Reading and Use of English Parts

1 You are going to read a magazine article about Irish folk

dancing. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D)
which you think fits best according to the text.
1 What did the stage show Riverdance achieve?
A It showed Irish competition dancing at its best.
B It demonstrated how complicated Irish dancing is.
C It presented traditional dances from all over the world.
D It introduced Irish dancing to an international
audience.
2 Why do some individual dresses cost so much money?
A They are made of very heavy material.
B The pattern of each dress is different from every other.
C They are made of very expensive material.
D They are created by top designers.
3 What do we find out about the competition judges?
A They are looking for perfection.
B They are sympathetic if a dancer makes a mistake.
C They only watch one dancer at a time.
D They pay great attention to all the dancers.
4 How does the writer compare Irish dancing with other
sports?
i Traditional Irish folk dancing, which is well known for its colourful
A She thinks it is more competitive than other sports.
costumes and elaborate steps, has become very glamorous since
B She thinks performance matters less than in many
the stage show Riverdance made it recognizable all over the world.
other sports.
What many people do not know about, however, is competition
C She thinks experience is more important than in other
dancing and the importance of appearance in competitions.
sports.
Appearance, which can include costume, make-up, shoes and
D She thinks there is more pressure on the participants
than in other sports.
posture, can make up 40-50% of the dancer's total score.
Solo competition dresses often run to thousands of dollars
5 What is important about Irish dancing to the dancers
themselves? because of the intricately embroidered designs which are unique to
A the honour of winning competitions each dress. The older and more experienced a dancer is, the heavier
her make-up and the more elaborate her dress. Dresses, shoes and
B their beautifully designed costumes
make-up are all marks of status.
C working hard and making good friends
Dancers begin preparing for competitions up to a week in
D the fact that they are representing their country
advance by applying fake tan to their legs. Then, for almost an hour
6 What do people appreciate most about dance
and a half before performing, they perfect themselves - applying
competitions?
make-up, attaching wigs, and gluing their socks to their legs to
A the uniqueness of the dancers' costumes
prevent them from falling down. It seems incredible that the couple
B the teamwork shown by groups of dancers
of hours a dancer spends preparing for a competition are almost
C the fact that the dancers look beautiful
equal in points to the months, or even years, that she spends
D the fact that the performers are talented athletes
perfecting and memorizing complicated steps.
In competition, dancers will perform different steps in a line of
a dozen or more dancers. A Judge will watch several dancers at
once, but if the judge perceives a single imperfection in the dancer's ·
appearance or in her performance, he will move on to watch a
better dancer. If a dancer cannot catch and hold the attention of
the judge, she has no chance of winning a medal or even a place.

6
 Grammar
1 Choose the correct form of the verb to complete these
sentences.
a Can I ring you back? I drive/ I'm driving to work at the
moment.
b You always tell/ You're always telling me what TV
programmes I should watch. It's really annoying.
c Do you know who this hat belongs/ is belonging to?
d Normally I work/ I'm working at home, but this week I
travel/ I'm travelling all over the country.
e I don't usually eat/ I'm not usually eating meat, but this
beef tastes/ is tasting delicious.
f Did I tell you that my sister expects/ is expecting a baby?

2 Complete this email with the correct form of the verb in

brackets. All verbs should be in either the present simple or
the present continuous tense. Sometimes both tenses are
possible.

The pressure this inspires can affect a dancer negatively

because she is consequently more worried about what people think
of her, instead of just doing her best By emphasizing costume and
30 appearance generally, competitive Irish dance has become part of

the cut-throat show business industry. Irish dance instructors often

give this advice: 'Whatever happens, don't cry; it will ruin your make-
up: Pressure to perform is a key element in any sport, and is often
a positive factor in an athlete's overall experience. In modern-day
35 competitive Irish dance, however, the pressure of appearance can Subject: .Rome!
have a very negative impact on a dancer's career.
Hi Ed,
Nonetheless, when asked what Irish dancing means to them,
I told you I was going to Rome, didn't I? Well, I'm actually here
most dancers will answer 'close friends and hard work'. Though
now. It's a fantastic city. The sun (a) (shine)
almost half of a dancer's score is determined by her appearance, every day and it never (b) (seem) to rain. The
40 the aspects of the sport that don't receive points, such as people are very friendly, and most of them (c) _ _ _ __
sportsmanship, friendships, tradition, community and artistry, still (speak) English very well. I (d) (try) to speak
remain of the greatest importance. These are the central ideas that Italian, but I (e) (know) I (f) _ _ _ __
are represented in Irish dance. In fact, the designs on a solo dress (make) lots of mistakes.

