycle everything I can . An animal's problems can be related to what's going on with their owners. I tried to remember my anatomy lessons and came up with the right ventricle in the heart. 'Is he a bit of a clown?" I asked. Like once about Montsy the dog. a nice couple came into the surgery with a very small dog. Little Bonzai had died. Hard work is the key. 11 ." The dog said one other thing. preparation has been a way of life." She said. I've never met a truly successful person who wasn't 110% prepared.you can watch four hours in two. Exercise 3 You are going to read an article about how to prepare for success. He said. It relieves the pressure. But this kind of success is usually short-lived. Reliability and attention to detail are important factors. If you want to stay on top you have to work at it. Preparing for the worst will result in the best. you meet athletes who let it be known they are not in top condition for a tournament or game. No sacrifice is too great for the world's best. So I close myself down.I couldn't go in an underground train because I'd pick up all the negativity and tension. I would be dead in a day . I'm fine I spend the day on the sofa. 'I do talk a lot. Once you realise the 4 Many people are afraid to be prepared: if they are. Luck doesn't last . which usually means giving a lot of time and energy to preparation.' If I kept my mind open to everything all the time. If they lose." she said. Being unprepared is a poor excuse. they lose an excellent excuse when they fail. There is one extra summary sentence which you do not need to use. A woman left her dog alone during the day and wanted to know if there was anything she could do to make him more comfortable. I watch the programmes I've recorded during the day. Although he's in his chair when I walk through the door. In sport. If they win. This is a classic 50% solution: you win some. I have to look after a sick cat so I tend not to go out. For one champion. He said. The 110% solution 0 I There are those who achieve success as the result of a chance: being in the right place at the right time. No. Even so. Choose the most suitable summary sentence from the list A-1 for each part (1-7) of the article. 'I know he spends most of the time on the sofa.I've had conclusive proof. 'Maybe he doesn't like it that I've got my back to him. they exceed everyone's expectations." His owner laughed. I love that fast-forward button . Sympathy is no substitute for success. by the evening I am tired. there's always a hot place in the sofa cushions. 'It really irritates me the way she keeps talking when she does the washingup. There is an example at the beginning (0).it's preparation that counts. A B C D E F G H I Worrying what others think is no recipe for success. I fall asleep in the chair and wake up much later with the cat on my lap. they were not at their best. 30 at your Chicago office. give it your best. Successful people are also those who have learned to accept teasing as part of being what they are. And if anyone does find out we have prepared intensively to make certain we achieve our goal. It is one ingredient that made him a champion. But what really astonished me was when he told me he also knew the airline and flight number he was taking to the city in question. knowing that unless she put icepacks on her eyes. too. Preparation is something we do outside the spotlight. The actor Laurence Olivier would spend weeks memorising his lines until he could recite them without thinking. Ballet dancers train eight hours a day for years so their spins and leaps on stage look effortless. even though this is not uncommon for a top performer. let things turn out as they will. Jackie has never abandoned that discipline in his other pursuits. Then there are the people who do their preparation in public. you lose some. That attitude touched every part of his life.m. where checking the safety and performance details before he took the wheel was a matter of life or death. The first time I met Ivan. 6 The very best performers spend hidden hours to make sure that they are No 1. If he says he will meet you eleven weeks from Monday at 10. That way. This is the 75% solution: prepare well. That is how he goes about everything. being photographed for the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. 3 One reason many of us aren't prepared is that we rarely get credit for it. Much of this. Only then would he start to rehearse a play. he picked up during his racing career. it is not because they did not try. or his diet. when the tones showed her off best and the photographer was ready to shoot. Jackie will be there. You can be pretty sure that people will feel sorry for you if things go wrong: you may even get more attention and support than the person you were trying to beat. 5 1 Ivan Lendl was a case in point. if they fail. it becomes a lifelong habit. He thought about every side to his game. After all.advantage that exceptional preparation gives. whether it was a playing strategy against an opponent. 2 Jackie Stewart. This is the 110% solution. is always very well prepared. which always swelled with sleep. They don't need or want the world to see them sweat. you have no need to reconfirm the appointment. 7 When Christine Brinkley was top model in the world. we may well be teased. she would not look good enough when the sun broke over the horizon. if you get to the top of your particular profession. I was impressed that he knew exactly where he was going to be in six months" time. she would schedule her wake-up call at 2 a. you will have the last laugh. They constantly tell you how hard they are working. 12 . But being consoled as a worthy loser is not the same as glowing with success. That was when the light was soft. I am sure. or fitness regime or when he scheduled his sleep. F. G. your chance of succeeding are not good I If you tell someone that you want to make a career as an actor. Last month you may have been out of work. E. If you decide to become an actor. you can be sure that within two minutes the word "risky" will come up. selling clothes or waitressing. I. There is one extra summary sentence which you do not need to use. The supply of actors is far greater than the demand for them.it is what drives all actors to act. And. in the theater the significant thing is that moment of contact between the actor on the stage and a particular audience. of course. Many actors realise after a while that the profession does not suite them. C. Choose the most suitable summary sentence from the list A-1 for each part (1-7) of the article. 2 6 There are no easy way of getting there . But it is a very personal choice you are making. They will know certain things about themselves and aspects of their own technique and the techniques of others. and that their fame may not continue. and only you can take responsibility for yourself and for realizing your ambition. acting is a very risky career let there be no mistake about that. 0 There is one main reason why every actor likes acting. They will not know. Certainly. It is difficult but not impossible to succeed as an actor. because they know that they are only as good as their current job. H. you are asked to audition for a 13 . 4 Where does the desire to act come from? It is often very difficult to put into words your own reason for wanting to act. actor. the response will most likely be a shrug. B. Actors learn to deal with the unpleasant aspects of the profession. but they will take nothing for granted. wherever it takes place . D. It is important to have a realistic attitude to being an actor. There is an example at the beginning (0). No two people will give you the same advice. though some may react quite differently. And making this brief contact is central to all acting. Suddenly. and no absolute guarantee that when you have successfully completed your training you will Disappointment is the greatest enemy of the actor.Exercise 4 You are going to read an extract from a book about becoming an actor.no written examinations to pass. You should not pay much attention to comments about your decision to become an Successful actors don't claim to understand what it takes to be a successful actor. If you ask actors how they have done well in the profession. many people who you thought were your closest friends will tell you you're crazy. 1 5 Once you choose to become an actor. A. There are certain qualities which anyone needs to succeed as an actor. Changes to the environment H. hopefully. visitors. talented enough for the job. but however much you want the job. Choose the most suitable summary sentence from the list A-1 for each part (1-7) of the article. when he started his job. You are saying that you are available. They come up with ways of protecting themselves against the stress of competing for a part and the possibility of rejection. Gill Page visits the Lleyn Peninsual in North Wales and talks to one of the wardens employed by the Trust to look after the beautiful areas it owns 0 I 4 Common sense. So actor tend not to talk about their chances. And. Nobody likes being rejected. it's up to you. It's all a matter of luck and talent. Exercise 5 You are going to read an extract an article about a National Trust Warden. A minor annoyance B. 3 7 I have frequently been asked to define this magical thing called talent. The problem of an outdoor life E. What makes him good at the job? C. Getting things done G. noone will care for you. for if you don't care enough." Gareth says that. The most suitable candidate I. because you're continually dealing with farmers. That's what a National Trust Warden needs. Towards agreement D. And it has a lot to do with the person's courage and their belief in what they are doing and the way they are putting it across.automatically make your way in the profession. and there is always the prospect of excitement. There to stay F. I believe it is best described as natural skill plus imagination the latter being the most difficult quality to assess. in many ways. 14 . part. willing and. There is an example at the beginning (0). Both sides wanted things done their way. And remember that the possibility is there from the very first moment you start going in for parts professionally. The right qualities for the job Looking after the countryside THE NATIONAL TRUST The National Trust is an organization whose aims is to conserve the British countryside. "And you definitely need to be good at handling people. conservationists and building firms. glamor and the occasional rich reward. There is one extra summary sentence which you do not need to use. Now they are talking and can see each other's point of view. A. according to Gareth Roberts. the truth is that it may deny you." says Gareth. "We're at the crossroads and there's just a small step needed to join them together. which everyone is looking out for. farmers and conservationists were set against each other. and you like the idea of an outdoor job. Having to be nice to those people gets on my nerves!" 7 But as Gareth says. And I thought to myself recently. they can't take me in about anything!" he says. despite his lack of formal training.1 5 Gareth was born and bred on the Lleyn Peninsula and worked on his parents' farm until he married. "It's the attitude of some people I dislike. and meeting the Trust's tenant farmers. demand everything. 3 Since he has been with the Trust. where would I find all those flowers. signing bills and so on. "They just walk into the area. the birds' nests. the grasshopper now? It's really become clear to me that farming has affected the countryside. along with public entry to the Trust's land." he admits. Gareth says he has come to understand more about nature conservation. "When I was a youngster. In the end. Also. with as little fuss and as economically as possible.erecting fences.but don't expect a job to be available on the Lleyn Peninsula for a good many years! 15 . About 80 people applied for the post as National Trust Warden for the Lleyn Peninsula. It's not the farmers' fault they were just doing what the government told them. "My role is to make sure job get finished. His farming life also means he is well able to cope with the physical demands of the job . planting trees. it's all down to common sense really. Conservation is one the main aspects of Gareth's work. especially talking to the public. then walk out again as if it's their absolute right. What I enjoy most is seeing projects completed. Most of them. he obviously enjoys every minute of his work. anyway. Gareth's local knowledge and farming experience won him the job. "I used to pick and press flowers." 2 "I find it particularly helpful that I still farm with my parents and that I can deal with farmers on the same level and be aware of their problems. collect butterfly larvae and old birds' nests. So if you've got plenty of that. tree planting and maintenance. building walls. you might think of applying to become a warden like Gareth . although about half of my time is spent on reports." 