TESTING READING-A2+

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LEVEL A2+ PRE-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL B1 INTERMEDIATE

1. AMAZING OTTERS 2. SONG BIRDS MUST HI HIGHER NOTES TO SURVIVE IN CITY 3. PROTESTERS GIVE STARS' FUR COATS TO THE HOMELESS 4. THE SIGHTING 5. PULLING OUR LEGS 6. ANOREXIA 7. THE ART OF JACK LEMMON 8. GEORGE HARRISON, ROCK PIONEER 9. THE MAKING OF MAUVE 10. MICE PASS THE CHEESE FOR SIREN SCENT OF HLATE 11. DENTIST "DRILLED HEALTHY TOOTH TO PUNISH PATIENT" 12. MONA LISA 13. WHAT A COMEBACK 14. HOW TO SKIVE 15. MAGICAL BEASTS 16. THE BAG WE LIVE IN 17. THE STORY OF RUBBER 18. THE LUCKIEST SANDWICH IN THE WORLD 19. RIP VAN WINKLE 20. GARDEN ART 21. RACE AGAINST DEATH 22. TRAPPED 23. WARNING OF RSI RISK IN COMPUTER GAMES 24. A LESSON IN HONESTY 25. HOME LESSONS FOR GIRLS UPBRAIDED OVER HAIR EXTENSIONS 26. KILLER ROBOTS 27. DARKNESS AND LIGHT 28. TEENAGERS ARE BULLIED BY TEXT MESSAGES 29. AWAY FROM IT ALL 30. THE LIVER

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31. RIVER OF LIFE: BLOOD 32. KINGDOM FUNGI 33. ALIEN INVASION 34. WHY RABBIT HAS NO FIERCE CLAWS 35. DIAMONDS 36. DESERT 37. DELAWARE INDIANS 38. THE ATOCHA 39. CRICKET AND MOUNTAIN LION 40. JOAN OF ARC 41. THE BULLYING EPIDEMIC 42. SCHOOLS TOLD TO LET PUPILS TAKE WATER INTO LESSONS 43. DOWDY WOMEN "PREFER WIMPS" 44. SCHOOLS IN FIZZY DRINKS SCANDAL 45. A MIRACLE CURE 46. THE DINNER PARTY 47. THE KING IS DEAD: LONG LIVE THE KING! 48. USEFUL DEVICES 49. HITTING THE JACKPOT 50. BACTERIA 51. WEAR A HELMET 52. PEGASUS 53. PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN 54. PLATYPUS 55. LONDON'S TEENS 56. ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER 57. JACQUES COUSTEAU: A REMARKABLE MAN 58. THE JUMPING FROG 59. PALMISTRY

OTHER TESTS - A2

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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1. AMAZING OTTERS Level A2+ pre-intermediate Sea otters are amazing creatures. Even though they are mammals, they spend almost their

entire lives in the sea.

Otters' bodies are built to swim in the water. All sea otters have fine, soft fur to keep them

warm when they are wet. To help them swim, they have webbed back feet which look a little like

flippers. Sea otters have an unusual way of eating. They can find food by diving deep into the

water. When it is time to eat, they float on their backs.

They place flat rocks on their chests or bellies and crack clams and crabs against the rocks to

open them.

Sea otters do everything in the water - even sleep! They sleep in the water by floating on their

backs and wrapping themselves in seaweed.

That way, the water won't carry them away as they doze.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to the text sea otters are not....

a) remarkable divers

b) skillful hunters

c) amazing creepers

d) very surprising creatures

2. Why do sea otters wrap themselves in seaweed?

a) To keep them warm.

b) Not to be driven away.

c) Not to be drowned.

d) To protect themselves.

3. What can't sea otters do?

a) Duck under water.

b) Splash in water.

c) Dip under water.

d) Belly in water.

4. Being wrapped in seaweed sea otters a) drowse and drift

b) float and snore

c) doze and sneeze

d) d) nap and sink

5. Sea otters have ....

a) little flippers

b) webbed backs

c) toes joined by pieces of skin

d) scaled back feet

6. Sea otters are ....

a) vertebrates

b) feathered creatures

c) finny mammals

d) fish-eating animals that cut down trees with their teeth and build dams across rivers

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2. SONG BIRDS MUST HI HIGHER NOTES TO SURVIVE IN CITY By Roger Highfield

Urban song birds are raising the pitch of their voices to make themselves heard above the

background roar of the city, scientists report today.

But the sounds of city life may be harming the chaffinch, dunnock and other birds whose

vocal range is unable to soar above the din.

Loud and low noise sources such as cars, planes, and machinery are placing new selection

pressure on species that rely on sound to attract mates and define territories.

This has been observed for the first time in great tits which have been found to sing higher

notes near major roads and busy intersections, a ploy that could allow these urban birds to ensure

that their mating calls are heard above the racket.

Birds in quieter spots such as residential neighbourhoods, on the other hand, more often dip

to the bottom of their vocal register, a Dutch team reports today in Nature.

City-dwelling birds seem to be tailoring their songs to ensure maximum success with the

opposite sex against a background of low-frequency urban rumblings.

Any bird species that produces songs within the frequency range of urban pollution and lack

the ability to adapt their songs so they are heard, may find it difficult to breed in built-up areas.

"Birds like the crested lark and golden oriole are disappearing or have disappeared from

Dutch cities and, among several other factors (loss of habitat, lack of food sources, loss of nesting

sites) masking of their advertisement song by ambient noise may have played a role," Dr

Slabbekoorn said.


1. What do urban song birds do to attract mates?

a) Soar above the din. b) Hoist the tone of their singing.

c) Pitch feathers. d) Lower frequency of urban rumblings.

2. The city sounds may be harmful to ....

a) birds which do not have voices of great compass

b) birds whose pitch of their voices is heard above the racket

c) dunnock and chaffinch which dip to the bottom of their vocal register

d) birds that rely on the opposite sex

3. All the words are the synonyms, except....

a) din b) racket

c) rumbling d) calamity

4. City-dwelling birds have to ... to survive in the city.

a) place pressure on other species

b) hit busy intersections

c) make high musical sounds

d) sing hits

5. According to the text everything is true, except "Some birds have disappeared from

Dutch cities because ...".

a) they couldn't breed in b) they lost habitat

c) there was not enough food d) ambient noise masked their voices

6. Birds in residential neighbourhoods ....

a) ensure maximum success with mates

b) define territories with nests

c) lower level of their vocal range

d) register higher notes near major roads

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3.PROTESTERS GIVE STARS' FUR COATS TO THE HOMELESS By Sarah Womack

Homeless people in Liverpool are being offered unwanted fur coats by an anti-fur protest

group. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it had received coats from various people,

including celebrities, who had a change of heart about wearing them.

A spokesman said: "We can't bring these animals back, but we can send a message that only

people struggling to survive have any excuse for wearing them".

But a spokesman for the Big Issue, the magazine sold by homeless people to raise money,

appeared to cast doubt on whether rough sleepers would accept them.

"If any of our vendors were offered a fur coat through another agency, it would be purely a

personal decision as to whether they would accept it," he said. "Homeless people, like everyone

else, will have their own opinions on such matters."

PETA previously buried or burned unwanted furs but said it had decided to donate them to

people facing winter on the streets and would hand over 50 fur coats to homeless people next

week.


1. In Liverpool an anti-fur protest group offered unwanted fur coats to ....

a) helpless people

b) people who have no abode

c) orphans

d) people who live in asylums

2. "To cast doubt" means ....

a) to sow dissension

b) to get rid of doubt

c) to hurl reproaches

d) to sow a feeling of uncertainty

3. Famous people part with their fur coats because they ....

a) changed their views

b) are not trendy

c) are received from various people

d) cause heart attacks

4. According to the text, a spokesman is a ....

a) person who chatters a lot

b) person who picks up gossips about celebrities

c) member of an anti-fur protest group

d) person who sends messages

5. "Rough sleepers" can be substituted by ....

a) disabled people

b) sleepy heads

c) the destitute

d) coarse people

6. Who would have a personal decision as to whether they would accept a fur coat?

a) Consumers.

b) Shoplifters.

c) Purchasers.

d) Shop assistants.

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4. THE SIGHTING I will never forget the first time I saw the glowing, orange lights in the night sky. I was ten

years old, and it was just after a late family dinner. It was my turn to take out the garbage, so I

was walking to the garage when it happened. I heard a rumbling that sounded like thunder, but

there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

I looked up and that's when I saw the lights. They were orange and hovering in the sky

above my head. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up, and a chill ran down my spine.

It wasn't the last time I would see the lights.

But years later, I found out that military helicopters were being tested at the naval base near

my house!


