JOSINA MACHEL SECONDARY SCHOOL

TREMESTER II 1st ENGLISH TEST GRADE 12 _____/____/2010

Name____________________________________________________________Stream______No._____

I. Read the text and CIRCLE the correct option for each number

Disabilities: David Blunkett

David Blunkett was Minister of education in the United Kingdom. He was born blind, but has made a successful career
for himself in politics by his determination. When he was 12, his much loved father was killed in a gas explosion at work.
His mother had to struggle to bring him up with very little money. He had to start at secondary boarding school within two
weeks of his father's death. "I realised that I would have to fight back or go under", he said. "I fought back".

His school was not encouraging. They didn't believe examinations were necessary and only offered their blind pupils three
career options: piano - turning, lathe-turning or office work. David chose office work and learned typing and shorthand.
"By my late teens I became determined not to be a typical blind person with dark glasses and a white stick."

He went to night school for six years to get the qualifications he needed to enter university. "Looking back, I don't know
how I managed. It was very hard work." He won a place at the University of Sheffield, where he gained a BA honours
degree in Political Theory and Institutions. At university he became involved in politics. “There are people in politics who
feel that because I am a blind man, I cannot work on equal terms", he said. "The only way I can answer them is by doing a
first-class job. And when I make a mistake, it is because I am human like other people, and not because I am blind."

Blunkett became the youngest-ever councillor on Sheffield City Council, being elected in 1970 at the age of 22 while a
teacher. He served on Sheffield City Council from 1970 to 1988, becoming Leader from 1980 to 1987 and on South
Yorkshire County Council from 1973 to 1977. He built up support within the Labour Party during his time as the council's
leader during the 1980s and was elected to the Labour Party's National Executive Committee.

He became the UK's first blind cabinet minister as Minister of Education and Employment. The role of education minister
was a vital one in a government whose prime minister had in 1996 described his priority as "education, education,
education" and which had made reductions in school class sizes a pledge. In 2001, Blunkett was promoted to Minister of
home affairs and later to Minister of Work and Pensions.

1. What disability does Blunkett have?

A. he was blind B. blindness C. he had no eyes

2. What was the result of Blunkett’s determination?

A. he became the youngest ever councillor B. he became a successful politician
C. he became a successful minister

3. Blunkett’s father died when he was 12. How did this affect his life?
A. He had to go at boarding school at night B. He had to fight down C. He had to go under

4. Blunkett decided in his teen

A. to be a normal blind B. to be a different blind C. to study hard

5.At university he became involved in

A. Political theories B. political sciences C. Politic

6. When I make a mistake is because

A. Every human being errs B. it is normal of all beings to make mistakes
C. any person is perfect
7. Blunkett’s occupations were
A. Politic and teaching B. Teacher and politician C. Politics and teaching

8. Education was vital in the government Blunkett served because

A. it was its precedence B. It was its political theory C. it was politic

II. Complete each sentence with a correct verb/ form. Use the verbs in brackets if available

9. That is his office. He______________________________here for three years (work).

10. three years only? Did he ______________________________in here in 2007? (move).
11. This is our library. it ____________________________ in 1990 (construct).
12. The photocopiers are also kept here because they ___________________ from the former store (steal)
13. I arrived at the train station at 7:30h. But it was too late. the train ______________________ (go).
14. Shoes are expensive but the ones I _____________________________________ were cheap? (buy)
15. The water _________________________________. Can you put the pot back to the stove? (not / boil)
16. In Britain the banks__________________________________ at 5 o’clock every evening. (not / close)
17. She _________________________________________________ a nice person before going mad. (be)
18. What _________________________________________________ at school when I called? (do)
19. _____________________________________________any restaurants on our way here? (you / not /see)
20. ____________________________________________________ any party here yesterday? (there / be)

III. In the following text some words have been left out. From the words given bellow the text, circle the letter (A,
B, C or D) corresponding to the one that best completes each space. DON’T fill in the spaces.
(0.5 mark each correct answer)

Leisure is generally seen as an event which takes place outside working hours. The peak leisure time for most
people is between 6.00 pm and 12.00 am, although in recent years there has been an increase in people working __18__
hours and shifts.
Leisure is often thought purely as a __19__ activity, i.e. playing sport. Although may people use their __20__ time
in this way, there are plenty of other leisure __21__ that are more passive in nature such as __22__ television or
sunbathing on a beach.
It’s important to __23__ that leisure can embrace a whole range of __24__ and activities although personal choice
can be limited __25__ of factors such as age or provision of local __26__. The leisure emphasis will normal change at
different __27__ of one’s life-cycle.

18 A. unsocial B. unsuitable C. unsociable D. unreasonable

19. A. cultural B. social C. unsociable D. mental
20. A. free B. rest C. unoccupied D. empty
21. A. time B. options C. opportunities D. things
22. A. enjoying B. watching C. seeing D. having fun
23. A. notice B. see C. experiment D. realise
24. A. experiences B. activities C. pastime D. leisure
25. A. due B. as C. because D. due to
25. A. convenience B. facilities C. capacities D. capabilities
27. A. parts B. levels C. sections D. stages

End ⁄ English department