6 Gareth is certainly keen on his job and despite never being off duty." he recalls. opened two years ago. The course was set up by Rod Baber. All can be made easier or harder. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Rod's latest plan is to snag the record for North and South America as well. I slowly stand up with my arms outstretched for balance. I've got a tiny area to stand on and beneath me is a 10-metre drop.' The oldest customer was a 78-year-old who arrived with his son and grandson. one of the tallest climbing centres in Britain. and incorporated into different challenges. To make things worse.' 16 . almost enough to blow you off a totem pole and into one of the lakes). Eyes dilate. Back on the ground. adventurer extraordinaire and holder of the world record for scaling the highest peak of every country in Europe in the shortest time. I shuffle my toes over the edge. an aerial adventure centre in Cirencester. For questions 1-8. though. A family adventure centre I'm focused. Once upright. the grandfather set off to show them how it was done. my knees won't stop quaking. my legs are still wobbling but an enormous smile has spread across my face. a stairway to heaven (a giant ladder with an increasing distance between the rungs).' says Rod.PART 2 Exercise 1 You are going to read a newspaper article about an adventure centre. With one knee bent on the top of the pole and the other foot next to it. When the younger two decided to give it a miss. B. 'We hear all sorts of excuses. mouth goes dry and adrenalin goes everywhere. but we don't want people to be pushed into the panic zone. And then I jump. Parents are usually more reluctant to join in. 'We want to push people outside their comfort zone and into the adventure zone. but children are the most enthusiastic and 'far easier to teach than the bankers. Completely terrified.500 visitors a month. which can be mentally damaging. 'Everything from bad knees to "I haven't trimmed my toenails". His favourite is the 'Trapeze' challenge: 'It still gets me every time. two freefall platforms and a trapeze jump.' says Rod.' Although the course is only roughly the size of a tennis court. but in between he starts every day with a clamber round the Cirencester course. Plans for a new 30-metre pole are presently under way. But for the boys at Head 4 Heights. which is why the course has proved a success with families. For the most part. according to ability. Head 4 Heights. people start off nervous and only gain confidence as they progress. We always tell people to look up not down and to take their time. it packs a lot into a small space. corporate days out and the armed forces. choose the answer (A. the totem pole that I'm trying to climb onto is shaking. but focused. All ages over five are welcome. There are four totem poles (of varying degrees of difficulty according to the holds attached to them). It's the only UK climbing centre open to the public year-round (the only days it closes are when winds exceed 70 mph. it's all in a day's work. 'Everything is kept very positive. More than half who visit return for more and the centre now averages about 1.' says Rod. Not everything always goes according to plan. It did not initially stay open throughout the year. 'The Leap of Love' is usually left as the final challenge and involves two (similarly sized) people squeezing themselves onto a 'bird table' at the top of a totem pole. C she cannot get her arms into the right position. Key to the design is the safety-rope system. though. D it can be adapted for different people. 3 What does Rod Baber say about the 'Trapeze' challenge? A He does it more often than anything else on the course. is family harmony. What isn't guaranteed. 'We do have some people who have refused to speak to each other afterwards. D give up while they are doing course. back to earth. The course was designed and built by Nick Moriarty. not fall. 17 .Also reassuring is the 100 per cent safety record. it's such a buzz. D He takes a long time to recover after doing it. B He always fails to complete it. D increase in confidence after repeated visits. both people need to be careful not to unbalance each other and must jump at exactly the same time. C He continues to find it difficult. B progress as quickly as possible. Rod Baber got the idea for it while climbing mountains. D she is too nervous to complete the climb. C take risks they might not initially want to take. B are unwilling to do the course.' 1 One problem the writer describes in the first paragraph is that A she keeps falling off the totem pole. It is aimed at people who don't have the chance to climb mountains. which ensures that if you do lose your balance or grip. C it can be completed in a fairly short time. before jumping in tandem to grab a trapeze. 'but if you can both make it together. B new challenges are constantly being added. 2 A B C D What do we learn about Head 4 Heights in the second paragraph? It remains open even in quite windy conditions. The writer says that the main reason for the course's popularity is that A the challenges it offers cannot be found anywhere else. Aside from not arguing. 4. your full-body harness will guarantee that you float. 5 The people who 'decided to give it a miss' are examples of people who A find it difficult to do the course.' says Rod. 6 Rod says that the intention of the course is that people taking part A learn how to deal with extreme fear.700 instructors. an expert in his field who has constructed 450 courses in 16 countries and trained 2. B she is trying to stand on top of a moving object. C are easily taught how to do the course. 7 The writer uses the phrase 'Also reassuring' to emphasize A that people benefit from doing the course. what they will enjoy doing. choose the answer (A. An in-depth interview follows. This is aimed at people who are established in their jobs and who either want a change or some advice about planning the next step in their careers.finding the odd one out in a series of words couldn't be simpler. I definitely need advice about consolidating my career. Being too ancient for Career Analysts' student career option guidance and not. filling in questionnaires. is generally poor and 'people can end up in the wrong job and stay there for years because they're good at something without actually enjoying it. 8 What is said about 'The Leap of Love'? A Most people fail to do it successfully. at the executive level yet. Exercise 2 You are going to read an newspaper article about careers advice. B how carefully the course has been constructed.' To discover what people are good at. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. The service sounded just what I needed. At home. Career Analysts offers guidance to everyone. squares and oblongs. B. and more fundamentally. you're not alone. or 'It is impossible for me to believe that chance or luck plays an important role in my life. Logical reasoning required me to pick out the next shape in a sequence of triangles. one of her colleagues. B It can cause people to fall out with each other. or 'I like to do my planning alone without interruptions from others. it can be very difficult to know what you want to do because you don't really know what you're interested in. 'At 18. Career Analysts give their clients a battery of personality profile questionnaires and psychometric tests. a career counselling service. Having filled in a multitude of personality indicator questionnaires at home. My complacency was short-lived. Dividing my time as I do between teaching and freelance journalism. I tried my best but knew that it was really a lost cause. For questions 1-8. I opted for the career management package. D Some people don't try hard enough to do it. D how enthusiastic Rod is about the course. I had been asked to give my instinctive reaction (not an over-considered one) to statements like: 'It bothers me if people think I'm being odd or unconventional'. I fared rather better when it came to verbal aptitude . however. I then spent a rather gruelling morning being aptitude-tested at Career Analysts' offices. C It is the hardest challenge on the course. in which the test results are discussed and different career paths and options are explored with the aid of an occupational psychologist. Finding the career that fits your personality 'If you've finished your exams and have absolutely no idea what to do next. My mind went blank. from teenagers to retirees looking for a new focus in life. C that people should not be afraid to do the course. unfortunately. I had no idea what would happen to wheel X when string Y was pulled. when I was confronted with images of levers and pulleys for the mechanical aptitude papers.' says Sheridan Hughes. adds Alexis Hallam.' I 18 . an occupational psychologist at Career Analysts.' I was asked to agree or disagree on a scale of one to five with 'I often take on impossible odds'. The tests consisted of logical reasoning followed by verbal.' Careers guidance. mechanical and spatial aptitude papers. an avenue that would never have occurred to me. 'and the pattern for you is strongly verbal and communicative.' she explained. 'Widen the scope of your articles. perceptual and mechanical reasoning. as I was shown later. C She was initially doubtful that it could be useful to her. My spatial visualization was so bad it was almost off the scale. A career in cartography. C She didn't understand what she was required to do on one of them. B She put in very little effort on any of them. numerical. 'You could develop an interest in medical and psychological fields. navigation. I sat down with Sheridan Hughes. occupational psychologists will. 19 . Having completed my personality and aptitude tests. 3 What happened when the writer took the aptitude tests? A She found two of the papers extremely difficult.' she said delicately. We use objective psychometric measures to discover our clients' natural strengths and abilities and then we talk to them about what they want from life. She suggested that I consider writing e-learning content for on-line courses. practical suggestions as to how I could go about it. D Only one of its services was relevant to her. 1 Which of the following is mentioned in the first paragraph? A people underestimating their own abilities B people accepting inappropriate advice C people being unwilling to take risks D people constantly changing their minds 2 What does the writer say about Career Analysts in the second paragraph? A It is about to offer a service for people at executive level. Mrs Hughes encouraged me to expand the writing side of my career and gave me straightforward. the responses tend to form a coherent pattern. 'We're interested in patterns.' These latter.' she said.was told to indicate how important I consider status to be in a job. B The range of services it offers is unique. I had come out as average on the verbal skills test and below average in logic. The questions attempt to construct a picture of the complete individual. 'What we do works because it's a mixture of science and counselling. be able to guide a client towards a rewarding. fulfilling career. Using aptitude tests alongside personality profiling. the theory goes. D The papers were not what she had been expecting. who asked me fairly searching personal and professional questions. Some questions are as straightforward as indicating whether or not you would enjoy a particular job. would sit comfortably with an interest in human behaviour indicated on my personality-profiling questionnaires. 4 What does the writer say about the statements on the questionnaires? A She thought about them for longer than she was supposed to.' This was putting it rather kindly.' Mrs Hughes explained. she said. tiling or architecture would not be playing to your strengths. What do my parents and siblings do for a living? Why had I chosen to do an English degree? 'I need to get a picture of you as a person and how you've come to be who you are.' There were no real surprises in my own test results. nor in the interview that followed it. and how important money and material benefits. Designing aircraft runways? Preparing legal documents? Playing a musical instrument? Every career going makes an appearance and. It is now close to four years since I last took a holiday. What could possibly be difficult about the natural act of putting your working life on hold for a couple of weeks and going somewhere warm to do nothing? 20 . I can see the bluest.a reminder that if I am ever going to get around to booking this year's holiday. Why I've taken a break from holidays It's a wonderful morning. C One of them focused on her attitude to risk. that I am not very good at it. D One of them concerned her current situation only. B seemed surprised at how badly she had done in the tests. D they will give a more accurate picture of people than the aptitude tests. D preferred to avoid talking about her test results. 