1. The lights in the sky were ....

a) glowing and white

b) orange and bright

c) dim and white

d) orange and diffused

2. What was the child's duty that day?

a) To clean the garage.

b) To throw out the rubbish.

c) To cook dinner.

d) To pick up the garbage.

3. The child heard... .

a) thunder

b) hooter

c) din

d) weeping

4. The sky was ... that day.

a) somber

b) cloudy

c) stormy

d) clear

5. The child was not....

a) scared

b) terrified

c) abducted

d) petrified

6. What did the lights do above the child's head?

a) Soared.

b) Glittered.

c) Died out.

d) Rumbled.

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5.PULLING OUR LEGS For thirty-five years Bigfoot ranked with the Loch Ness Monster and the Yeti as one of the

world's scariest monsters. An entire industry grew up around the mysterious giant ape. For many

people Bigfoot became an obsessive quest. Dozens of guide books now exist, and for years there

have been tours offering to help the Bigfoot hunters search for sightings. There's even an

International Bigfoot Society in Hillsboro, Oregon.

It all began in 1958 when Jerry Crew, a construction worker in Ray Wallace's company,

discovered a series of huge footprints in the dense forests of northwest America. The footprints had

actually been made by Ray Wallace as a joke intended to give Jerry Crew a bit of a fright.

However, the local newspapers in Eureka, California, ran a front-page story about the discovery the

next day and made up the nickname "Bigfoot" to describe the mysterious creature that had made the

footprints.

As a result, Ray Wallace persuaded his wife, Elna, to dress up in an ape suit with giant feet

stuck to the bottom of her own feet.

Ray Wallace told Roger Patterson, a rodeo rider, where he should go to spot Bigfoot, and

sure enough Patterson was able to catch a brief glimpse of "Bigfoot" and managed to take what

is now the famous picture of the ape walking upright. There were subsequent grainy photos of

Bigfoot eating elk and frogs, but these were all members of Wallace's family (but usually Elna)

dressed in a giant ape suit. Wallace's nephew recently told reporters: "He did it for a joke and then

he was afraid to tell anyone in case they got mad at him". The family finally told the truth about

their secret in November 2002 after Ray Wallace died at the age of 84.


1. Elna dressed up in an ape suit because Ray ... her to do it.

a) fostered b) urged

c) encouraged d) coaxed

2. Ape is a (an)....

a) extinct monkey b) huge man with strange footprints

c) enormous animal like a monkey d) giant monster

3. According to the text everything is true, except....

a) hunters sighed for "Bigfoot"

b) the whole industry emerged around "Bigfoot"

c) a lot of guide books were printed about "Bigfoot"

d) many people were haunted in their minds by "Bigfoot"

4. Hunters looked for ... .

a) footprints of an ogre b) tissue of "Bigfoot's" feet

c) an occasion to meet "Bigfoot" d) fossils of a giant ape

5. "Bigfoot" is famous for its huge ....

a) crest b) tracks

c) udder d) mane

6. "To spot Bigfoot" means ....

a) to notice and photograph b) to see and recognise

c) to catch and set free d) to trap and kill

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6.ANOREXIA Anorexia is a dangerous eating disorder which often starts in the teenage years. In Britain 5 %

of girls are anorexic and four out of ten teenage girls skip meals so that they can be thin like

fashion models and pop stars.

Anorexia is a medical condition and its full name is anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia

try not to eat and they lose a lot of weight. They often feel fat even when they are very thin. They

use other ways of staying thin, too, like taking laxative tablets (which make you go to the toilet

more often) or by doing too much exercise. Anorexia is serious. Anorexics can become very weak

and die. About 20 % of anorexics don't live more than twenty years after the anorexia starts and

only 60 % of anorexics get better completely.

Celebrities are particularly vulnerable because people are always judging their appearance.

Christina Aguilera's video for the song Beautiful shows the effect of the pressure on young

people to be thin. Scientists say that overweight teenagers should exercise, not diet, to become

thinner. This is because even teenagers who diet sensibly are more likely to become anorexic than

teenagers who don't diet at all.


1. Anorexia is a (an)....

a) obesity

b) eating disorder characterised by overeating followed by vomiting

c) bout of excessive eating or drinking

d) psychological disorder characterised by fear of becoming fat and non-eating

2. According to the text, everything is true about anorexics, except they ... .

a) try not to eat

b) want to lose weight

c) take sedative pills

d) don't live more than twenty years after anorexia starts

3. "To skip meals" means ....

a) to spoil b) to miss

c) to hide d) to throw away

4. In fact, people who suffer from anorexia are ....

a) lank b) chubby

c) obese d) stout

5. Who are exposed to anorexia most likely?

a) Fat people. b) Adults.

c) Eminent people. d) Slim people.

6. To recover anorexics should ....

a) diet sensibly

b) take laxative tablets

c) have nourishment of full value

d) do too much exercise

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7.THE ART OF JACK LEMMON Jack Lemmon, one of the finest, funniest and most popular movie actors of the second half of

the last century, was the uncoolest of icons. He squirmed for our sins. Lemmon was the

personification of the beleaguered, white-collar American male, compromised but lovable.

Jack reached a peak in his career on stage in Eugene O'Neil's tragedy "Long Day's Journey

into Night". Lemmon was applauded for the conviction he brought to a character's bitter confession

of destroying a career by sacrificing artistic attainment for popular acclaim.

Lemmon's own vast popularity was bought not by abandoning art, but rather by using the art

that conceals art. He was a young pro before he was an old pro.

Lemmon was a consummate farceur. Sometimes the comic material flickered with innuendo,

but Jack somehow kept what was unsavory in proportion with a usually hapless character's efforts to

be less hapless.

The son of a doughnut-company executive, Lemmon had a privileged Must Coast upbringing,

graduating from Phillips Andover Academy and Harvard. In cutthroat Hollywood, he was known for

his graciousness, diligence and class. There was never a hint of scandal attached to his name. He

married his second wife, actress Felicia Farr, in 1962, and they were together nearly 40 yours.

June 27, 2001, this glorious bundle of nerves finally came to rest, succumbing to cancer at the

age of 76 in Los Angels.


1. Jack Lemmon attained the crest of a wave for a (an) on stage in Eugene O'Neill's tragedy. a) destruction of character's attainment

b) popular conceit

c) artistic acclaim of character's confession

d) censure in a character's declaration

2. Jack Lemmon wasn't....

a) master in farce b) unsavory professional

c) uncoolest of idols d) consummate hoaxer

3. What did Lemmon do for our transgression?

a) Prayed. b) Came to rest.

c) Felt embarrassment. d) Sweated.

4. According to the text, Jack Lemmon ....

a) was known for his assiduity b) personified the lovable bundle of nerves

c) had a smirched reputation d) got prestigious comic materials

5. Lemmon gained his vast popularity by ....

a) forsaking the art that conceals art

b) applying the art that disguises art

c) putting into practice the art that reveals art

d) quitting the art that hides art

6. According to the text, "succumb to cancer" means ....

a) to inherit b) to suffer from

c) to fail to resist d) to fall ill

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8. GEORGE HARRISON, ROCK PIONEER By Lynne Margolis

There's hardly a wedding band on the planet that doesn't owe a dept to George Harrison. As

author of the elegant "Something" which early Beatle hater Frank Sinatra called the most beautiful love song ever written his place in history would be cemented even if he hadn't been in the world's most influential rock band.

Sinatra's accolade impresses even more because Harrison was constantly eclipsed by

bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Beatles albums rarely contained more than two

Harrison's compositions, yet they were often gems.

introduced Western audiences to "world music" with his use of tabla, sitar, and Indian scales and to Eastern spiritual thought through his immersion in Indian culture. With his Concert for Bangladesh, he pioneered the use of star-laden rock concerts as fundraisers. When Harrison's

masterpiece, "All Things Must Pass", was reissued early this year, listening to it felt like revisiting a

long-lost friend, one with whom the bond is so deep, it doesn't matter how much time has elapsed. Bob

Geldof, Harrison's friend and organiser of the massive Live-Aid concert, says he regards "All Things"

as the best solo album released by any Beatle.

He's right. Not only did it allow Harrison to fully express his spiritual quest, and earn him the

distinction of being the first artist to truly meld religion and rock, but also it gave his songwriting and

playing some much deserved limelight.