have their origins in these ideas: those Celtic designs were created I (g) (spend) a week here with some friends
45 to represent certain symbols, such as unity and friendship.
I'm at university with, and we (h) (visit) as
many of the ancient sites as we can. I'm sure everyone
Because of the very visual nature of dance, external beauty, form,
{i) (know) what the Colosseum is like because
and expression obviously have a large place in the sport. And, although they've seen it on TV or in films, but it (j) (look)
the sheer complexity of costume preparation may seem intimidating, even more impressive in real life. It's a huge tourist attraction.
in the drama of competitive Irish dance, it is legitimate. Visually, the I'll give you a ring as soon as I {k) (get) back.
so true attraction of dance competition is the athleticism and skill of the We {I) (leave) here on Saturday morning and
dancers, both as individuals and as teams. In the end, the emphasis (m) (arrive) back in London just after lunch.
on appearance will only negatively affect the sport if it becomes more Hope all's well.
important than the other aspects of competitive Irish dance.
Polly

7
 Writing Part 1
1 The paragraphs of this sample essay are not in the correct order. Read the essay and
put the five paragraphs in the correct order. Do not try to choose the correct words yet.
D It is clear that for some of these people, such experiments with appearance are
successful; (a) but/ however things can go seriously wrong. Unfortunately, (b) this/
such can cause great unhappiness and can even ruin people's lives.
D It seems that the majority of operations are on people (c) who/ which are
simply unhappy with the way they look. They believe that altering their physical
appearance will increase their confidence or make them more attractive to other
people. They hope surgery will make it easier for them to make friends or to get a
good job.
D (d) They I There have been many recent reports about cosmetic surgery operations
that have gone wrong. When I heard about these, I wondered why so many people
choose to have these operations.
D (e) To/ In conclude, I would suggest that everyone considering cosmetic surgery
should first receive honest medical advice and be warned about the risks involved.
D (f) It/ There is no doubt that some cosmetic operations are necessary for medical
or psychological reasons, (g) by/ for example for patients who have been involved
in serious accidents. (h) However/ But, it is clear from the number of operations
conducted every year that most 'patients' are not in (i) this/ the category.
2 Now choose the correct words in italics in a-i above.

Reading a Use of English Part 1

1 For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits
each gap. There is an examp~e at the beginning (0).

0 A threw B started
~€> D launched
1 A took B got C made D saw
2 A disturbed B distracted c interested D interrupted
3 A definite B careful c clear D sure
4 A awarded B held c won D earned
5 A come B find c go D make
6 A taking B gaining c winning D going
7 A on B to c up [) in
8 A rewarding B popular c agreeable D entertaining

8
 Rea di h Part 7
1 You are to read a newspaper article about a child genius. For questions
choose from the sections The sections may be chosen more than once.

Which
says that the writer found it hard to establish rules?
suggests that the writer controlled how Leo spent his leisure time?
describes an incident which shocked the writer?
gives an example of Leo's inventiveness?
states that the writer believed some people thought he wasn't strict enough
with Leo?
refers to Leo's enquiring mind?
gives examples of Leo's stubbornness?
states that the writer finds parenting Leo difficult but worthwhile?
suggests that the writer is confident that Leo will succeed in life?
says that finding the right environment for Leo was key to his development?

son Leo, a Genius'.