7 The writer felt that during the interview. over the course of my adult life. B concentrate only on writing and not on any other kind of work. Exercise 3 You are going to read an article about holidays. but without being too hot. choose the answer (A. sounds tempting. 5 The writer says that the idea behind the questionnaires is that A people will find some of the questions quite hard to answer. 8 The advice Mrs Hughes gave to the writer included the suggestion that she should A think about taking a course on writing. B. B the answers to them and the aptitude tests will provide all the necessary information. C they will encourage people to have new ideas about possible careers. C was being honest about her strengths and weaknesses. the idea of sitting on a beach in a place where this kind of weather is nothing remarkable. C main regrets. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. D progress through life. For a moment. catching up on my reading. as I write this: hot. It's the kind of sun that makes you acutely aware of summer's temporary nature . 6 Some of the questions Sheridan Hughes asked concerned the writer's A opinions of the tests and questionnaires.B She found some of them rather strange. Mrs Hughes A was keen not to upset her concerning her test results. You might think this sounds like saying you're not very good at drinking tea or listening to music. C increase the number of subjects she writes about. This is because I have come to the conclusion. D do something she had previously considered unappealing. sunniest sky of the year reflected in a huge natural expanse of water. For questions 1-8. time is running out. but then a tension begins to rise in my chest and the temptation passes. B relationships with family members. Outside my window. The Idler has become well known for promoting the idea of an easy. 'What interests me is what the concept of a "holiday" says about the rest of our lives. The more I like my life and the better I structure it. I'm not alone. So what is my problem? On the surface. A B C D he feels envious of people who are on holiday. Here you will find a list of the five most ecologically-damaging vacations it's possible to take. B He often has to explain the reason to other people. I'm probably a bit of a homebody. I was a model holidaymaker as a kid: every July. C There have been times when he has regretted it. Thankfully. Over the last decade. I now find that I can't really commit to the experience. but because we were missing our cats. D It is not something he has thought about before.not because my wife and I weren't enjoying ourselves. For me. he wishes that the weather would change. was cut short by 48 hours . lazy life. my honeymoon. 1 The writer says in the first paragraph that while he is writing this article. And a recent survey highlighted the downside of holidays. within a couple of days.To be honest. with the results showing that nearly two thirds of people found that the calming effects of a holiday wore off within 24 hours. but Dan Kiernan. mainly because I had an urge to check my e-mails. says that he was flooded with entries from readers for his list of Awful Holidays. the point of living is to have a life you enjoy for 52 weeks a year. This summer. he realizes it is too late to book a holiday. as stress levels returned to normal. The problems started during my early twenties: a stolen tent and wallet at the Glastonbury Festival in 1995. Somehow. But even if I manage to go away without being mugged or getting food poisoning. a lightning strike and sudden drop in altitude on a flight over the Channel in 1997. And this year The Idler magazine published its Book of Awful Holidays. And I just find the pressure of being on holiday too severe: it always feels like having a gun held to my head and being forced to have fun. 2 What does the writer suggest about the fact that he has not taken a holiday for four years? A Some people may find the reason surprising. he experiences a brief desire to book a holiday. the less I want to go away. the book's editor.' he explains. 3 What is the writer describing in the third paragraph? 21 . packing a carefully itemised list of possessions and meeting a scheduled flight has none of the excitement of suddenly deciding to take a day off and driving somewhere for the fun of it. a year or so later. most of my friends have decided not to have a break. an ill-fated experiment in 'luxury inter-railing' in 1998 that lasted just four days and ended with the French police mistaking me for a drug smuggler. but I just feel my leisure time is too valuable to waste on them. I'm a little baffled myself. The leisure industry might seem an unlikely target of its criticism.' He has a point. 'We all seem content to slave away for 48 weeks a year and only get four off. Maybe I'm weird for not liking holidays. my skin would have turned an olive colour and I would blend into my surroundings so totally that I would often find myself being mistakenly told to join a party of local schoolchildren. along with 50 horrific holiday experiences voted for on The Idler website. I would arrive at an Italian campsite with my parents and. Similarly. A fancy-free trip to the South of France five years ago to 'just kind of hang out on the coast' was ended after just two days. you could smack him repeatedly. 5 The writer says in the fifth paragraph that the main thing he dislikes about holidays is that A they are often organized in order to please other people. 8 When the writer says 'He has a point' in the final paragraph. 7 The writer says that the book published by The Idler magazine A illustrates a point that the magazine has often made. B. Exercise 4 You are going to read an article about a wrestler who becomes an author. C feel that the benefits of going on holiday are limited. B proved more popular than he would have expected. C focuses entirely on bad personal experiences of holidays. he is agreeing that A people who like their normal lives don't need to go on holiday. It is only when he opens his mouth that you notice the missing front teeth. The Wrestler who became an author Pete Watson looks like the biggest sweetest teddy bear you ever saw. B some people need to have holidays but others don't. D have made the same decision as the writer and most of his friends. B fail to relax while they are on holiday. D indicates that his dislike of holidays is widely shared. D his lack of enthusiasm for being on holiday. He was adored by fans because he was different: while other wrestlers were supreme athletes. It is only when he opens his mouth that you notice the missing front teeth. D a lot of people don't really want to go on holiday. he was just a hulk who knew how to take a hit You could throw as many chairs as you liked at Pete Watson. but he wouldn't go down. C he tends to be made responsible for too much of the organization of them. C not liking holidays is generally considered strange. B how badly he behaves when he is on holiday. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. For questions 1-8. Watson is a three-time world champion wrestler turned author. 22 . 6 The writer says that a recent survey shows that a lot of people A pretend to enjoy their holidays. D he feels embarrassed when other people are having fun but he isn't. choose the answer (A. B they are far less enjoyable than breaks that have not been planned in advance.A events that explain why he has never really liked holidays B events that he regards as not typical of most people's experiences C events that illustrate his contrasting experiences of holidays D events that he did not consider particularly serious when they happened 4 The events the writer describes in the fourth paragraph illustrate A how hard he has tried to enjoy holidays. C his fear that something bad will happen when he is on holiday. Watson Watson looks like the biggest sweetest teddy bear you ever saw. wrestlers. At its simplest. Meanwhile. Watson's family background C. B. it comes closer to being real. He frequently lost because he was not very aggressive. the other in Russian history. When they got old enough to realise I did. Did his parents try to dissuade him? 'No. Watson's educational background D. He does not think this life is so different from wrestling.one in literature. 'What did his children think when they saw him getting hurt! 'Well. He was injured a lot because he didn't fight back. He was too gentle and friendly to be a good wrestler. they stopped enjoying it. will be popular with those who liked his autobiographies. He was a big boy. I am pretty sure they thought I'd get hurt and quit wrestling. and he is also writing more children's stories. C. is not much more than a simple story. 2. His father was an athletics director with a PhD.' he says. 'It's amazing what retirement can do for you. They were just really insistent that I finished college. his time is dedicated to family and books -his next novel is about boy wrestlers living on the same block. he says. bullied for his size. Do you have to be a good actor to be a good wrestler? I used to really resent the acting label. that's the wrestler's handshake. and now I think I look a good deal younger. I looked really rough five years ago. I don't get the sense that they feel I've abandoned them. One day his neighbour had a go at him. It is suggested that Watson's first novel A. 3. likely to gain a wide readership. in part what led so to my decision to got out. D. but it is acting. who appeared to be leading exciting lives. is based on guys he met on the road. he has just written a brilliant first novel: a work of immense power and subtlety. C.' 1.After two autobiographies and a series of children's stories. there are few visible scars. When it's really good. What impression do we get of Pete Watson's skill as a wrestler? A. 'So when my fans hear I've written a novel. 'Wrestling is all about characters.' he says. Watson does not come from traditional wrestling stock. What dose 'traditional wrestling stock' refer to? A. D. it is about a boy and his dad getting together after a lifetime apart. New York. His skin is smooth and firm.' But he didn't He looks in remarkably good condition for someone who spent 20 years in the ring. when you're feeling it and letting that real emotion fly. is based on his own autobiography B.' Nowadays. Watson's childhood B. friends of his. he was learning the ropes of professional wrestling. Watson's background in athletics 23 . he did a degree in communication studies. His speciality was letting his opponent hit him. That was. People are surprised by the softness of his handshake. but deep down were pretty miserable. they used to think I never got hurt because that's what I told them. his mother a physical education teacher with two master's degrees .' he says. and for the first time Watson realised he could use his weight and size instead of feeling awkward about it It was a turning point At college. though there is far more to it than that Was he inspired by anyone he knew! The father. will not only appeal to his fans. 'Yeah. He grew up in Long Island. He doesn't think wrestling can compare to acting. I hadn't reckoned on the other aspects. They insisted that he should have proper training at college. B. the fact that Watson often got hurt C. What did Watson's parents feel about his interest in wrestling? A. the fact that Watson's children no longer enjoyed watching him perform D. C. C. his fans still follow his career with interest. What does the underlined That refer to? A. transporting her food from far below. he is writing about wrestling. I don't think I'm a selfish swine but there was nothing I could do about it. the fact that Watson could not tell his children the truth 8. B. For questions 1-8. for instance. We had at last acquired a table -1 had bought it at a farm sale and brought it home in triumph tied to the roof of my car . his work is still connected with characters. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. D. He thinks wrestlers aren't good actors. I thought such things had gone out of fashion. They thought he would abandon the sport quite soon. Watson's present life is not different from his past profession because A. in spite of being a wrestler for so long. This business of studying my comfort. choose the answer (A. I had never been married before so there was nothing in my past experience to go by but it was beginning to dawn on me that I was very nicely fixed. B. 7. 6. because he stopped wrestling for five years ago. I am talking. his previous profession. D. of material things. C.4. B. 24 . It was brought home to me again as I walked into breakfast this morning. but not so with Helen. his family are still important than anything else. D. while I was expected to sit comfortably in the chair. B. C. He resents the suggestion. of course. How does Watson regard the idea that wrestling is like acting? A. Exercise 4 You are going to read an extract from a novel. It would have been enough for me or anybody else to be paired with a beautiful girl whom I love and who loved me. She was perched away up there now.and now Helen had vacated the chair on which she used to sit at the bench and had taken over the high stool. Watson seems to be in good condition now A. although he has retired. D. the fact that Watson's children got older B. They were afraid he would get hurt. and he finds this fact amazing. 