1. J. Lennon and P. McCartney ... Harrison.

a) outshined b) inspired c) ridiculed d) despised

2. The word "accolade" (line 6) means ....

a) disapproval b) apathy c) aversion d) commendation

3. There is hardly a wedding band on the planet that....

a) doesn't have debts because of "Something"

b) isn't worthy of playing "Something"

c) doesn't pay Harrison for "Something"

d) isn't grateful to Harrison for "Something"

4. According to the text everything is true about Harrison, except....

a) he played some Indian musical instruments

b) he was involved in Indian culture

c) he made mockery of star-laden rock concerts

d) he held concerts in order to collect money for charity

5. Harrison's masterpiece "All Things Must ass" a) deserved more b) made Harrison the centre of public attention

c) gave Harrison the light of limes d) strengthen his spiritual quest

6. According to the text, ....

a) Harrison was the pioneer in the immersion in Indian culture

b) Sinatra was impressed because Harrison was constantly eclipsed by his bandmates

c) Harrison was the first musician to combine rock and religion

d) Beatles concerts rarely contained more than two Harrison's compositions

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9. THE MAKING OF MAUVE By Andrew Curry

Once upon a time, colour was for the rich. Dyes had to be painstakingly derived from plants or

animals; quality was uneven and rich hues like purple were reserved for royalty.

That all changed in 1856, when 18-year-old chemistry student William Perkin discovered some

unexpected red crystals in the bottom of a test tube. While searching for a malaria cure in his tiny

home laboratory, he had accidentally turned a noxious coal byproduct into a vivid purple that could

be used to dye silk and other fabrics. In tribute to the Parisian fashion world, he named the first

synthetic dye after the French name of a purple plant mauve. Perkin had to overcome his chemistry colleagues' disdain for commerce even his mentor

dismissed the discovery as "purple sludge" as well as the distrust of the tradition-bound dye industry.

Perkin's creation took the European fashion world by storm once it was popularised by French

Empress Eugenie, who thought the colour matched her eyes. Some stodgy satirists complained of

the "mauve measles" epidemic. Others wrote gushing odes to the new shade.

But fashion is fickle, and soon others were following Perkin's experiments, creating their own

colours from petroleum byproducts. The market for natural dyes collapsed.

By the time Perkin died in 1907, the British dye industry had been overtaken by Germany,

which lured the world's best chemists to its factories in what Garfield calls "one of the first classic

examples of brain drain".


1. Many years ago dyes were ... obtained from plants or animals.

a) zealously b) painfully

c) unlawfully d) painlessly

2. What were reserved for royalty?

a) Rich plants and rare animals. b) Purple wigs.

c) Rich tints. d) Rich rouge.

3. The first synthetic dye was given a name of a purple plant....

a) to spite Parisian fashion world

b) to please French Empress

c) to show respect and admiration to the world of fashion in Paris

d) to take Parisian fashion world by storm

4. According to the text everything is true about some chemists, except they... .

a) scorned commerce b) followed Perkin's tests

c) felt aversion to chemistry d) were baited to foreign country

5. According to the text....

a) the market for natural dyes was overtaken by Germany

b) the British dye industry collapsed

c) Perkin paved the way for the first wave of brain drain

d) Perkin linked pure chemistry with industry

6. "Fashion is fickle" means it's ....

a) capricious b) permanent

c) stingy d) jabber

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10. MICE PASS THE CHEESE FOR SIREN SCENT OF HLATE By David Derbyshire

It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "death by chocolate".

Scientists have invented a baitless mousetrap that attract rodents with the irresistible aroma of

chocolate.

In tests, the scented mousetrap proved more effective at caching curious mice than snares

impregnated with vanilla or cheese.

Using chocolate spread instead of cheese has been tried as a lure before, but Martina Flynn, of the

manufacturer Sorex, said the snares were the first to use an injection-moulded "attractant" to lure

rodents to their doom.

In trials, mice were more willing to risk their necks for the smell of chocolate than the other

aromas. Ricky Singh, a spokesman for Innovation-Direct, a consultancy service at the University

of Warwick, said: "It's the same chocolate flavouring used in foods. In tests it was the outright

winner".


1. Scientists have invented a new ....

a) injection

b) snare

c) aroma

d) muzzle

2. The mousetrap ....

a) was lurid

b) hadn't any enticement

c) had a siren

d) had a scribble "death by chocolate"

3. Tests proved that....

a) mice were outright winners

b) the trap was more effective at catching curious, pregnant mice

c) mice regaled on chocolate

d) the scented snares were the best

4. In tests, mice acted ....

a) jointly

b) with reluctance

c) under compulsion

d) willingly

5. Rodents were lured to their ....

a) destruction

b) oath

c) feast

d) injection

6. "Impregnated with" means "to be ... with".

a) filled

b) packed

c) saturated

d) covered

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11. DENTIST "DRILLED HEALTHY TOOTH TO PUNISH PATIENT" By Graham Tibbetts

A dentist drilled away almost half of a healthy tooth to punish a patient who owed him

money, a disciplinary hearing was told yesterday.

Neville Kan had not been paid $60 following the woman's previous visit to his surgery in

Chiswick, west London, five years earlier.

The General Dental Council in London heard that the patient, referred to as Mrs B, returned to

the practice for treatment in January last year after losing a filling during a trip to Switzerland.

Kan advised her that she also needed a small filling on the adjacent eye-tooth.

But Mrs said she was "horrified" to discover that he had bored away almost half of the eyetooth.

"He said, 'Nothing lasts forever, I am not going to last forever...nothing in life is free. You

owe me money'."

Although her instinct was to flee, she said she was unable to do so because her gold crown was

now drilled down to the root. "I couldn't run away from this man who was hurting me," she said. "I

felt really degraded, dirty. It was almost like he had raped me," she said.

"It was absolutely terrible. There were times I wanted to commit suicide."

Kan who qualified in New Zealand 44 years ago, denies serious professional misconduct. The

hearing continues.


1. A dentist drilled away almost half of a healthy tooth because ....

a) he was an impostor b) a woman lent him $60

c) he was unable to cure it d) a woman was in debt for a certain amount

2. Mrs visited the doctor because she wanted to .... a) stop a tooth b) fix the gold crown

c) have a tooth pulled out d) cure the root of her eyetooth

3. Undoubtedly, the dentist was ....

a) considerate b) awkward

c) full of rancour d) magnanimous

4. The doctor intended to ... his client.

a) humiliate b) chasten

c) impress d) horrify

5.In fact...

a) the dentist confused a sick tooth with a healthy one

b) a woman wished to tempt the doctor

c) Mrs once abused the dentist's trust d) the doctor was going to rape Mrs

6. "Professional misconduct" means ....

a) unacceptable deportment b) stupid vengeance

c) rude habit d) bad hint

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12. MONA LISA By Cristina Peri Rossi

The first time I saw Gioconda, I fell in love with her. She dressed in black (a fabric, which

was nevertheless, transparent) and I think someone told me she had lost a son. I saw her from a

distance, like an apparition, and from that moment on, I became extremely sensitive about

everything relating to her. I learned that she lived in another city, and sometimes, she would take

short walks to alleviate her grief. Immediately and sometimes, very slowly I learned about the things she preferred; I elicited her pleasures without even knowing what they were and

endeavored to surround myself with objects that pleased her.

I discovered that Giocondo, her husband, was in a dispute with a painter. He was a wealthy

and crude businessman and, like all the people of his class, would set out to surround himself with

expensive objects, even though he would haggle over their price.

She lived in an old house, rebuilt palace, on whose facade Giocondo had commissioned gold

inlays.

The loss of her son is still recent and she can't find any consolation.

Giocondo tries to cheer her up by hiring musicians who sing and dance in the garden, but she

doesn't seem to hear them.

Gioconda is listless. (Translated from Spanish by Harry Morales)


1. Why did Gioconda take short walks?

a) To unfurl her suffering. b) To ease her anguish.

c) To experience more grief. d) To get rid of her lassitude.

2. The narrator saw Gioconda from a distance not like a (an)....

a) spectre b) ghost

c) angel d) spook

3. The word "endeavored" in line 8 means ....

a) strive b) dream

c) digress d) crave

4. Giocondo hired musicians because he wanted to ....

a) encourage himself b) console musicians

c) distract her attention from a painter d) alleviate her sorrow

5. According to the text everything is true, except....

a) Gioconda argued about price

b) Gioconda was inconsolable

c) Giocondos house was decorated with gold pattern made by setting metal into its surface

d) Gioconda wore opaque clothes

6. The phrase "haggle over" in line 13 means ....

a) bargain b) swop

c) speculate d) grieve

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13. WHAT A COMEBACK Watch out; boomerangs are back. No pun intended. The resurgence of the sport appeals to

my inherent laziness for once you're thrown a boomerang, you can remain rooted to the spot and it will return to you. No more running after the Frisbee or hunting for a lost ball. I just needed

a lesson.

My brother advised me: "Put some effort into it. Flick your wrist. Look after your

fingernails". But his main observation was that I "throw like a girl". I'd be in for a hard time.

Wooden, banana-shaped and rather heavy, his boomerang was the real thing, handmade by

aborigines in the traditional manner. Thousands of years ago, the boomerang was an ideal

weapon: if the thrower missed his target, the missile would return to him; if he made a hit, he got

lunch.