A c
1. My 11-year-old son Leo is a finalist in Channel 4's 'Child Genius' There ai-e of cou1-se other downsides to having a ve1-y bright child.
competition. For me, it caps a decade spent learning how to Not least of these 1s deali11g with the education system. I've seen
raise a child whose intellect and independence of spirit simply state schools that are content to be of average standa1"d, and
aren't ordi11ai-y. It has been rewarding, but it hasn't always expensive private schools with equally average teachers that
s been easy. I was sti-uck by Leo's curiosity and independence don't make allowa11ces for students who have different needs,
of thought almost as soon as he could speak. When I told little which I flnd alarming, I wil I nevedo1-get the ig11orant teache1-
Leo something, he would hungrily analyze it and respond with a who, in my hearing, patronized my six-year-old when he referred
peneti-ating question. He learned to play Monopoly at fou1- and to Shakespeare as a poet 'He wrnte prose,' she snapped.
was soon beating me; at six, he had read the Odyssey. He would Eventually, we found the 1-ight school for him. His frustration has
10 do jigsaw puzzles without the pictui-es - because it was morn gone, he has matured, he has strong friendships, and his grades
challe11ging. In fact fo1- every game he played, he would make up are mainly 'A's, At last, he's just an intelligent, appropriately
new 1-ules, 011es that would make the games harder. stimulatecl child, and achieving his potential.

B D
Leo's IQ was tested on his 11th bidhday. It scoi-ed him in the top 'Child Genius' has very much cast me in the role of the pushy
0.01 per cent of his age group. So yes, he is bright I think I only parent, but I would argue that I have simply been discriminating.
fully admitted that to myself afte1· I saw those i-esults. Not having Leo has seen little live television in his life; instead, good stuff
other children, I had no i-eal way of measu1-ing Leo's intelligence. on DVDs ancl as many books as he has wanted. At six, he was
And, also, I have to admit that part of me JUSt wanted a standa1-d l"eading versions of the classics written fo1- teenagers, and last
kid. Every parent wants their child to socialize well and make week we watched Corio/anus togethe1-. Shakespeare's language
friends, not to be a genius a11d potentially difficult Discipline was was 11ot a ba1Tie1- fo1- him. This September, Leo goes to a highly
challenging. Expla1ni11g to Leo that he needed to sit in a given academic secondary school, a11d he plans to go to university.
place, eat a given meal, follow a given routine, he would invariably He's sti-011g in maths ancl ish, and a keen actm. What will he
ask, 'Why?'. And, often, he'd refuse. By the time he was four, it become, I wo11der: a ba1-rister, a docto1", a JOumalist? I tell him he
was sometimes ha1·cl to tell if he was wildly ci-eative, 01- merely can be anything he wants to be, and I believe it The prngramme
wild. I felt isolated, because many parents and teache1-s assumed has confirmed my belief that raising a 1·eally b1·ight chilcl is a task
that Leo was allowed to do just as he liked. The opposite was true. society neithe1- really unde1-stands no1" supports.
We worked daily to impose mutines. But Leo was reluctant to go
along with a11ything Just because he was asked to.

10
 Reading and Use of English Part 3
1 For questions 1-8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of
some of the lines to form a wmd that ms in the gap in the same line. There is an
example at the beginning (0).

C!lameleons, a of tree-living lizard, are found in Africa, Madagascar, Asia,

Arabia and Sbuthern Europe. They are unusual in their (1) with their bulging eyes, APPEAR
which move (2) , and their long curled tail, which can be twisted around branches to DEPEND
increase their grip. The chameleon's eyesightis exceptional for a reptile: its 360-degree
vision makes it highly (3) at hunting prey and spotting predators. EFFECT

Chameleons will eat everything, from leaves and fruits to insects, When they spot an
insect, theirlongtongue, Which has a (4) substance at its end, wilt shoot out STICK
faster than the human eye can see.