5. They wanted him to give up wrestling. He has come to accept it. and the whole pattern was rubbing off on me now. C. she served me with my food but instead of going off and doing something else she would down tools and sit watching me while I ate. quietly watching him. And when I was late for meals. and these hung from the beams of the barn in an impressive array of coldsmoked kippers. 4 What did the writer realise about Helen's relationship with her father? A She often worried about him. Some samples were in the pan now. What was the writer reminded of at breakfast that morning? A.And there were other little things. D. as an unmarried man. A bit too much. Helen had brought with her to Skelton House a delicious dowry of fish. sitting in the same pose. B She was very close to him. 2. He had no control over his wife's behaviour. one arm on the table. It was this last trait which gave me a clue to her behaviour. had fewer clothes. in fact. C. 25 . B. 3. and I was aware I shouldn't be attacking this plateful of porridge and cream. and I'm sure he had a point. how deeply he loved his wife. B. Mild little man though he was she had catered gladly to his every wish in the happy acceptance that line 20 the man of the house was number one. the clean. After his marriage. a constant temptation. The neat pile of clothing laid out for me each morning. lad'. C She was afraid of him. D. especially with all that material sizzling in the frying pan. His wife always considered his comfort before her own. It made me feel like a sultan. folded shirt and handkerchief and socks so different from the jumble of my bachelor days. he A. 1. One old farmer giving advice about choosing a wife once said: 'Have a blooming good look at the mother first. and though I had never been one for large breakfasts I did not object when she threw in a couple of large brown eggs for company. But if I may throw in my own little word of counsel it would have to be to have a passing glance at how she acts towards her father. He no longer had to do anything for himself. And I realised I was reaping the benefit of her lifetime attitude to her father. often missed meals. the writer started to realise A how badly prepared he was for marriage B. that he had made a mistake. D. Watching her now as she got down and started to serve my breakfast the warm knowledge flowed through me as it did so often that my wife was the sort who just liked looking after a man and that I was so very lucky. He could now afford new furniture. In fact it set me thinking about the big question of how girls might be expected to behave after marriage. C. usually ate at home. The writer suggests to us that. And I was certainly blooming under the treatment. which was often. that there were more benefits to it than he expected. was more untidy. I suddenly remembered that I had seen her sitting by Mr Alderson while he had a late meal. It was unappreciated. by and large. It happens every single time without fail. For I think we humans are born with a natural curiosity. I believe our desire to learn more about others shows that. it's like having a new neighbour that you often see from across the street but haven't had the chance to introduce yourself to yet. 7 What was Helen cooking? A fish and eggs B porridge and cream C smoked meat D a full English breakfast 8 All in all." I reply. For the Love of the Game Talented baseball player Jose Navarro tells us all about his move from Cuba to Canada. The way I see it. "I'm from Cuba. Helen was now treating him as she had treated her father.D She respected him deeply. He was becoming like his father-in-law. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. He thought it was incorrect. B. we want to know where the person is from. Well. we are social creatures. 5 A B C D What does the writer mean by 'and the whole pattern was rubbing off on me' in line 20? He was beginning to understand his wife's behaviour. we want to put a place to the voice. what is the writer's attitude towards Helen? A He is grateful for what she has brought into his life. this is not a bad thing. the questions begin. choose the answer (A. a treat for the inquiring mind. Exercise 6 You are going to read a magazine article about a Cuban baseball player. B He believes that she is changing his character for the better. C He feels that he doesn't deserve her. From the moment I open my mouth. D He wishes she was less like her father. He thought it was outdated. it's perfectly natural to want to cross the road to say 'Hi!' 26 . His wife's behaviour was beginning to annoy him. If we hear an accent that is different from our own. "Where are you from?" people I meet ask me. 6 A B C D How did the writer feel about the old farmer's advice? He partly agreed with it. Of course. or at least I don't think it is. For questions 1-8. D His passion had led to more than expected. D. Your Honour!' When I first arrived. But then we also chat about the many shared experiences that we have here in Canada. mine to discover. He believes it will help him make new friends. Eleven months ago. C His dream had become a reality. 3. He believes it reflects human nature 2. After one or two sleepless nights and five long and somewhat heated phone calls with my parents. shrouded in mystery. It made him feel like a foreigner in his own country. What does the writer mean by the phrase 'my obsession had paid off'? A His love for baseball was now bringing rewards. Within the month I was on a plane heading for Toronto. I dedicated myself totally to both playing and watching it. Sometimes we talk into the early hours of the morning. It developed over time. You know. C. "What's it like living in Cuba?" they ask. I wasn't afraid. What is the writer's attitude to being asked a lot of questions? A. Wearing my team colours before fans in my home stadium for the first time was the proudest moment of my life. I was given the opportunity to choose from a list which degree I wanted to pursue. On the contrary. exchanging stories. 27 . B. Cubans and the Cuban way of life are something of an enigma to them. B. For as long as I can remember. 1. we look for what we have in common. "Did you like it?". I decided to do a law degree. I had to play ball. "Have you come here to escape it?" You see. Gone were the 1950s Cadillacs and cobbled streets and before my eyes were sleek. but when all is said and done. I finally made it onto a Cuban team. let me give you a brief history of how I came to be in Canada. shiny visions of the future. I thought it was very important to pick something that I could fall back on if I didn't make it as a big league player. six months ago. it hasn't been difficult to make friends with my fellow students. It wasn't encouraged by others. D. I was eager to explore this new. C. My opinion on that: 'No objections. I realised my obsession had paid off. And for reasons I've already explained. friendships and sometimes school grades along the way. They see my home as a secretive island. I talk about the many hours spent playing dominoes and eating shellfish with my family. Cuba. a stranger in this new land. I've been obsessed with baseball. I reminisce about walking barefoot along the Havana coastline in the tropical warmth. I didn't think twice about accepting the offer. unknown city. What do we learn about the writer's love for baseball while growing up? A. the national sport of Cuba. we may start off thinking about our differences. I joke that it's not all politics and cigars! They say they realise this and joke back. B His talent would at last bring financial benefits. even though I was all alone in a foreign country. There was only one catch: when I wasn't studying. It caused him to miss out certain things. Then. He welcomes the attention. talent scouts from Canada saw me playing at the 'Estadio Latinoamericano' in Havana and were impressed enough to offer me a sports scholarship. Toronto was a brand new world. He wishes people weren't so curious.Before I continue. The scholarship offered me a place at the renowned York University. sacrificing free time. crashing into the shore on the other side and sending endless successions of pebbles clattering along 28 . choose the answer (A. he felt A. lonely. I took a taxi to Abbotsbury. but that left me unable to see over the stony dunes. I don't know what Chesil Beach is like towards the Weymouth end. 8. According to the writer. What was the writer's main purpose in writing the text? A to describe his great love for baseball B to share his experience of becoming a foreigner C to show the value of learning more about others D to encourage others to follow their dreams Exercise 7 You are going to read an extract from a book about a man who is travelling around Britain. 5. 6. B he realised he was unlikely to succeed as a baseball player. D. I took the coast path which is on firmer ground immediately behind the beach. C. B They were curious about something they knew very little about. C he felt it would be useful if he failed in sport. why were the other students so interested in his life back home? A They wanted to understand why he had left his country. the writer concludes that A he would prefer to be living in his own country. They are nearly impossible to walk on since you sink to your ankle-tops with each step. you just hear the sea. D he was respecting his parents' wishes. D he still has a lot to learn about the Canadian people. Instead. but along this stretch it consisted of small pebbles worn to a uniform smoothness by years of wave action. homesick. and began my walk midway along Chesil Beach. B. To the west of Weymouth stands the 80 kms long Lyme Bay. B. B life in his own country is very different to life in Canada. When the writer first arrived in Toronto. C They enjoyed the stories he told about it. D They were eager to get to know him better. At the end of the passage. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Therefore. Since the landscape just west of Weymouth is not particularly memorable. anxious. For questions 1-8. 7. C people from different cultures may be more similar than they realise.4 The writer decided to study law because A the course allowed him plenty of time to play baseball. excited. a bus pulled up. spread out in a higgledy-piggledy fashion across a duney landscape. The trick of successful walking. I was ready for a good sit-down and something to eat. and rounded it off with coffee and a generous piece of cheesecake. as if it had been built hurriedly. strange C. 1. characters B. they all looked as if they had just stepped out of a Ralph Lauren advertisement. I was impressed. wandered among the tables and even called on me. but the food smelled so wonderful and the atmosphere was so extraordinary that I found myself ordering like a king. an exquisite fillet of sea bass with green beans and a mountain of chips. I pulled out my map and realised with dismay that I was still 16 kms from Lyme Regis. I jumped aboard. and little by little they had begun introducing fresh fish and fancier foods and found that it was very popular. As for the customers. He told me that until ten years before the place had been just a normal cafe doing roast lunches and burger and chips. He was too tired and hungry to appreciate it. It lacked any kind of logical arrangement and had something of the air of a gold-rush town. It all rather went to my head. From the outside it looked nondescript. He wasn't able to walk along the beach. It was as if a little piece of London's Fulham or Chelsea had been magically transported to this little corner of the Dorset coast. B. 2. is knowing when to stop. Impulsively. the highest hill on the south coast. the celebrity chef. C. but I opened the door and found myself in the most extraordinary setting. trying to remember where I was. dashed past. D. As I stood there. It was quite extraordinary. My blisters throbbed. Taking a seat on a bench. West Bay is an odd little place. a jolly nice man named Arthur Watson. They all had jumpers hanging casually around their shoulders and sunglasses perched on their heads. He found the landscape of the area very dull. It was gone three when I emerged from the Riverside with a light head and heavy everything else. Now it was packed out every mealtime and had just been named the Good Food Guide's restaurant of the year for Dorset. As I sat there. and it looked poor and grey and battered by the sea. I had a starter of lobster terrine. early in the afternoon. Certainly I had never seen this kind of tempo outside a restaurant in London. I'm not usually much of one for lunch. He nodded. I hunted around for some place to eat and happened on a surprising establishment called the Riverside Cafe. standing between me and it. and I thought that was just wonderful. What is meant by "higgledy-piggledy"? A. Why was the writer disappointed with his walk at Lyme Bay? A. my stomach was grotesquely full and a light rain was beginning to fall. He hadn't expect it to be so noisy. but they still did burgers and they still did chips with everything. I always say. The place was buzzing.the water's edge. It was the most boring walk I've ever had. with the 190 m of Golden Cap. By the time I reached West Bay. Waiters and waitresses dashed everywhere trying to fulfil what appeared to be an inexhaustible demand to keep the customers fed. I got up and put my head in the open door. Keith Floyd. unattractive 29 . "Going west?" I said to the driver. The proprietor. my legs ached. the air thick with extremely loud chatter. 