In retrospect, I think my brother's boomerang was supposed to be ornamental. After hours

of practice, it didn't come back to us once. So it was not with confidence that I met up with

boomerang maestro David Strang for my lesson. I brightened up, however, when he told me that

his "Rangs" are guaranteed to return when thrown as directed, that kids as young as eight are

great at it, and that I'd be proficient after half an hour.

David went over the technique several times: face the wind, turn 45 degrees to the right of it,

keep the boomerang vertical and hurl it straight to the horizon. I chucked it as hard as I could.

After a dozen or so poor throws, my elbow was hurting but so was my pride. David's

encouragement kept me going. I want to get better at it. I want to prove that it's not just a boy

thing.


1. Boomerangs were originally used for ....

a) sending messages b) attacking the enemy

c) hunting animals d) interception of missiles

2. Boomerangs are traditionally made of... .

a) metal b) timber

c) straw d) tile

3. "Ornamental" can be substituted by .. a) used as decoration rather than for a practical purpose

b) eye-catching

c) oriental

d) covered with a lot of decoration

4. The narrator considered that his brother's boomerang was ....

a) decorative b) only for girls

c) rather curved d) too light

5. Boomerangs should be thrown ....

a) towards the sun b) into the wind

c) from the shoulder d) opposite the horizon

6. What stylistic method is mentioned in the passage by the author?

a) Metaphor. b) Simile.

c) Play of words. d) Paraphrase.

16

14. HOW TO SKIVE Skiving is a skill. The good skiver, like the competent motorist, attracts no attention. There is only

the quiet personal satisfaction that comes from a job not well done. Skiving can be divided into two

distinct parts; skiving off work and skiving at work. Minority pursuits such as skiving at home children "forgetting" to tidy their room can safely be ignored. It is in relation to authority figures, primarily schoolteachers and employers, that skiving is most commonly practised by the British

people.

Skiving has a long history stretching back to Homer and his skiver Thersites, who managed to

skive off the Troian wars. Modern skiving has its roots in national service, when a generation of soldiers

learned the skiving skills they were to take into British industry with such spectacular results in the

1960s and 1970s. Off-work skiving is largely concerned with exploiting the sick leave system. Here the

groundwork done at school where the skiver will have learned that the best illness to claim are those that (a) sound serious and (b) are impossible to disprove is refined and sharpened. A "pain behind the eyes" fits the bill very well.

In-work skiving is the bread-and-butter of the skiver's life. First, ensure a tool of your trade is

permanently tucked under your arm. Second, walk briskly and purposefully wherever you go. Third,

leave a jacket permanently slung over the back of your seat. With luck, no one will ever ask you to do

anything. And what more could the true skiver ask?


1. A real skiver tries to be ....

a) irreplaceable b) polite

c) energetic d) imperceptible

2. The narrator says that we can disregard skiving . a) off work b) in the army

c) at home d) at work

3. What does a skiver do?

a) Works hard. b) Avoids work.

c) Works slowly. d) Stays away from risky work.

4. The verb "skive" can be better replaced by ....

a) bunk off b) despise

c) pay no attention to d) disprove

5. When a child skives off school we call him (her)....

a) a coward b) diligent

c) zealous d) a shirker

6. To be a good skiver you don't have to ....

a) leave your jacket on your chair

b) walk quickly and thoughtfully

c) claim a serious disproof

d) have a tool of your trade under your arm

17

15. MAGICAL BEASTS In every land people tell stories about magical beasts. The strangest beasts of all lived in

Ireland. They were called the Fomoriens. The Fomoriens were strange because each one was

different. One might have the body of a fish. He would walk with his tail. Another might have only

one leg. He would have to hop. Some Fomoriens had no ears. Some had only one eye. But others

had three eyes. That kept things even.

Most Fomoriens were just plain ugly. But some of them were beautiful. They had golden hair

and nice smiles. They looked like real people. But inside they were still strange beasts.

These beasts went to war against people. They won the war. For many years they ruled the

land. Those were terrible years. The leader of the Fomoriens had a magic eye. It could kill with

just one look.

Then the people found a hero. He had beautiful golden hair and a sweet smile. Yes, he was

part man and part Fomorien. In fact his grandfather was the one with the magic eye! He led the

people to war against the Fomoriens. Finally the people won. Only four of the beasts were still

alive. The rest had all been killed. The hero drove the last Fomoriens far away.


1. The Fomoriens lived ....

a) on a large island west of Great Britain

b) in caves

c) on a large island east of Great Britain

d) on a continent

2. The Fomoriens were ....

a) ugly b) stupid

c) weird d) hostile

3. Some of the Fomoriens ....

a) were blind b) were deaf

c) had three legs d) might have the body of a worm

4. Some Fomoriens ....

a) killed each other b) swam like turtles

c) were unsightly d) were like real people inside

5. The Fomorien leader had ....

a) a hazel eye b) a mystical eye

c) a cursed eye d) a sinister eye

6. After the people won ....

a) the leader was killed

b) only five creatures were left alive

c) the hero made the last beast escape

d) all the beasts were dead

18

16. THE BAG WE LIVE IN Our skin is like a bag that we live in. Inside the bag we are mostly water. Our water is like

water in the sea. It is very salty. Like the ocean, we can lose water. Our skin bag keeps our body's

ocean from drying up.

Our skin keeps out sunshine. Too much sun can hurt us. Skin also keeps out dirt. That's

important, because some kind of dirt can make us sick. Our skin feels things. It feels warm things,

cold things, things it touches, and things that hurt it.

Our hair is really just a special kind of skin. It helps keep things out of our eyes, ears, and

noses. Hair is also good for keeping us warm. When we get goose bumps, our body hairs stand up.

Then the hairs hold air close to our skin like a thin blanket.

Our nails are like very hard skin. They help keep our fingers and toes from getting hurt. Our

nails aren't as strong as the nails that animals have. But they are good for scratching backs and

picking up dimes.


1. Our bodies are mostly ....

a) skin b) salty liquid

c) salt d) water

2. Our skin keeps in ....

a) our body's temperature

b) the sunshine

c) salt d) our body's water

3. Skin keeps out....

a) food b) water

c) fat d) filth

4. Our skin feels ....

a) things it hurts

b) things that are flat

c) things it fingers

d) things that are brown

5. Hair is good for ....

a) getting goose bumps

b) keeping our heads from getting hurt

c) keeping us warm

d) making us pretty

6. Nails help keep ....

a) our toes sharp

b) our fingers from getting small

c) our toes from damaging

d) our fingers from manicure

19

17. THE STORY OF RUBBER Rubber was brought from South America by travellers. At first people knew just one way to

use it. They would use balls of rubber to rub out pencil marks on paper. And that's how rubber got

its name!

In those days rubber was shipped in pieces shaped like bottles. Workers would make cuts in

the rubber trees. Then they would catch the rubber juice in glass bottles. Soon the juice would get

hard. Then workers would break the glass. The hard rubber would stay in the bottle shape.

A man came up with good ideas about how to use rubber. His name was Macintosh. He found

a way to melt hard rubber back into rubber juice. He would pour the rubber juice onto some cloth.

He would spread it very thin and let it dry. This cloth did not get wet. Macintosh named this cloth

after himself. Soon everyone was using mackintosh cloth. People used it to make raincoats and

boots.

People poured rubber juice into new shapes. Then it got hard again. In this way people made

things like water hoses and bicycle tires. They even made parts of machines. Rubber became very

important. In just twenty years it changed everyone's life.


1. Rubber got its name because ....

a) workers called it that name

b) it was used to mark on paper

c) it was used to remove pencil marks

d) it was used to fix pencil marks

2. Rubber was shipped in ....

a) glass bottles b) cans

c) pieces shaped like bottles d) big rubber blocks

3. Macintosh found a way to ....

a) blend rubber

b) pour rubber juice

c) turn rubber back into rubber juice

d) make a cloth that wouldn't burn

4. Macintosh cloth was used to make ....

a) water hoses b) waterproof coats

c) machine parts d) rags

5. People used rubber juice to make ....

a) rubber balls b) gloves

c) machine parts d) car tires

6. Rubber....

a) improves everyone's life

b) makes everyone's life worse

c) was useless

d) became very expensive

20

18. THE LUCKIEST SANDWICH IN THE WORLD Mr Freidman was in a shopping centre in Birmingham the other day when he suddenly felt

very hungry. He decided to buy himself a sandwich, but when he took his wallet out he

discovered that he only had a $50 note. It was six o'clock in the evening, he was really hungry

and nowhere else was open. Then he had a crazy idea! He'd buy some lottery tickets and the

sandwich. He never did stupid things like that and in fact he never bought lottery tickets. It was

the first time in his life.