Contrary to popular (5) , most chameleons do not change colour to blend in with BEU EVE
their (6) , although some species are able to. do so. Colour change comes about
because ofchanges in light or temperature, or because they are angry or frightened.
Today, many chameleon species are (7) ~---- because of pollution and the DANGER
(8) _ _ __

Vocabulary
0 Nouns from ptmaisa! verbs 1 It is often possible to form nouns from phrasal verbs. Complete these sentences with an
appropriate noun from the list below.

breakout breakthrough hold-up let-down outbreal'\

takeaway take-off turnout

a In the triple jump, your speed just before _ _ _ _ _ determines the height you
achieve.
b There was a _ _ _ _ _ at the main branch of Barclays Bank in Swindon last
Tuesday. Three armed men got away with several thousand pounds.
c There was a good for the cup final. The stadium was full.
d I don't want to cook tonight. Let's get an Indian _ _ _ __
e There was a mass _ _ _ _ _ from Barlinnie prison last night. Fifty prisoners
managed to overpower the guards and escape.
f The holiday was a real . We were very disappointed with the hotel, and
the weather was awful.
g The discovery of penicillin was an important medical _ _ _ __
h There has been another _ _ _ _ _ of typhoid in the area.

13
 Reading and Use of English Part 6
1 You are going to read a magazine article which explains some of the reasons why
people collect things. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from
the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence which
you do not need to use.

Whv do we collect?
1 People have beep i:olfectiogthinSt?for; centuries.Tfieir ··•
c:ollections range frolf' rare baseball carotJswortft thf)Uf>and$
ofdoHarst~beautiful1br1ghtiY~colo4red 0de~~l.jewelsthat .
·• gHste!) in Qisplavcase.s. ~nawingthekQwner~~wealttr. IQ··
s Even with a valuab.le cQHection, itisn;t oftehthlilt a coJlector
sells upanddairns the rnC>ney. Why, then, would someon.e
put so mu~h time and. effort into. amassJoga va.luable
coHectio,n?
KlmHerzinger1 anEngUshpro sspranclanaYl ch~ftor/····. ·...
Terry shoptaughJ from Minne19ta StateUnlver~ity .
30 provides yet .an9ther explanatil1?for ovrObse:ss(on~i~~ •.•.· . ··
10 Moorhead, can shine sorne light o~ w~yp~ople cbHect . In
c0Uecting~~erzingersay5:.'<;:0U.ectipgjs~wayofdealing.;.····
an article, heoffersthe id.ea th~tcollectlngis based on a
with a feeling oflncompletenessthatmanypeopleJeel>. ·.)(
.need to inspire.rEKOIJectfon.llQ~We usekeep5akestO
stimulate memory, especiallytp \rigg~rna~pynwmori~s,'
.··.in, childhood,' Headds,·h9\f\l~v~r,thatq.,llectin9 isals9~.· ; /i.:
Shoptaugh writes. 'But
evenifm:emorycan!'l9t be.relied·
passion. CJ Herzlnger aJs?.•believest~at it~si~P~rt~nt~or·•··.··.
~sc~llectorsto maintain a s~mse of control overth~ip:olle;ti9n.··,,
151,lpoq.tQ faithfUJl)I rep~odµcethe pa$t,it l'el)1~ins. vital to O(Jr
. l!JTo avoi.d .this, .t~ecollectorna;rr9~~·t~eft~l~fr9m•. ·.·····{•.)
understanding of the pa?t. 'This may explainw~y people. ·
baseb.all cards to,for example; theNewYorl<Yarik~~s cards. ..• •· ·
collectunattractive1 01dyvarmemo~a~Hi.a in.an efforttQ
remember the romantic aspects of war while .nolforgettlng
, , ' " , , ,- - ', - ,-,
Herzi.ngeradmitstha~~.hil~·the.c0l1.et,116n.brJ~gscrj)Lcfijb'/···i·'· ....
the true horror of such time~.·· to the.coUectbr,·therewill always.bedisappbirltfuerit.'ib~~e···
4ohad a \le& go{)dfhen.a;'a.rec~rOcbtt~<:t?rrwh~·V\f~s.s~bwi(1.9•.·.
AnthropologistMarjorie'f'..kio is als{)·a.ne.xpert.0 n collecting.
me armind hiscol!ectlon ofvaluable/krn~riC:an ja~z ,-eco.rds.
20