6. The writer uses the phrase 'it all rather went to my head' to help explain how the atmosphere in the restaurant caused him to A do something unusual. C busy. The owner told the writer that. B complete the rest of his journey by public transport. B feel confused. C end his journey there. What immediately surprises the writer about the Riverside Cafe? its extraordinary location the lively atmosphere inside its appealing name its ugly exterior 4 The writer tells us that the customers in the restaurant A made him feel unsuitably dressed. A the style of the food it served had hardly changed. B tired. B reminded him of the type of diners found somewhere else. 7. disorganized A B C D 3. D were extraordinarily demanding. B it was little known outside of Dorset. D rest a little longer before he continued his journey Exercise 8 30 . despite the restaurant becoming more successful. 8 After the writer left the restaurant. D change his mind about something.D. 5 The waiters and waitresses in the restaurant seemed very A efficient. C make a bad decision. D professional. D some of the food it served was the same as it had always been. he decided to A ask directions before continuing his journey. C seemed like they were enjoying themselves very much. C it was still very popular with the locals. furious blue eyes. Taking a deep breath. She wanted to look like a great actress.You are going to read an article in which a student describes her first day at college. much to my mother's shock. the new students enthusiastically explained their reasons for their longing for the stage. In celebration of this new beginning and higher status. I was under the impression that the best way to show your individuality and creativity was by wearing the kind of clothing that my despairing mother claimed was not fit to be seen in public. "My name's Tracy and I'm from Blackburn". One by one. while the head of the drama department. I had dressed quite nicely for my first day as a student. My alarm grew as it came closer to my turn. sweet smile. this girl stood out like a sore thumb. At 16. That was twenty-seven years ago. B. She was sitting alone at a table in the cafeteria still slumped in her chair. She felt it was appropriate to look neat and tidy. To my horror. All that was visible was a mop of untidy short brown hair and extraordinarily large.1 had been upgraded from lowly pupil to proud student upon enrolment at St. which was a bit embarrassing for a would-be actress. Why did the writer change her appearance for her first day at college? A. eating a bar of chocolate. without saying too much and sounding foolish. She briefly poked her chin above her collar and grunted. I had swapped my usual ripped jeans and sloppy jumpers for a pair of clean dungarees with a neatly pressed white shirt and. I would be spending the next two years on a drama foundation course. Then it was the turn of a girl who I hadn't really noticed until that moment because I was too busy panicking about what I would say. I had no idea what I would say in front of all these people. She then retreated like a turtle back into her shell leaving only her wild blue eyes on show and added no further information about herself. But for my first day as a student I had made an effort to look what my mother called 'respectable'. B. I managed to find the courage to go up to Tracy. Wilson at long last let us out of the hall to go to lunch. My mind went blank and my mouth dry in dread of making a complete idiot of myself within the first hour of my new life. C. looked fresh-faced and eager to please sitting bolt upright on the rickety chairs. She wanted to fit in with the other students. For questions 1-8. While all the other students. including me. I introduced myself. Everyone smiled politely in stunned silence but I was both impressed and relieved: I was impressed at her bravery in saying almost nothing even under pressure. There were fifteen of us. she looked up at me with her huge eyes and gave me a very bright. She looked very unfriendly and unapproachable. he then invited us to say a little bit about ourselves and why we had decided to do a drama course. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. It gave me the confidence to say just a few words. gave us a warm welcoming speech and told us all about the course we were about to start. we're still best friends. which I hoped would pave the way for me to become one of the great actresses of British theatre. 1. To my surprise. Like many young people my age. She was responding to pressure from her mother. sitting in a large circle on wobbly old chairs in the theatre hall. D. Mr Wilson. and relieved that you could get away line 30 with saying so little about yourself. choose the answer (A. She was slumped down so low in her chair and her jacket collar was pulled up so high that you could hardly see her face at all. and although we never did become famous stars of the stage or screen. I had actually brushed my hair. Anne's College of Further Education. After Mr. 31 . I was painfully shy. The truth was that despite a taste for unusual clothing. she became more confident about what she would say. What do we learn about the writer in paragraph 3? A. looked very uncomfortable. 4. 8. D. C. seemed as if she was in pain. B. to show how her first day at college changed her character D. She was afraid that she would find the course too demanding. she began to wonder if she had made the wrong choice of career. wasn't sitting with the others. the fact that all attention was currently on Tracy B. D. she seemed surprised that anyone had spoken to her. the fact that Tracy seemed anxious. A. B. she worried that she would embarrass herself in front of the others. too 7. She was unsure of her reason for wanting to do the course. She was not as extroverted as she may have seemed. When the writer tells us that the girl she had just noticed 'stood out like a sore thumb' . The writer tells us that as she waited to speak. their enthusiasm about the course D. D. A. to show how overcoming a fear led to meeting her best friend 32 . When the writer introduced herself to Tracy. C. C. Her clothing differed to other students'.2. B. D. she responded more positively than expected. the fact that Tracy hadn't said very much D. was noticeable as she was different to the others. the other students' reaction to Tracy C. 6. What was the writer's main purpose in writing the article? A. What does the underlined 'it' refer to? A. their determination to act C. their decision to do the course B. their strong desire for an acting career 5. she made it clear that she wanted to be by herself. What does 'their longing for the stage' mean? A. she found it hard to concentrate on what the others were saying. she totally ignored her and carried on eating. 3. to tell us how she felt on her first day at college B. C. B. to explain why she decided not to become an actress C. she means that she A. In China they can be huge. As Roberts writes his own scripts and musical scores. so I hardly noticed the transition from student to full-time professional puppeteer. it has been popular in many cultures and may have been the very first kind of theatre. like a smile on a puppet's face. Still. The Master Puppeteer Peter Roberts describes what it is like to work in the world of puppet theatre and explains what is so special about this art form. it is there forever. "People are quite often surprised to hear what I do for a living and have little appreciation of puppetry as a form of entertainment. and not just with the actual puppet making. Each one is carved out of English limewood and then painted. as it were.Exercise 9 You are going to read an article about a puppeteer. "They have to be strong enough to withstand a great deal. Learning mostly from books and personal experience. "as they are often thrown into boxes or dropped from a great height." Anyone interested in puppetry can be trained to assist. others are used for puppeteering workshops. but with over twenty years' experience. Roberts' fascination for puppets started when he received some beautiful glove puppets one Christmas. Puppet theatre companies in the U. For questions 1-8. with literally hundreds involved. "I was already spending. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. "By the time I left university. including a full orchestra! An important sideline for Roberts is designing figures for the film industry. This is a complicated and expensive business . but I've made some of my best puppets 'accidentally'. talented puppeteer Peter Roberts has earned himself the title 'master puppeteer' due to his extraordinary ability to transform puppets into believable. almost living characters. for example. Equally diverse is the audience he performs for. Once captured on computer. most of my free time carving puppets and putting on shows in the community." he explains. as there is relatively little money to be made in puppet making for theatre. choose the answer (A. I realised I had long since abandoned all thoughts of pursuing any other career!" The puppets are designed specifically for each show." Roberts says.it can take a whole day to perfect something." he explains. He started putting on shows with these for family and friends and then moved on to handmade Chinese string puppets. "Some come to be entranced with the puppets themselves." Roberts believes that this form of entertainment crosses international boundaries and can be appreciated by people of all ages and cultures. performers. which is extremely time-consuming. however.K. Watching wooden dolls come to life may not be one of the most popular forms of entertainment today." Some of his 'characters' then appear in exhibitions. musicians and even sound and lighting engineers. "A puppet show can involve anything from clowning to storytelling. "As the story is mainly communicated 33 . B. But while the exact origins of puppet theatre are unknown. According to Roberts: "Sometimes what you anticipate and what you actually create in the end are two very different things. while others enjoy the catchy tunes and witty dialogue. are usually small. but each one still needs writers. for Roberts it's traditional puppet shows that are his passion. he continued with his 'hobby' while studying for a degree in architecture." he explains. his shows are highly original. Roberts says 'it draws people in' to explain how puppet shows 34 ." he says. usually appeal to people with a good sense of humour. 6. B. Certainly the subject matter will be expected to be lighthearted rather than serious. usually appear in several different shows. theatres in the U. It is highly skilled art form. are made using a variety of techniques B. 1. B. aren't made to last. C. Roberts started working as a professional puppeteer A.K. Roberts is keen to point out that puppet theatre can often be used as an effective educational tool. or a way of keeping children entertained at birthday parties. The writer informs those who might be interested in puppetry that A. It's just so different from any other kind of theatre. puppet making for theatre shows 7. The puppets that Roberts designs A. C. 2. It is gaining popularity. C. it draws people in. Its value as an art form is not fully recognised. What do we learn about puppet theatre in the first paragraph? A. 5. D. when he realised he didn't want to be an architect. they more than likely think of The Muppet Show or the Punch and Judy show at the English seaside. sometimes turn out better than expected. However. they don't need any special skills to get involved. after doing a puppetry course. What does the underlined 'this' refer to? A. D. 3. we learn that Roberts believes that his shows A. need more people to get involved. 