Mr Freidman was a cleaner and his wife was a secretary and they didn't have much money,

so when he got home his wife was very angry. "We look after our money," she said, "and you go

throw it away on lottery tickets! We're saving for holiday in Brighton!"

That Saturday they watched the results on TV.

They won millions. It's going to change their lives.

Mr Freidman says that it was the luckiest sandwich in the world, and it was the luckiest

crazy decision! And Mrs Freidman has forgiven him for wasting their money. They're going to

go on that holiday, but not to Brighton.


1. Mr Freidman used his ... in a shopping centre.

a) purse b) notebook

c) case d) cover

2. That evening Mr Freidman ....

a) craved for money

b) desired meal

c) felt discomfort

d) neglected meal

3. Mrs Freidman was furious because ....

a) he stole $50

b) she hated her husband

c) he misspent some cash

d) he earned a $50 note

4. Mrs Freidman mentioned that they ... their money.

a) looked for b) lent

c) wasted d) reserved

5. Mrs Freidman complained because ....

a) she dreamt of a holiday

b) she was greedy

c) her husband was a gambler

d) she spoiled a holiday

6. Mrs Freidman showed mercy to her husband for ... their money.

a) losing b) making bad use of

c) saving d) increasing

21

19. RIP VAN WINKLE One day Rip Van Winkle went hunting. Just as he was starting home, someone called his

name. He was afraid. But he followed the sound.

Soon he met a little old man. The man asked him to carry a small barrel. Rip and the old

man walked for a long time. Finally they met some people who were bowling. Rip poured some

water from the barrel for everyone. It smelled funny, but he was very thirsty. So he poured

some for himself. After he took a drink, he felt very strange. All at once he fell asleep.

When Rip woke up, no one was around. His new gun was dirty and worn out. He thought

the strange people were playing a trick. "They took my gun and left me this old one", Rip thought.

But he picked it up and went home. When he got to the town, everyone laughed. "Look at those

funny old clothes!" they said.

Then Rip walked through the town. There were new houses he'd never seen before. Nothing

was the same. He couldn't find people he knew.

"Doesn't anyone know Rip Van Winkle?" he cried.

"Yes, I know him", said one old man. "Why, you are Rip! But where have you been for twenty

years?" he asked. Rip told everyone about the strange mountain people.

Rip never went back into the mountains again.


1. When someone called his name Rip was ....

a) glad b) surprised

c) petrified d) worried

2. A stranger asked Rip to ....

a) fetch a small can

b) carry ajar

c) hold a strange box

d) take a round container with bulging sides, flat top and bottom to another place

3. Rip felt very strange after ....

a) he poured some water for himself b) he met a little old man

c) he tasted some liquid d) drowsiness

4. When Rip wake up his new gun was ....

a) soiled and shabby b) unclean and broken

c) dirty and damaged d) polished and worn out

5. When Rip came back home ....

a) everything was the same

b) all his friends were dead

c) only one person could recognise him

d) everyone was glad to meet him

6. Rip told everyone ....

a) a lie b) about the strange creatures

c) a fairy tale d) about the weird people

22

20. GARDEN ART If you're looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it's a topiary. A topiary is a tree or a bush that

is trained into a shape. Topiaries are a kind of sculpture. Growing a topiary garden takes both time

and skill. The first thing a topiary gardener does is make a drawing. The drawing shows the form

the gardener would like a tree or bush to take. The gardener then chooses the bush for the topiary.

In June of the plant's first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, then it

is time to shape the bottom of the bush. The gardener shapes the bottom of the bush for about five

years. The top is not trimmed during this time.

In the fifth year the gardener begins to shape the whole bush. Sometimes branches are bent

to form a shape. The gardener wires the branches in place.

Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year: in the summer it must be clipped many

times to keep its shape, in the winter the bushes don't grow. But the gardeners still have to brush

snow off the plants. Snow can hurt the flat parts of the plants.


1. What does a topiary gardener do firstly?

a) Chooses the bush.

b) Carves a drawing.

c) Draws a sketch.

d) Cuts out a figure.

2. The leaves grow, then it's time to ....

a) outline the top of the bush

b) fertilise the bush

c) form the bottom of the bush

d) dig up the bush and plant it in another place

3. What does the gardener do when the branches are bent?

a) Cuts them off. b) Ties them up.

c) Whites them. d) Burns them.

4. What helps the shrub grow in summer?

a) Watering. b) Ants.

c) Cutting. d) Ploughing.

5. Growing a topiary garden needs ....

a) money and time

b) knowledge and tools

c) an ability that comes from practice and time

d) neatness and time

6. Topiary is an art of....

a) selecting trees and bushes

b) growing trees and bushes

c) trimming trees and bushes into ornamental shapes

d) cutting bears' tops

23

21. RACE AGAINST DEATH The temperature was about thirty degrees below zero. Sharp winds whipped the city. Thick snow

made it impossible to see. January of 1925 was a cruel month in Nome, Alaska.

The weather wasn't the only problem in Nome that winter. Diphtheria was spreading through

the city. Diphtheria is a terrible disease that people rarely get today. But in 1925 many children had

caught it, and some had even died. Somehow doctors had to get some medicine to stop this disease.

There was none in Nome. The nearest place to get it was Anchorage, far away in another part of

the state.

In those days no railroads led to Nome. The only way to travel in winter was in sled pulled by

big dogs.

Officials had no choice. Quickly they made a plan. The medicine would go by train from

Anchorage to the town of Nenanna. Dogs and sleds would have to take it from there to Nome.

When the medicine reached Nenanna, a sled team was ready to leave for Nome. The team

stopped along the way to change dogs and drivers.

After 500 miles, the team was met by another team that had started out from Nome.

Now the going got rough. It took three teams to cover the last lap. Finally the last brave team

pulled into Nome.

The sick children were saved.


1. Strong winds ... the city.

a) cut b) thrashed

c) bit d) destroyed

2. Diphtheria is a ....

a) horrible malady b) terrible curse

c) painful suffering d) painless treatment

3. ... had no choice.

a) doctors b) government

c) rescuers d) sick men

4. When did the medicine leave Anchorage?

a) Before some children died.

b) When the drivers arrived.

c) After the sled left Nenanna.

d) After the officials made a plan.

5. When did the going get rough?

a) Before they left Nenanna.

b) After they reached Nome.

c) After 7,500 kilometres.

d) When they went by train.

6. When did the medicine reach Nome?

a) After the weather cleared. b) During January of 1925.

c) Before anyone got sick. d) While two children were operating.

24

22. TRAPPED It was December 1984. A large herd of hungry white whales were chasing codfish. The

whales chased the codfish from the sea into the Senyavin Strait.

An angry east wind blew up. The water of the strait began to freeze. Only small pools of

open water remained. The whales were trapped!

A hunter spotted the whales and saw that they were in trouble. White whales can break

through thin ice, but this ice was too thick. The hunter knew that whales must come to the

water's surface to breathe, There was not enough room for thousands of ten-foot whales to

breathe. Soon helicopters were on the scene. They dropped frozen fish to feed the whales. But the

whales still couldn't breathe. They were beginning to die. A special ship was sent for to ram

through the ice.

The captain had to get the whales to follow the ship out to sea. Several days passed, and the

whales didn't leave. Finally someone remembered that porpoises like music. Whales are related to

porpoises. So, the crew of the ship played all kinds of music on the deck. Slowly they began to

follow the ship. After a while the whales got used to the ship. By February, the white whales were

safely in the sea once more.


1. What happened in December 1984?

a) A large herd of white seals stuck in ice.

b) A big group of white whales was pursued by hunters.

c) A large shoal of white whales followed the codfish.

d) A big group of white whales was hunting goldfish.

2. A hunter....

a) sported with the whales b) noticed the whales

c) hunted the whales d) chased the whales

3. Why were the whales in trouble?

a) Because they were hungry.

b) Because they could break through thin ice.

c) Because they could be out of breath.

d) There was not enough room for whales under the ice.

4. To rescue the whales people had to ....

a) feed them b) catch them

c) break the ice d) make the whales swim after the ship

5. Finally someone ....

a) recalled that fish like music

b) recollected that whales like music

c) read out that porpoises like music

d) proclaimed that porpoises like songs

6. After awhile the whales ....

a) attacked the ship b) got accustomed to the ship

c) shunned the ship d) got attached to the crew

25

23. WARNING OF RSI RISK IN COMPUTER GAMES A doctor warned parents yesterday of the dangers of "nintendonitis" after treating a schoolboy

who suffered an arm injury because he spent too much time playing computer games.

Dr Diana Macgregor believes the 11-year-old could be the first reported case of computer-

induced REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY (RSI) in a child.