She shares Shop\augh's[de.a thatpeopJ~coH~ctfora

CJ.Manypeople,feel thev·.have.~special.boncl~it~melr
collecti.on and can't helpfeelirfofrlistrated if no.pile~ls~ ·. ·
can connect the cdlfeaort&.thehistodc,valvedpast,'Akln seems to appreciate it as rh!J<:i"J .as they do.'
alsogive~fourotherr~~s 0 1'ls\1Vhy peo~lecollect.The first ··· · ·· ·. ...... · · .· · · ·.. ·· ·
2s is to satisfy asen:seofpers~~aforder and beauty; Some. . ..· 4sA simpler explanation for the popul~rityofcqll~tfrng;s~•
collecttoplease p~rs~naltaste$, llQAnotherreasonis the hobby is suggested by Kurt Kuersteihe"r,who. ia)ls,'lbeli~y~·
collector's .need forcotnpleteness. }I.kin saysshe has seer1 a
.the main reason people coll.ecttfOngs is baslcfote'restJ!Jthe.
people cry ol)tWith.reHef: ol'icetheircollection i~complete. ·topic.' Can it really be thatslmp!~?

A After showing me his favourite items, he became silent, apparently disappointed

with my lack of response.
B And, like most similar obsessions, it lets you live in another world for a while.
C Despite this, she believes that some people collect for money and profit.
D However, more collections consist of oddities that have nothing more than
sentimental value for the collector.
E In other words, people collect in an effort to remember and relive the past.
F Others collect items that are weird or unusual to show their individualism.
G To collect every baseball card would be impossible, leaving the collector with a
feeling of always being overwhelmed.

18
 Reading and Use of English Part 2
1 For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which best ms each gap.
Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Vocabulary
Adverbs 1 list these adverbs under the correct headings.

absolutely always completely dangerously deliberately especially

even hard interestingly luckily occasionally only rarely sensitively
sometimes surprisingly totally unfortunately very

Adverbs of manner: _ _ _ __
Comment adverbs: _ _ _ __
Focusing adverbs: _ _ _ __
Frequency adverbs: _ _ _ __
Adverbs of degree: _ _ _ __

2 Rewrite these sentences using an appropriate adverb from the list in i. in the correct
position. Sometimes more than one adverb can be used.
a I only caught my train because it was a few minutes late - that was lucky.
Luckily. I caught my train because if was a few minutes late.
b I go to the theatre from time to time if there's something good on.

c My brother was stopped by the police because he wasn't driving safely.

d I hate long road journeys. I hate them most in the winter when the roads are icy.

e My sister passed her driving test first time. That surprised everyone.

When I was four, I broke my brother's favourite toy. It was not an accident.

g That was a terrible fire. The house was destroyed - there's nothing left of it.

20
Reading and English 4
1 For questio11s 1-6, the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to
the first sentence, the word given. Do not change the won:! given. You must use
between two and five wovds, the word given. Here is an
EXAMPLE

O Jason adds up figures well for someone his age.

GOOD
Jason is good at adding up figures for someone his age.
1 We were in too much of a hurry to eat before we left.
TIME
We ------~----- to eat before we left.
2 It is certain that she will pass her music exam.
BOUND
She _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ her music exam.
3 I am meeting my tutor at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
ARRAt-~GED

I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ with my tutor at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

4 Many countries have introduced a new law to ban smoking in public places.
BROUGHT
In many countries, a new law _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to ban smoking in public
places.
5 It's improbable that we'll ever go there again.
UNLIKELY
We there again.
6 Dan learned Russian when he lived with a family in Moscow. He didn't study it formally.
PIC!~

Dan didn't study Russian formally. He _ _ _ _ _ _ _ living with a family

in Moscow.

Vocabula
1 Match the following

cheerful creative energetic enthusiastic fair

organized patient sociable well-educated
-------------------------
A person who ...
a has had a good education. we/1-educ.ated
b is always lively and doesn't tire easily.
c is original, artistic and imaginative.
d is calm and does not get annoyed or frustrated.
e is helpful and sympathetic to other people.
is not afraid of dangerous situations.
g is friendly and enjoys being with other people.
h treats everyone equally.
is efficient and good at making and carrying out plans.
is healthy and in good physical condition.
is interested in and excited about something.
is the opposite of
m is and