4. after leaving university.visually. Roberts' work for the film industry C. "Through the mouths of puppets come serious messages sometimes. The puppets come alive and immediately the audience are in a magical fantasyland. C. are mainly appreciated for their originality. D. while he was still a student. C. In the second paragraph. there are more ways to get involved than you might think. B. perfecting a detail of a puppet D. D." When most people hear the word 'puppetry'. are most suitable for a particular kind of audience. capturing figures on computer B. they would need to be able to work well in a team. B. D. offer something for everyone. It has always been highly valued as a form of entertainment. She tried to persuade herself that the papers she sent in neatly clipped and tied with green tape in the form of the exquisite. To type two pages of his small neat writing into something clear. C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Martha was left to 'keep her eyes open' until after the lunch hour.could offer her any kind of position. and she flung a dozen sheets of paper into the wastepaper basket. At the office that day. and pleasant to look at seemed to her. make an audience feel personally involved. C. but she had no: time to use them. Her eyes were certainly opened. asked. but merely nodded absentmindedly. attract large audiences. and when she came on: her face was hot with embarrassment. 8. and felt sick with envy. an impossibly difficult task. for long before that first document was finished. Martha could barely see where she was going as she left the office. she had learned to type at home. she had spent a month's holiday with him and his wife about four years before . Her fingers were heavy and trembling. She shrank under his impatient assurance that it did not matter in the least. It should be kept light-hearted. She was going to see if Mr Spur. It can be educational as well as entertaining. Its main purpose should be to educate. What would Roberts like people to understand about puppet theatre? A. were satisfactory. finally. she had to start afresh three times: and when he came to fetch it. What she must remember was that she had no qualifications whatsoever. and later Martha saw Mrs Buss doing 35 . B. whom she had known 'as a child' . D. For questions 1-8. Mrs Buss said nothing consoling. all that had been achieved were the words 'Memorandum of an Agreement of Sale' typed raggedly across the top of the sheet. are enjoyed by everyone. She was so tense.that is to say. several more arrived on her desk and it was lunch time before she knew it.A. Mrs Buss. She was in the building about half an hour. He went home without coming to her desk again. an old journalist. What she said to herself was. She stood at the corner of the street and watched a crowd of carefree young people going into McGrath's Hotel. She was filled with a violent revulsion against the law and everything connected with it. B. C. just then. Mr Max Cohen received them with a noncommittal glance and a nod. I won't spend the rest of my life typing this stupid jargon. and next morning she was at her desk in a very chastened frame of mind. and her head was thick. It had been so painful she could not bear to remember what had happened. Then Mr Max Cohen brought her a document to copy. on her way out. D. She understood. Then she crossed the street and went into the offices of the Zambesi News. "Have you got any certificates?" Martha said no. and she must take her time. and decided she would come early next morning and do it before anyone else arrived. the extent of the favour Mr Cohen was doing her. for her eyes were on the elegant Mrs Jasper Cohen. bring characters to life. faultless documents Mrs Buss turned out with such ease. B. choose the answer (A. Exercise 10 You are going to read an extract from a novel. It's not just a thing of the past. 2. She had handed in her work unfinished. who sat next to her said consolingly. The fair. Just do what you can get away with. She now realised she was lucky to have a job at all. to ask him for a job 6 How had Martha's attitude towards her job changed by the following day? A. Why did Martha find her first day at the office difficult? A. wondering what would happen. D. D. She seemed disinterested in her. C. D. she was taking too long to type them. the standard of her work was poor." Martha was offended. She was not used to working under pressure. She was given no more. She seemed to have taken a dislike to her. C. that's my motto. B. B. to help him out B. C. angry with Mrs Buss. The task given to her was very difficult. She was starting to feel more enthusiastic about it. B. She was now feeling more confident of her abilities. She had decided she would work better when the office was empty. She still hadn't handed in any work. When Maisie Gale says 'just do what you can get away with'. feeling sick and useless. to pay him a social call D. wishing that she could run away. 5 Why did Martha go to see Mr Spur? A. She was too nervous to think. 1. B. to ask him for advice C. B. Mrs Buss preferred to do them herself. C. she seemed to have been forgotten about. worried that she would lose her job. frustrated at her failure that day. 4 The writer tells us that Martha left the office feeling A. "Don't lose any sleep. 7. For a whole day she sat idle at her desk. plump girl. Maisie Gale. Martha was given no more documents to type because A. B. determined to find another occupation. C. She seemed concerned about her lack of qualifications.them again. what impression do we get of her attitude towards Martha? A. By the end of the day. D. She seemed eager to help her. which of the following was true of Martha? A. she is advising Martha to 36 . She knew that Mr Cohen was disappointed in her. She had made her mind up to try harder. C. D. and replied with a stiff smile. 8. D. 3 As Mrs Buss left the office. Mr Cohen was not easy to please. B. C. just do the best she can. do whatever is necessary to make a good impression. 37 . only do the least amount of work acceptable. do her best to find another job. D.A. .. In other hands this might have been confusing. he specializes in two very different disciplines: the study of animal behaviour and the history of science..........the study of birds........... not just about the birds themselves... John Ray.. Tim Birkhead is well qualified to examine the ways successive generations have tried to answer the fundamental questions about birds... John Ray travels through time to be the guest of honour at an International Ornithological Congress...... modern bird studies often give rise to new and even more complex inquiries......However....... As Birkhead says: 'He would be amazed by how much 38 ........ Unlike other histories of the subject.. Writing almost a century ago.... 3...... it is an unlikely but deserving one............. 5.. but Birkhead steers his narrative through this complex structure to tell a compelling story.. and much less about the final disposition of the untold thousands which are annually produced.... the German-American ornithologist Paul Bartsch drew attention to our ignorance about many aspects of bird behaviour: There are still many unsolved problems about bird life. journalists.. 4....... A professor at the University of Sheffield... Seven sentences have been removed from the article....... he ranges from Aristotle to modern scientists such as Peter Berthold. whose migration studies have revealed much about how birds migrate round the world............. is known about the laws and routes of migration.... In it. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use....' 2 . One of the most exciting things about the study of birds is that it is not yet complete.. For. too.yet there is still so much that we don't know.. If the book has a hero. Little. 7..... taxonomists and birders (including myself) have turned their attentions to this fascinating and complex topic.......... We may smile at the beliefs of our ancestors .. Birkhead begins and ends with a challenge to his colleagues: who is the greatest ever ornithologist? 6. The Wisdom of Birds does not take a chronological approach... But Birkhead's own choice is an often neglected seventeenth-century Englishman... in the past few years a clutch of scientists. but also about the people who have studied them. and the works they have produced. rather than dead ones in a museum.. So The Wisdom of Birds is lavishly illustrated with examples of bird art.............. .... Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7).....PART 3 Exercise 1 You are going to read a review of a book about ornithology . He launched the revolutionary concept of studying living birds in the field.. He is clearly passionate.. including many from the early works of ornithology. The Wisdom of Birds by Tim Birkhead Review by Stephen Moss You wait for one history of ornithology to come along and a whole flock appears over the horizon 1 ..........such as the notion that swallows spent their winter hibernating underwater . despite great progress........ .....' This is a fitting ending to a book that is one of the most entertaining..... are the easiest... These two interests come together in The Wisdom of Birds......... The angle of the wall can also make the climb more difficult.... The challenge can be to climb the highest you can get without falling off! 39 .. Instead...... body and emotions...... by how much more there is still to learn about birds.. B. Exercise 2 You are going to read a magazine article about the sport of climbing. 1... Aiming high Looking for a new sport that keeps you fit and gets the adrenaline flowing? How about climbing? You can climb indoors or out. of course.. 'Just as when you're skiing..... The subject was neglected for decades. Much the same could be said today.... spaced comfortably apart so that you can easily move your feet and hands from one to the other without too much trouble..' Trickier climbs have smaller holds that are harder to grip. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.. Seven sentences have been removed from the article.. G....... E..... Indoor walls can be from 7 to 16 metres. D... informative and enthusiastic accounts of the history of ornithology. These can be moved around and varied to make the climb more or less challenging . the idea can be to find the best way to get to the bottom without falling over ........ 'Big holds. Each wall has bolt-on holds (to place your feet and hands) of different shapes and sizes. The names they come up with are strong contenders... That kind of climb is called a Slab.......we know and. and the fine production of the book itself.... 'It's one of the few sports where you compete against yourself. from small walls or boulders to peaks anywhere in the world -once you get the hang of it! 'It's a sport that involves your mind... and of the many different ways in which we have observed.... moving back and forth across the centuries. the breeding cycle and migration. Birkhead explores ornithological themes such as birdsong... and they are spaced more awkwardly apart.... Some of them come in for particular criticism in the book.. studied and wondered about birds.and routes can be changed every few months. These...' 4............ although some centres have walls of 20 metres or more. H.. The Wisdom of Birds concludes with a striking image. Is the idea to find the fastest way to the top? 'It's to find the route to the top!' laughs Graeme Alderson of the British Mountaineering Council..' John Gibbons of London's Westway sports centre says. C... '2 . You may be part of a club and climbing with others but you are seeing how good you can be...... F. A.. add immensely to the reader's satisfaction.' John explains... 3 . Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7)....not necessarily the fastest.. 'Many people have started off with climbing walls and then climbed all over the world... We've found an online Extreme Climbing game to test your skills and get you started. You will also find lots of great links to sites with videos of climbers in action...' says Neil Wightwick of the Glasgow Climbing Centre. And... as well as links to nationwide climbing centres. naming the new peaks you scale. let alone in public. With them.. F.Falling is not a problem at climbing centres. 1 .. friends of all abilities can climb together and enjoy it. 'One member nf the team named a peak after himself!' 7.... my 14-year-old daughter. you can find out on our website........ This month..... including 40 .. I'm intimidated by the idea of putting pencil to paper in the privacy of my own home.. Not everyone gets to the top of their climbs. If you do one of those. Exercise 3 You are going to read an article about a series of events in Britain which aim to encourage people to draw...... to help you get climbing yourself. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. H... Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7)... you dangle safely in your harness away from the climbing wall. hundreds of venues across Britain. If that happens. Or you can use it to work out what level of climb you would be able to do outside. unlike other sports.. to a weekend of art workshops launching Britain's ninth annual Big Draw. Well... 6 . so while you are climbing. you can gently climb to the top without any difficulty...... When you climb.... A device called a belay holds it taut... the rope is kept firm in case you slip... E.. You can enjoy climbing on indoor walls as a sport.. G... you are attached by a harness to a rope looped to a firm anchor at the top of the wall and held by your instructor or one of your team mates at the bottom... The Big Draw Emily Baker rediscovers the simple joy of putting pencil to paper I don't draw.. who is just as daunted but better at pretending she isn't... though. C. B.. You can climb anything from a small boulder to Mount Everest. 