His mother took him to hospital after a teacher expressed concern that he was experiencing

pain while writing on his return to school following the Christmas holidays last year.

He was examined at hospital and no swelling, bruising or reddening of the skin was found, and

there was no bone or soft tissue tenderness.

It emerged that he had been given a computer as a Christmas present and had been using his

dominant left hand to manipulate the controls.

Dr Macgregor said: "The child reluctantly agreed to stop using his computer for a week and

his symptoms disappeared". Dr Macgregor suggested that "hand care" should be taught in school to

young computer game enthusiasts.

In America RSI was reaching "epidemic proportions". Schools had already introduced hand

care instruction.


1. Why was the boy treated?

a) Because he endured sickness.

b) Because he experienced harm of his upper limb.

c) Because he felt pain in his toe.

d) Because he suffered an army cruelty.

2. His pain was caused by ....

a) tension b) immovables

c) fall d) shock

3. The boy had ....

a) bruising b) swelling

c) no damages d) bone tenderness

4. Where did the boy get a computer?

a) He won it on Christmas Eve. b) He was given it.

c) He presented it. d) He bought it.

5. When did his symptoms vanish?

a) When he took some pills.

b) When he stopped writing.

c) When he quitted using his computer.

d) When he crashed his computer.

6. The boy ....

a) was addicted to his computer

b) didn't follow the safety precautions

c) was too young for playing computer

d) was a delicate child

26

24. A LESSON IN HONESTY A thief who dropped a winning lottery ticket at the scene of his crime has been given a

lesson in honesty. His victim, who picked up the ticket, then claimed the $25,000 prize,

managed to trace him, and handed over the cash.

The robbery happened when maths professor was changing a tire on an Italian motorway.

Another motorist, who stopped "to help" stole a suitcase from his car and drove off. The

professor found the dropped ticket and stuffed it in his pocket before driving home.

Next day, he saw the lottery results on TV and, uncrumpling the ticket, realised it was a

winner. Then began a battle with his conscience. Eventually, he decided he could not keep the

money despite having been robbed.

advertised in newspapers and on radio. Professor Sabbatucci received hundreds of calls. But there was one voice he recognised and he arranged to meet the man in a park. The robber, a 35-year-old unemployed father of two, gave back the suitcase and burst into tears. He could not

believe what was happening. "Why didn't you keep the money?" he asked.

The professor replied: "I couldn't because it's not mine". Then he walked off, spurning the

thief's offer of a reward.


1. What happened on an Italian motorway?

a) Accident. b) Mugging.

c) Ragging. d) Wedding.

2. What was the professor doing on a motorway?

a) He was repairing a wing. b) He was changing a roof-rack.

c) He was replacing a wheel. d) He was fixing an exhaust-pipe.

3. What did the professor do with the ticket?

a) Placed it in a small bag that is sewed in a garment.

b) Tore it.

c) Pushed it into his wallet.

d) Threw it away.

4. When did the professor understand it was a winner?

a) When he uncreased the ticket.

b) When he found the ticket.

c) When he grasped the ticket.

d) When he dropped the ticket.

5. The professor didn't retain the money despite ....

a) his conscience b) having been mugged

c) his salary d) having been beaten up

6. Why did the victim decline the thief's proposal of fee?

a) Because he was a 35-year-old unemployed.

b) Because he was a father of two.

c) Because of his principles.

d) Because he was rich.

27

25. HOME LESSONS FOR SCHOOLGIRLS UPBRAIDED OVER HAIR EXTENSIONS Two schoolgirls facing GCSE exams are being taught at home after being banned from

classrooms by a headmaster who considered their hairstyles to be "attention-seeking". They have

been told they will not be allowed to study with other pupils until they either tie their hair in

buns or take out the plaits.

The 15-year-olds paid $85 each to have chest-length extensions braided into their last

month. After their hairstyles went unmentioned for two weeks, they were ordered into

"seclusion", studying by themselves in a separate room. Their parents were so appalled by the

decision to keep them from other pupils that they are now helping the girls to study at home,

"...the school is willing to impede Faye's results by punishing her during the run-up to her GCSE

exams", Faye's mother said.

Ted Rowley, the headmaster, said yesterday: "The school rules say that extreme or attention-

seeking hairstyles are inappropriate. It is a matter of judgment after that, of course, as to what

constitutes attention seeking...

The school is a community and its members have to conform to a set of standards. With

1,000 pupils, the others can be very quick to pick up when someone is flouting those rules. It is up

to the parents to decide if their children are going to support the standards we have set. If they do

not, they are free to send them to other schools with different standards to our own".


1. Two schoolgirls were ....

a) expelled from school for their behaviour

b) not allowed to enter the classroom because of their sedulity

c) shirkers

d) forbidden to attend school because of their hairdos

2. Their hairstyles were ....

a) trendy b) eye-catching c) seductive d) out-of-date

3. The girls had to ....

a) braid their hair b) have their hair cut

c) dye their hair d) cover their hair with wigs

4. Why are their parents helping the girls to study at home?

a) They were dismayed by the decision of the headmaster.

b) They neglect all the rules.

c) They don't want them to be behind.

d) They were surprised by the decision of the headmaster.

5. The man in charge considered that....

a) the girls had to flout their school

b) the girls had to accommodate themselves to the rules of their school

c) the girls had to be followed by their classmates

d) the parents had to support their girls

6. The headmaster wanted ....

a) to change the set of standards b) to prevent the girls' success at the exams

c) to flout the girls d) the standards were supported by the girls

28

26. KILLER ROBOTS Robots are taking over many hazardous jobs, but they are also creating new hazards,

according to a report by the International Labour Office (ILO).

Being struck by a robot arm in motion, being trapped between the robot and another

object, and being hit by an object dropped by an overloaded robot gripper are the main hazards

that robots pose to humans, according to the report of Safety in the Use of Industrial Robots. In

many cases, workers are in the way when the robot makes a sudden, unexpected movement or

starts when it isn't supposed to. Such miscues may result from software problems, electrical

interference, or faults in the hydraulic, electrical, or pneumatic controls.

The first robot-related death occurred in Japan in 1981, and one survey of robot use in

Japan showed a total of 10 fatalities reported by the end of April 1987. The causes were the

victim's error in four cases and "spontaneous start of robot" in other six, according to Japan's

Ministry of Labour. Each year, approximately five or six workers injured in robot accidents in

Japan, and there have been many more "near-misses". Even when robots are used safely, other

problems may develop, says the report. When robots create unemployment of humans, workers

may suffer from ulcers, colitis, and emotional stress. New jobs created by robotisation generate

stress, too, such as anxiety in trying to keep with a robot's work pace.

"In general, while technological innovation may free people from physical labour, it may

give rise to mental load", the report notes, "and it is thought likely that new occupational

diseases may arise in time."


1. Robots are used to fulfill a lot of... jobs.

a) tedious b) useful

c) dangerous d) boring

2. What is begotten by an automatic machine?

a) Movement. b) Material wealth.

c) Profit. d) Hazard.

3. The word "gripper" in line 6 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

a) A device for gripping. b) A part for squeezing, holding, replacing.

c) A device for testing. d) A part for searching for something.

4. Why can an object be dropped by a robot?

a) Because of the burden.

b) Because of the size of grippers.

c) Because of the water supply.

d) Because of the mistakes made by humans.

5. What happened in Japan in 1981?

a) The first robot's death. b) The first robot-related error.

c) The first robot-related decease. d) The first robot-related research.

6. The phrase "to keep pace with" in line 21-22 could be replaced by ....

a) not to surrender b) not to lose

c) to give up d) not to lag behind

29

27. DARKNESS AND LIGHT

The life of Vincent Van Gogh

In April 1899, Van Gogh had checked himself into the asylum in

the monastery, looking for relief from the epilepsy that had tormented

him in Aries, where he had threatened his friend Paul Gauguin with a

razor and had cut off his own left ear lobe during a fit.

When the voices drove him to Saint Remy, Van Gogh was in one

of the most productive periods any artist has ever had, creating in the

last 21/2 years of his life the work that most people know him by. But

there were times in Saint Remy, after he ate paint, when his doctors

wouldn't let him near the artist's palette.

It's quite remarkable,, then, that during his year in the asylum he

managed to create a series of beloved masterpieces.

Van Gogh was the most autobiographical artist, and: his works

reveal much about the last years of his passionate life.

Vincent Van Gogh was the eldest son of a priest; his formal

education was patchy, but he was a great reader who loved literature

and biography.

At 16 he went to work for an art dealer, a job that his younger

brother, Theo, followed him into. At 23, Vincent was fired. He then

wandered through odd jobs before he decided to become an artist.

"I want to paint drawings that will touch people", he wrote to Theo

in 1882. "What I want to express, in both figure and landscape, isn't

anything sentimental or melancholy, but deep anguish. In short, I want

to get to the point where people see my work and say: that man feels

deeply, that man feels keenly."