5...... Seven sentences have been removed from the article..... Maybe you'd like a go at climbing but don't know where to start.. you don't plunge to the ground.... Instead.. both inside and out.' he continues. you have to think more about how to move... That's because some climbs look easier than they really are. ..... I've come with Zoe.... D. A.... A group of us named five peaks in Chile.. This would delight the founders of the Campaign for Drawing. D. In another session.. but I can't forget the peace. are inspired..' says Sue Grayson Ford.. hopefully.. . One elderly woman. who says. 7..Drawing is such a natural form of expression.' says Grayson Ford.. as well as programmes in America and Europe.. will encourage people to return to that uninhibited age.... As I move coloured pencils around the paper. I think I'm going to do that straight away. Grayson Ford didn't imagine that it would expand to include 1000 British events this year.' Well. '2 .... we design placards about how the media portrays body image..... Later.. 4 I find I am thinking less about my artistic output and more about how we see the world.. that's a relief.. But here I am in a drawing workshop.. He felt that if we observed the world more closely. E... our works are hung on the wall among a weekend's worth of contributions to form a canvas.... professional artists show us how to draw cartoon characters...... who runs the Campaign for Drawing. We then learn how to make them move under the guidance of an animator. historic sites and schools will be hosting free events designed to encourage people to draw... museums. The charity is dedicated to the principles of the nineteenth-century critic John Ruskin.... they become self-conscious about drawing and give up. surrounded by strangers and professional artists. 41 .. we would take better care of it. I look around the room.. Virtually every discipline from drama to science uses drawing as a basic form of communication. C. But this has made me feel like taking it up again...' Her words are echoed by our first workshop leader. 'I was just thinking I might invest in a sketch pad. He believed that art was more about what you see than what is drawn... Workshop topics range from an Etch-a-Sketch competition in Newcastle to making pop-up buildings for a paper city in Manchester. the charity that sponsors the Big Draw and other events... However.. It's our universal language.... but many.. A... On the way home Zoe asks me why I'm smiling. We are drawing pictures inspired by words listed on a card.' Parents often notice that as children grow up. In fact. I'm not sure how many of those at the workshops are thinking about John Ruskin. I'm still pretty inhibited at the end of the day.... I begin to feel relaxed. B. It's about recognizing that drawing is a way of engaging with the world. When we are finished.' I say.libraries.' Nine years ago the Campaign for Drawing launched the first Big Draw in the subway tunnel beneath the Science and Victoria and Albert Museums in London. 'It's less about what you put on the paper than what you see.. 3 . there with her two granddaughters.. 5 . pauses to note: 'I haven't drawn for years....... '6 .. 'The Big Draw. F. 'The Big Draw is not about perfecting your artistic technique. some require advance registration.. including me. ' Neil Gurney... I didn't know about this failing on my part until I took the course. Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). I realized that what I hadn't been doing was asking our customers what their thoughts and feelings were in relation to the facts that I was 42 . These graduates from the pilot course said it had taught them a new approach.. 'I thought I was very successful on the telephone in presenting information and selling to our customers. The course combines 30 hours of tutorial with 350 hours of desk-based. monitored by a process that takes up to 15 minutes at the end of each day and requires people on the course to record their day's call experiences.. 2. a lot more easily gain a lot more success from it.. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. It has shown us that we can do it a lot better. It's a shame that that happens.... a telephone sales agent.. writes Andrew Cave The students wore gowns and mortar boards and received their qualifications at an official presentation. said. reinforcing this with regular measurement and assessment in their daily jobs...... courtesy of a level-five diploma in sales. Taking tele-sales to a new level A telephone skills coarse offers employees a professional qualification.. who has 20 years of experience in sales and training........ '5 . said the training had an 'astounding' and 'outstanding' effect on the company's best salespeople. Chris Howell. 'What the course has taught us is that what we've been doing just one way of doing things. H..' One thing in particular that he said he had learned is how to compliment people over the phone. The course is run by Simon Bell. practical learning.. a sales manager. the building society's head of people development.The rest did so and felt that they learnt a lot. manageable and sustainable selling'.. added.G.. But the 10 graduates who picked up their certificates in Cheltenham were no usual students.... The graduation ceremony marked the end of the first pilot scheme by Chelsea Building Society. Children and adults sit engrossed in what they are doing.. The remainder of the course takes place at work. They became Britain's first graduates in advanced telephone skills. The members of this class were all call centre and branch employees who had studied one day a month in formal. Mark Higgins.. Seven sentences have been removed from the article.. call centre of 120 staff and 33 branches.. 4 ....' he said. Mr Higgins did not disclose the actual increase in sales performances achieved by the course s graduates but said they were encouraging enough for the company to want to roll out the scheme across its 300-strong workforce... 6 . 'People appreciate it. and says he has created a course that focuses on 'enjoyable... 1 . Exercise 4 You are going to read an article about a course for people whose jobs involve talking to customers on the telephone. 3... work-based training. ' A The idea is that this results from developing a good relationship with customers.making telephone calls and engaging customers in conversation. the depth of academic study that we've covered is unbelievable. E Instead of carrying out a three-year degree course. F For this reason. there was something missing. What could be simpler? 7 ... H However.. said.. Now I really engage with them.. From my perspective. there is a need for professional qualifications.presenting. B But in fact there's an awful lot more to it than meets the eye. D Only one of the original 11 people on the course failed to complete it.' Gethin Evans. 'This traning deals with something that on the surface is very straightforward . they had toiled for just five months. Our customers are responding and the impact that it's having on them is probably as profound as it is on the people taking the course. G Each module includes a day of formal training. C It's easy and you get great results from it. the company's training manager. getting their feedback so that I can best meet the needs of the customer. 43 .. I had no idea there would be so much information that enriches a telephone conversation. choose from the people (A-D). children getting upset if they are not chosen for a show? the number of children performing in a show? 1 2 3 children providing assistance during a show? the need for a child performer to be noticeable during a show? 4 5 a desire to continue being involved in shows? 6 a common opinion of child performers? the maximum amount of time children spend performing in a show? an example of how a child being in a show can cause inconvenience? different feelings experienced during a performance? the range of abilities children acquire from performing in a show? finding out what happens after a child is chosen for a show? a reason for not continuing to be involved in shows? 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 a belief that it is not a good idea for children to be performers? 44 . The people may be chosen more than once..PART 4 Exercise 1 You are going to read a magazine article about children performing in musical shows in theatres. For questions (1-15). Which person mentions .. At the end of each audition. and this makes it hard to plan anything.14 the fact that a child may suddenly be required for a performance? 15 An unfortunate result of being performer concerning school Kids on stage Children are performing in popular musicals in many London theatres. I start by contacting agents and telling them what I need. A THE DIRECTOR Andrew Tyler chooses children to appear in stage musicals I'm not only looking for children who can sing. I took him to a series of four auditions and he got the part. though I'm not sure I want it to be my career. I thought it was horrible. the head of the school suggested that he was good enough to audition for this musical. but they have a great time and they learn an enormous amount about discipline. but acting and singing are great. they also have to have lively personalities and a lot of confidence . teamwork and concentration.they remind me about what I have to do next and encourage me a lot.the age range is five to thirteen. we were given the schedule for the ten weeks of rehearsals . But he also has to be available at short notice to replace a child who is ill. and then I hold auditions for as many children as I can.there are usually three teams of children for each show and they perform according to a rota system. I want to keep on performing in musicals for the next few years at least. dance and act. which is a shame because I'd like to do that too.I hadn't realized how much time would be taken up. 45 . I've got quite a big part and have to sing a song all by myself in one scene. I'm one of the youngest children in the show . I draw up the contracts for them and the schedule for performances . dozens of children burst into tears when they were told that they hadn't been successful . as well as special skills such as choreography and singing. C THE STAGE MOTHER Anita Benfield's son Tom is currently appearing in a popular musical in London Tom started going to a local drama school when he was five. We'd had no experience of the audition process and although he got the part.for the parents as much as the children. Last year. I don't choose them. B THE YOUNG PERFORMER Emily Could is currently appearing in a popular London show I love musicals and I'm thrilled to be in this one. I'm always pretty nervous during each performance because I'm worried that I might make a mistake. When the performances start. When Tom got chosen. We talked to various people about the phenomenon of children on stage. When the children have been chosen. The older children are good to me . But at the same time I'm excited about doing it and I feel quite proud of myself when I'm on the stage. I don't have time to be in any of the sports teams at school. The vast majority of the children get rejected. we can't book a holiday and recently we weren't able to attend a family wedding.they were absolutely devastated. When I'm working on a show. you get a timetable of the performances the child will be appearing in. Because of that.it's essential that they grab the audience's attention and if they can't do that. It's all rather exhausting . No child is in a show for more than six months. Being in a show is tiring for the children because they have to combine it with going to school. By the time I was ten. People in the business tend to think that they aren't capable of developing into good adult performers and they aren't taken seriously when they're older. The authors may be chosen more than once. if they want to. I'd been in a number of stage musicals and also appeared in various TV series. For questions (1-15). Which author .I didn't want to give up so much time to do it. I stopped performing because I developed other interests and lost my enthusiasm for it .I think performing can be very stressful for children and I think it's much better for children to concentrate on getting a good education and then train to be a performer when they're older.D THE EX-CHILD STAR Ian Miller was a child star in the 1980s My parents were very keen for me to be on the stage and I showed a lot of talent for it when I was a child. feels that she is not completely in control when she is writing? 