But poverty and the pain of having sold only a few of his paintings

pressed in on Van Gogh as his health failed.

Some years later Van Gogh shot himself.

30

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. The word "asylum" as used in line 1 is closest in meaning to which of the

following:

a) a hotel;

b) a pantry;

c) a place where people who are mentally ill could be cared for;

d) a place for keeping robbers.

2. What made Vincent suffer very much?

a) Relief.

b) A disorder of the nervous system that causes person to become

unconscious suddenly.

c) Pangs of conscience.

d) Threats of Paul Gauguin.

3. Why did Vincent cut off his own left ear lobe?

a) Because he wanted to hurt himself.

b) Because of a sudden attack of the illness.

c) Because he was fit.

d) Because of Paul Gauguin.

4. In line 12 the word "reveal" could best be replaced with ....

a) to recall b) to spread

c) to publish d) to disclose

5. According to the text his education ....

a) was perfect

b) delt with patchwork

c) was good in some parts, but not in others

d) was academic:

6. What led Vincent to committing suicide?

a) Want and depression.

b) Lack of money and envy.

c) Energy and circumstances.

d) Masterpieces and melancholy.

31

28. TEENAGERS ARE BULLIED BY TEXT MESSAGES

More than half of all teenagers questioned in a survey said that

they had been bullied and many contemplated suicide to escape the

torment.

Some young people questioned said they had become targets of

abuse and harassment via "sick" text messages sent to their mobile

phones.

More than one child in 10 had experienced severe bullying,

including physical violence, blackmail and racism, according to the

study conducted by the charity Young Voice, which questioned 4,344

teenagers, aged 13 to 19.

In some cases young children carried baseball or cricket bats as

weapons, while in other schools teenagers complained of having their

belongings damaged by fire.

The survey found that bullying caused serious physical and mental

problem, including depression, suicidal instincts and drug taking.

It found that severely bullied boys were more than five times as

likely to be depressed, while severely bullied girls were twice as

likely to say they hardly ever felt happy or confident.

One 14-year-old girl said: "I hated myself, I felt there must be

something wrong or terrible about me for this to happen. I felt so

ashamed".

The study showed that home life played a vital part in determining

whether a child was likely to become a victim of bullying. It found

that severely bullied boys tended to live with only one parent who

failed to give them the love and support they required.

Adrienne Katz, of Young Voice, who co-wrote the report,

Bullying in Britain: Testimonies from Teenagers, said that "urgent

work" was needed to combat the problem of bullying in schools.

32


1. What intimidates persons in their teens?

a) Letters. b) Gossips.

c) News. d) A piece of information.

2. What did teenagers do to avoid the extreme suffering?

a) Began to bully their bullies.

b) Thought about suicide.

c) Got away from the city.

d) Committed suicide.

3. Bullied teenagers hardly ever ....

a) felt dauntless

b) lived with only one parent

c) felt pressure

d) failed the exams

4. A bully is a person ....

a) who complains

b) who contemplates someone

c) who teases someone

d) that people aim at when attacking object

5. Some teenagers ....

a) had become objects of mistreat and pressure

b) had made a survey

c) had blackmailed their bullies

d) had sold their mobile phones

6. According to the article we have to ....

a) support bullying b) feel ashamed

c) threaten bullies d) repulse bullying

33

29. AWAY FROM IT ALL

I don't know if it happens the other way around, but almost

everybody who lives in the city sometimes thinks of leaving it. Stuck

in a traffic jam, squeezing onto the underground train, pushing a

buggy at noxious exhaust-fume level along a crowded street, we

imagine a more innocent world, where the horizons are wide and the

air pure, where birds sing from the tree tops.

Of course, the countryside isn't natural any more; it is manufac-

tured and tame. The forests have gone, the coasts are eroded by

global warming. There is oil on the beaches, pollution in the rock

pools.

The countryside has been abolished; the hedgerows where

wildlife flourished have been wiped away, and pesticides have meant

the death of hundreds of species of insects and birds and wild

flowers. Yet I am very glad to be leaving the city. I don't want to be

in the swing of things really, in the grip of fashion and speed and

ambition. I won't miss the city where everything is carved up by

roads and dual carriageways, and with mile upon mile of houses,

factories, shops, broken windows, untended gardens, stations,

industrial wastelands, great rubbish dumps, scrap yards, plastic bags

flying in the dirty wind, cemeteries, and walls covered with graffiti.

I dream of the sensuous and earthy smells of the countryside; wet

grass, pigs, flowers, mulched leaves, the salty east wind, autumn

bonfires. I long to be in the garden, sinking my fingers into the earth,

getting my hands dirty at last. I imagine evenings, after work is done,

when we can all drive to the coast and walk on the shingle beaches.

Maybe we'll all go mad in the country, or maybe we'll end up

saner and more contented. Maybe in a year or two we'll return and

be back in the crowds dreaming of escape. But maybe we won't.

34


1. The author thinks people want to ....

a) ruin the city

b) escape from the city

c) stuck in the traffic jams

d) exhaust the country

2. The narrator considers the countryside ....

a) flourishes

b) has been destroyed

c) is in the swing of things

d) is in grip of fashion

3. What does the countryside attract the author with?

a) Untended yards.

b) Wastelands.

c) Cemeteries.

d) The smell of wet leaves.

4. What is the author's attitude to the city?

a) He longs for it. b) He can't stand it.

c) He doesn't mind it. d) He adores it.

5. What does he miss?

a) Scrap yards. b) Being in the garden.

c) Rubbish dumps. d) The crowds.

6. The author dreams about... beaches.

a) sandy b) empty

c) pebbly d) crowded

35

30. THE LIVER

The liver is the largest gland in the body. It is located just

below the diaphragm. Most of the liver lies on the right side of

the body. Part of it extends to the left side and partly covers the

stomach. The liver acts as a filter of the blood and a storehouse

of digested food. It also acts as a digestive gland producing a

digestive juice. Because it has so many functions, the liver is

often called "jack-of-all-trades".

Changing amino acids into carbohydrates or fats is one

function of the liver. The liver changes the excess amino acids

to glucose, glycogen, or fats. Amino acids contain nitrogen.

When amino acids are changed to carbohydrates or fats, the

nitrogen in them is removed. This nitrogen becomes part of

ammonia, a very poisonous substance. The liver changes the

ammonia to urea. The liver releases the urea into the blood.

The blood then takes the urea to the kidneys. Here it is

removed from the body.

The liver also regulates the level of sugar in the blood.

Keeping a normal blood sugar level is very important. Sugars

are the primary source of energy for all cells. Without energy,

our cells wouldn't be able to function.

Regulating the level of blood sugar is not simple.

This liver function is controlled by hormones.

The liver stores important substances such as vitamins

and iron. It also makes many substances that are found in

blood plasma. Worn-out red blood cells are broken down by

the liver. Some of the products from this process are reused.

The rest are waste products and are removed from the body

by the large intestine.

36


1. The liver is ....

a) the largest cell in the body

b) the largest organ which secretes substances having special

functions in the body

c) the largest gland of the stomach

d) the largest filter of digestive juice

2. All of the following are true, except

a) the liver acts as a storehouse of digested food

b) the liver is called 'jack-of-all-trades"

c) the liver acts as a digestive cell producing a digestive juice

d) the liver changes amino acids into carbohydrates or fats

3. The liver changes the excess amino acids to

a) glycogen or fat b) glucose and nitrogen

c) bile d) a very poisonous substance

4. All of the following is true, except a) the liver regulates the level of sugar in the blood

b) the liver changes a very poisonous substance to urea

c) urea is removed from the body by the liver

d) amino acids are used in making hormones

5. According to the text "Without energy ... can't function".

a) hormones b) the large intestine

c) the kidneys d) cells

6. The liver ... .

a) makes vitamins and iron

b) removes some wastes from the body

c) stores important substances

d) regulates the level of blood pressure

37

31. RIVER OF LIFE: BLOOD

For centuries, evil spirits in the body were thought to be the cause

of illnesses. Bloodletting was a process used to drain blood of these

evil spirits. Until the nineteenth century, bloodletting was the

treatment for many illnesses. Barbers were the most common

"surgeons". When people felt ill, they went to a barber for

bloodletting. A striped pole and basin were the signs of the

barbershop. The white stripe stood for the bandage and the red stripe

stood for the blood. Today the barber pole is a reminder of the time

when bloodletting was an important part of a barber's job.

Blood is one of the most important tissues in the body. It

transports materials such as digested food, water, and oxygen to our

cells. It carries wastes from the cells to the parts of the body where

they are released.