1 took action in response to someone's negative view of her chances of getting 2 her work accepted thinks that her current working arrangement may not be permanent? 3 decides when information given in her books does not have to be true? 4 did something dishonest while trying to get her work accepted? 5 is unwilling to do a great deal of background work for her books? 6 was offered her first contract as a result of an earlier success? 7 makes sure that her books contain strange elements? 8 got great pleasure from carrying out a certain process repeatedly? 9 draws attention to the likelihood of a new author getting their work 10 accepted? 46 | ^ ^] . choose from the authors (A-D). Lots of child performers don't go on to become successful adult performers even if they want to. I wanted to do what my friends were doing. Exercise 2 You are going to read a magazine article about various authors. I don't want my own children to do it . I enjoyed my time as a child performer but I didn't miss it when I stopped... When I went to secondary school. Some illustrations take hours. 47 . I found an agent. 100 are rejected. but I'm not sure how long I'll be able to stand working by myself. on promotional work. you're on the right track. If. B LAUREN CHILD She writes and illustrates children's books for two to 10-year-olds. For each. so I sacked him and wrote my next novel.000 titles are published in the UK every year. as so many people were positive about it. I've just bought a new house and have a studio.making lampshades. knowing this. and I prefer having other people around. He got me a deal for both novels. Eventually I got a deal and was asked to do a second book. MY BIG BREAK: I was a full-time teacher and made time to write my first novel before and after school. but didn't get a deal for five years. which my next agent loved. A JOANNE HARRIS Her novels have attracted millions of fans worldwide. Now.wants people to be cheered up by her books? 11 feels that it is an advantage that people give her their sincere views on her 12 work? EZH recommends analysing various aspects of other authors' books? 13 leaves sentences incomplete while she is writing? 14 felt that her job was taking up too much of her attention? 15 The bestsellers book club Fancy being an author? We asked some of Britain's favourite best-selling writers to share the secrets of their success. I found one. but when I'm at home I work in my library. working as an assistant to artist Damien Hirst (I painted a lot of the spots on his paintings). you still want to write and you love it. but he got discouraged when my manuscripts were rejected. HOW I WORK: I travel a lot. luck and hard work. HOW I WORK: In the early days I used to work while I answered the phones at a graphic design agency. You need ability. I wrote my first book in the hope it would become an animation. THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: I don't believe in a magic wand. Then I spent a fortune on posting manuscripts to agents. looking out onto the garden. so I stick to subjects I know about. MY BIG BREAK: After school. Then I did all sorts of jobs . It took two years. MY BEST ADVICE: 100. I didn't lose heart. I did an art course. I don't want to do lots of research. Always. I want them to giggle. C FREYA NORTH She writes lively. Then I worked for a publishing company and realized I needed an agent. 48 . but all I could think about was work on Monday. It could be the most intricate plot in the world.children really like the more bizarre moments in life. THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: I keep stories simple. HOW I WORK: I have a routine: in the morning. MY BEST ADVICE: Read bad books and work out what makes them bad. Read the books you love and work out why you love them. no one will care. edit everything from the previous day. The sheer joy of typing then deleting stuff was compulsive and I started to write fiction that I actually wanted to read. Write what you will really. MY BIG BREAK: I was a veterinary anaesthetist. It's as if the story and the characters have taken me over and I have to struggle to keep up! MY BEST ADVICE: Let your character dictate the story. I presumed I was doing something wrong. THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: I'm good at judging what needs to be factual and what I can make up. And you can't please everyone . fast-paced fiction. THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: I write simply and keep chapters short so my readers can enjoy them on journeys home at the end of a bad day. I sent my manuscript with fake reviews I'd made up myself to lots of agents. On my 30th birthday. but if the characters aren't 'real'. After four years of rejections. but now I go to the library. really want to read. but always add a quirky touch .MY BEST ADVICE: Read as much as you can before you even think of writing.above all. HOW I WORK: I used to work at our kitchen table. I was among the finalists in a writing competition and from that got a deal for my first book. then I walk my dogs and write in the afternoon. I never interrupt the flow and just throw in asterisks if I can't think of an adjective. I was climbing a mountain and I was happy. D MANDA SCOTT She has written a cult series of historical novels. One took me on and got me a three-book deal. I also have a very honest audience who tell me what they think. MY BIG BREAK: I was doing a PhD in Art History and bought a computer. I decided to follow my heart and make a living from writing. your work must interest you. Touch-typing was the best thing I ever learnt. Inventors had first begun to wrestle with the challenge of coming up with a human-powered vehicle in the 17th century.Exercise 3 You are going to read a magazine article about the history of the bicycle. which said darkly that the hobbyhorse could cause 'internal injuries'. Even Britain's top engineer. B . Brilliant minds continued to wrestle with the mechanical horse but made slow progress. a French doctor used his manservant to power a pedal-driven carriage while the master sat up front and steered. and it soon became a much sought-after status symbol. 10 11 12 people riding a certain product in order to impress others j J 13 the motivation of one set of people for changing bicycle design | 14 an account of a remarkable achievement 15 Wheels that changed the world A The bicycle was an absolutely extraordinary creation.the hobbyhorse could be afforded only by true gentlemen. invented what we now know as the hobbyhorse. In 1696. But the craze died out after a year following a statement from the London College of Surgeons. It was bicycle-shaped with wooden wheels but had no pedals: the rider had to push it forward with his feet. The sections may be chosen more than once In which section of the article are the following mentioned? features that were not added because they were considered problematic 1 a design that is exactly the same as that of current products 2 a product that became popular despite its price in comparison with an existing product a dramatic reaction to a particular sight 3 ! 4 a design feature that it was felt would not appeal to men j 5 a warning that affected the appeal of a certain product 6 a design that required more than one person to operate the vehicle j 7 an attempt to get publicity j 8 the possibility of injury because of where the rider sat products that were introduced to compensate for a disadvantage of another product an aspect of design that limited the number of people who could use a certain product a design that some manufacturers felt would not become popular 9 . could come up with nothing better than a hobbyhorse that ran on 49 . At £8 . an eccentric German baron. Isambard Kingdom Brunei. The beginnings of the modern bicycle emerged in 1818 when Karl von Drais. For questions (1-15) choose from the sections of the article (A-D).equivalent today to £500 . so women were effectively barred from bicycles. it weighed as much as a fridge but was easy to ride and took a man up to five miles with the effort he would use to walk only one. Not to be outdone by their French counterparts. the first model to adopt what we now think of as the traditional design. which made riding in a skirt impossible. as it had a chain-driven rear wheel. The bicycle was found in every walk of life: policemen and postmen had them and several European armies issued them to their soldiers. the diamond-shaped frame. Michaux was soon producing 20 bicycles a day. The penny farthing's biggest drawback was its danger: the high seat was difficult to climb into. and the bicycle was born. Made largely of iron. and a low seat. But it turned out to be faster than a penny farthing because it was more aerodynamic. the Rover could be ridden in a skirt. only twice the weight of a bike today. so designers could increase top speed only by increasing the size of the front wheel. a Parisian blacksmith called Pierre Michaux added a pair of pedals to a hobbyhorse. manufacturers developed tricycles with low seats. and once up there the driver had a long way to fall. John Starley launched the Rover Safety Bicycle. the ladies raced off. but when the four lady racers made their appearance in short skirts. 50 . there were 50. The bicycle industry was unimpressed. Nevertheless. D. Between 1890 and 1900. A racecourse in Bordeaux was roped off. Lightweight steel tubing. Top speeds of 25 mph could now be reached. gears and pneumatic tyres with separate inner tubes all became common. but the rider's seat was directly above the front wheel. it was more expensive than a penny farthing. the bicycle was refined until the basic design became very similar to the featherweights that modern champions ride in the Tour de France. the crowd of 3. Michaux's first newspaper advertisement in May 1867 offered 'pedal velocipedes' for 250 francs.000 burst through the barriers. The Michaux bicycle had pedals fixed directly to the front wheel. C. which added weight. At this price only the wealthy could afford one and a group of 20 young men spent their days showing off their 'steeds' before fascinated crowds in the Bois de Boulogne. but Miss Julie made a 'superhuman effort'. Finally.railway tracks. To make up for it. and decided to organize a women's race as a stunt to boost his sales further. At £22. which made male riders look a bit ridiculous. The weight was reduced to a mere 441b. in 1887. just like a child's tricycle today. Within a year. Gears and chains were still thought too heavy and complex to be fitted to a bicycle. A contemporary report recorded that Miss Louise took an early lead. passing her on the home straight and winning by a nose. In 1885. British engineers set about improving bicycle design with wire-spoked wheels and solid rubber tyres. Eventually front wheels grew until they were 5ft and the penny farthing was born. but its practicality was just what the public wanted.000 bicycles in France. More importantly. Speeds of 20 mph were now possible. At last the cyclist could outrun a galloping horse. Soon there were half a million bicycles in the UK. Use of English. (2005). Mann. First Certificate Practice Tests. Osbone. Burlington Books. Oxford: Macmillan . FCE Practice exam papers 2. Berkshire: Express Publishing. Cambridge First Certificate Reaading. Cambridge First Certificate in English 5. & Taylore-Knowles.References Acklam. S. Pearson Longman. FCE Testbuilder . & Crace. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Roberts. FCE Practice Tests. Going for Gold. Simmons. (2008). (2008). (2008). (2008). (2010). A. Berkshire: Express Publishing. HEINLE CENGAGE Learning.. V. P.. R. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press . (2005). Mastering the FCE Examination. C. 51 . M. A. V. Harrison. (2008). Evans. M. Evans. Oxford: Macmillan . Harrison. M. Oxford: Oxford University Press. FCE Practice exam papers 1. (2008). (2008). A Exercise 5 1.C 5.B 6. C 7. 3.A 8. A 5.C 8.C 52 .B 6. A 7.B 6.B Exercise 5 1.C 4. B 3. E PART 2 Exercise 1 1. H 7. D 3. D 3.C Exercise 3 1.C 7. A 3. C 5. D 2. B 2. G 3. D 3.A 4. C 5. B 2. E Exercise 2 1. H 2. H 7. B 2.D 5. C 3.C 6. B 3.C 4. 2.B 4. D 2. 5. F 6. G 2.C 7.B 6. B 2.D 8. D 5. F 6. H Exercise 4 1.D 5. F 4.ANSWER KEY READING PART 1 Exercise 1 1. 4. Exercise 3 1. E 2.C 4. D 2.A Exercise 6 1. A 3. G 4.D 5. C 4. G 6. A Exercise 2 1.C 8. A 4. C 8. D 5.D 7.A 7.B 7. C 4.C 5. B 6.A 8.A Exercise 4 1. C 3. 6. B 6. G 7.C 7.D 4.D 13.C 8.A 3.A 5.D Exercise 3 1.D 6. B 2.C 6.B 10.B Exercise 2 1.A 11.G 3.C 2.H 7.D 2.B Exercise 4 1.B 6.A 2. B Part 3 Exercise 1 1.A 8.B 4.B 3.C 12.C 15.B 4.C 4.B 4.B 4.C 12. C 2.B 7.B 5. D 2.B 7.D 8.A 7.A 5.A 3.Exercise 7 1.D 13.A 11.D 6.F 3.A 5.D 5.D Exercise 9 1.G 4.D 14.C 3.A 3.F 6.D 8. D 3.A 4.B Exercise 8 1.C 15.A 7. A 3.H 5.A 8.D Exercise 10 1.E 7.H 5.A 8.C 7.C 15.C 2.F Exercise 2 1.B 9.C 6.A 3.A 4.C 10.B 5.C 6.C 5.B 53 .A 7.D 5.H 4.E 6.D 14.E 2. C 2.B 6.B 13.C 6.C 10.E Part 4 Exercise 1 1.D 5.C 9.D 6.C 12.C 11.B Exercise 3 1.B 14. A 2. G 7.B 4.C 8.B 9.C 2. B 3.