There are two main parts to whole blood a liquid part and a solid part. About half of whole blood is clear, yellowish-coloured

liquid called plasma. Most of plasma is water.

Plasma proteins fight disease and help clot the blood. The disease-

fighting plasma proteins are called antibodies.

The solid part of the blood consists of red blood cells, white blood

cells, and platelets. Red blood cells are round, somewhat like donuts

without holes. Mature red blood cells contain hemoglobin. It gives

the red blood cells their red colour. The function of hemoglobin is to

combine with oxygen in the lungs and carry it to the cells.

White blood cells are larger than red blood cells. There are fewer

white blood cells than red blood cells. White blood cells attack

foreign invaders faster than the antibodies. For this reason, the white

blood cells are known as the body's "first line" of defense.

Platelets are tiny, colourless particles that help form blood clots,

which stop the bleeding from a cut or injury.

Blood is often called the "gift of life". Many lives are saved each

year by blood transfusions.

38


1. Bloodletting was a process used to ....

a) let evil spirits drain blood of people

b) make blood flow away from patient's body

c) treat vampires until the nineteenth century

d) make the barbershop crowded

2. What were the signs of the barbershop?

a) A checked pole and basin.

b) A striped basin and pole.

c) A large round bowl for holding liquids and striped pole.

d) A striped mug and leeches.

3. Blood carries ... to our cells.

a) carbon b)wastes

c) plasma d)water

4. What fights foreign substances?

a) Antibodies. b) Red blood cells.

c) Plasma. d) Hemoglobin.

5. Cells in the blood that contain hemoglobin and carry oxygen

are called ....

a) donuts cells

b) red blood cells

c) white blood cells

d) antibodies

6. What do platelets do?

a) Separate plasma, red cells and white cells.

b) Help form blood clots.

c) Transfer bacteria.

d) Stop infection.

39

32. KINGDOM FUNGI Some fungi make us sneeze, others dirty our bathtubs, and many kinds spoil our food. These

are some of the ways that fungi affect our lives. Most members of the kingdom Fungi are

multicellular organisms with a complex cell structure, cell walls, and no chlorophyll. You can find

them growing both inside and on top of their food. Fungi eat by releasing digestive chemicals

into their food and absorbing the digested nutrients into their bodies. The fungi are divided into

groups based on their body structure and how they produce reproductive structures called spores.

Have you ever noticed a black or gray powdery substance growing on bread? These are the

spore capsules of bread mould, an example of a threadlike fungus.

By the way, penicillin was discovered, quite by chance, by Alexander Fleming when he

noticed some mould on his plate.

Mushrooms, puffballs, and bracket fungi are members of Club Fungi group. These familiar

structures grow on the surface of soil or on dead trees. They come in a variety of shapes and

colours. The members of Sac Fungi group resemble a wrinkled mushroom. Many of them are

parasites that attack and cause diseases in several kinds of trees, such as elms and chestnut. Some

even cause diseases in humans.


1. Fungi....

a) can be found on decaying matter

b) are monocellular organisms

c) have chlorophyll

d) have simple cell structure

2. All of the following is true, except....

a) some fungi make us sneeze

b) some fungi eat insects

c) some fungi cause diseases in humans

d) some fungi spoil our food

3. Very small cells that are produced by some fungi and that develop into new fungi are called ....

a) seeds

b) mould

c) powder

d) spores

4. Sac Fungi....

a) grow on bread b) wrinkle mushrooms

c) absorb soil d) look like a wrinkled mushroom

5. What grows on bread?

a) Mould. b) Penicillin.

c) Sprats. d) Puffballs.

6. What are the effects of fungi?

a) Drowsiness. b) Cough.

c) Dirt. d) Melancholy.

40

33. ALIEN INVASION A group of tiny aliens left their ship in Mobile, Alabama. Their bodies were red and shiny,

and they walked on six legs. The aliens looked around and then quietly crawled off to make homes

in their new land.

In 1918, fire ants were accidentally imported to the USA in a freighter ship from South

America. In their new environment, the imported fire ants had no natural predators or competitors.

In addition, these ants are extremely aggressive, and their colonies can harbour many queens,

instead of just one queen like many other ant species. With all these advantages it is not surprising

that the ants have spread like wildfire.

Imported fire ants have done a lot of damage as they have spread across the USA. Because

they are attracted to electrical currents, these ants chew through wire insulation, causing shorts in

electrical circuits. The invaders have also managed to disturb the natural balance of native

ecosystems. In some areas, they have killed off 70 % of the native ant species and 40 % of other

native insect species. Each year, about 25,000 people seek medical attention for painful fire-ant

stings.

Although about 157 chemicals, including ammonia, gasoline, extracts from manure, and

harsh chemical pesticides, are registered for use against fire ants, most have little or no success.

Unfortunately, many of these remedies harm the environment.


1. How did fire ants get into the USA?

a) They were exported to the USA in a freighter ship.

b) They crawled off the frightened sheep.

c) They were brought by a large ship that carries goods.

d) They were imported to the USA in a kayak.

2. According to the text what were the advantages of fire ants?

a) They were natural predators.

b) They had no victims.

c) They colonised many harbours.

d) They had no rivals.

3. Fire ants have done a lot of damage because they ....

a) attract electrical currents b) bite wires

c) cause shots d) chew remedies

4. Fire ants ....

a) are alien species in the USA b) are tiny albinos

c) balance native ecosystems d) are eaten by many other ant species

5. All of the following is true, except....

a) fire ants are destructive b) fire ants can cause ignition

c) fire ants can bear some chemicals d) fire ants are forest attendants

6. Fire ants ....

a) seek people for stinging b) live in a colony

c) kill sick ants d) are fireproof

41

34. WHY RABBIT HAS NO FIERCE CLAWS According to an Iroquois legend, when Rabbit was being created, he asked for long hind

legs, long ears, sharp fangs, and fierce claws. Raweno, who made the animals, didn't mind making

Rabbit the way he wanted to be.

Raweno was forming Rabbit's legs when Owl interrupted and demanded a long neck, red

feathers, a long beak, and a crown of plumes. Raweno, now shaping Rabbit's ears, scolded, "Be

quiet. Close your eyes. Don't you know that no one is allowed to watch me work?"

But Owl disobeyed, saying, "I like watching you, and watch I will". That made Raweno so

angry that he pulled Owl from his branch, stuffed his head into his body, pulled on his ears until

they stuck straight up, and shook him so hard that his eyes grew big. Owl flew off, and his body

stayed that way. Raweno returned to his work, but Rabbit was gone. He had run away in fright

before Raweno could finish. And the Rabbit is still nervous to this day.


1. According to the legend, Rabbit wanted to have ....

a) long front legs

b) long sharp claws

c) fierce fangs

d) fierce sharp curved nails

2. What did Owl demand?

a) A feathered neck.

b) Long wings.

c) A long hard pointed outer part of its mouth.

d) Plums.

3. What did Raweno do shaping Rabbit's ears?

a) Boasted.

b) Berated.

c) Mocked.

d) Whistled.

4. Owl was not....

a) docile

b) stubborn

c) inquisitive

d) disobedient

5. Rabbit is a ... animal.

a) timid b) confident

c) sly d) lazy

6. Choose the right proverb to the story.

a) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

b) Curiosity killed a cat.

c) Two heads are better than one.

d) Tastes differ.

42

35. DIAMONDS

Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance and also one of

the most valuable natural substances. Because of its hardness, the diamond

is the most enduring of all gemstones. In Europe and America the diamond

is the traditional jewel for engagement and wedding rings. Diamonds are

also used in industry for cutting, grinding, and boring other hard materials.

Diamonds are crystals formed almost entirely of carbon. Scientists believe

diamonds were formed millions of years ago when carbon was subjected to

great heat and pressure.

A diamond must be used to cut another diamond. But a diamond can be

separated or broken with a severe blow because of its cleavage. A diamond

will not dissolve in acid. But it can be destroyed when it is subjected to

intensive heat. If a diamond is heated in the presence of oxygen, it will burn

and form carbon dioxide. If it is heated without oxygen, it will turn to

graphite. Some diamonds glow when they are exposed to ultraviolet light.

Diamonds are among the most costly jewels in the world, partly because

they are rare. Gem diamonds are graded according to weight, purity, colour,

and cut. The largest diamond ever discovered was found in Pretoria, South

Africa, by a diamond miner who first thought it was a big chunk of glass. It

weighed 3106 carats about half a kilogram and measured 5x6x10 cm.

It was named the Cullinan Diamond after the founder of the mine. The

diamond was sent to Joseph Asscher, a famous diamond cutter in

Amsterdam. The task of cutting it was truly nerve-wracking. The first cut on

large diamonds is often made by cleaving the diamond along its grain. The

difficulty with this is that the grain is invisible. Asscher studied the diamond

for

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