UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA

INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS
PRACTICE EXAM INGLS 2
FEBRERO 2015
I. READING COMPREHENSION.

(NUMBERS 1 20)

A. VOCABULARY. Choose the best option - A, B, C or D - to complete each sentence. (10

points)
1. Luxembourg is a very ___ city. Theres very little crime there.
a) sure
b) insure
c) secure

d) safe

2. I didnt feel very well, ___ I went to bed.

a) because
b) but

c) although

d) so

3. When I was younger, I ___ a living as a waiter.

a) earned
b) gained

c) won

d) got

4. The food was delicious, but its time to go. Shall we get the ___ ?
a) account
b) bill
c) note

d) ticket

5. This special ring brings ____________ everyone luck.

a) to
b) for
c) -----

d) at

6. I ___ to learn some German before I go to Germany.

a) procure
b) pretend
c) try

d) intend

7. Peter and Mary are going to ___ after being married for 35 years.
a) split up
b) break down
c) split off

d) break out

8. If you dont hurry up, well ___ the train.

a) miss
b) fail

c) loose

d) lose

9. I was terrified when the plane ___ off.

a) got
b) went

c) took

d) came

10. I was very fond ___ ballet when I was younger.

a) with
b) about
c) on

d) of

B. TEXTS. Read the following texts and clearly indicate the option A, B, C or Dwhich best completes the sentence or answers the question according to the text.
Text i

I have often thought about moving from my country town to a big city like Boston. Life in a
country town is quiet and Ive always found the bright lights and crowded streets of the city very
exciting and can you believe that at one time I even discussed the possibility of moving to the
city with my family? I recently visited Boston to do some Christmas shopping and see the
Christmas lights and I was really excited about the trip, but when I finally got there and had to
struggle through the crowds, I was very happy to get back home!
There are more people in Boston than ever before! Everywhere I went there were so many
people in the streets, the shops, the cafs, on the sidewalks and on the subway. Everyone was
trying to get somewhere quickly. At first I was amazed to see so many people, but I soon got
tired of it when I discovered I couldnt move around very easily.
The traffic to Boston was so bad that the journey took an extra hour. Then I decided to take the
subway from a parking lot to Faneuil Hall. That was a big mistake! There were hundreds of
people on the platform and when the train arrived it was full, but the people on the platform
just pushed and pushed until they got into the train! So I changed my mind and went back into
the street and walked to Faneuil Hall. It was snowing and freezing cold but it was better than the
crowded subway and I didnt regret making that decision at all. It certainly took me longer to get
where I wanted to go, but that was the least of my worries.
After an expensive coffee I did my shopping. Well, I tried to do my shopping. There were so
many people on the sidewalks I had to walk in the road and everyone was in a hurry. They were
pushing and knocking each other with their bags. No one talked or smiled. Then, of course,
before Id even been to all the popular shops, it was time to go home! My feet were hurting and
it was snowing again so I decided not to walk. I got a taxi but it took over half an hour to get to
the parking lot because there was so much traffic. I can hardly remember the journey home later
because I was so exhausted.
Now I know why I live in the country. Life may not be as exciting or as fast as in the city, but
theres more room on our streets and in our shops, and at least the people have time to talk to
you, unlike Boston, where theyre all rushing around trying to get somewhere on time. But I
must say the Christmas lights in Boston were beautiful!

11.The writer
a) is thinking of moving to Boston.
b) doesnt like the country.
c) is happy where she lives.
d) would like to live in Boston.
12. She
a) travelled on the subway.
b) was pushed in the subway.
c) had trouble getting on the road to Boston.
d) didnt get on the subway.

13. She
a) enjoyed shopping.
b) She bought a lot of things.
c) had a successful shopping trip.
d) didnt have time to finish her shopping.
14. She
a) took forty minutes to get home.
b) was very tired on the way home.
c) took a taxi home.
d) enjoyed her journey home.
15. In Boston
a) life isnt very exciting.
b) people talk to you.
c) people are very busy.
d) people are friendlier than in the country.

Text ii

People say that travel broadens the mind. Well, Ive been abroad so many times that I cant
even remember how many and Im beginning to disagree with that statement. Think about a
typical foreign holiday. A travel agency might not have much real information about your
holiday destination apart from what you can read in the brochure, so you book your
accommodation and you sometimes arrive to discover that your hotel is still being built and you
end up having to go to another one. Furthermore, before you even get there, you have to get
on a plane. Research has given pilots marvellous new equipment, but what do the passengers
get? A smaller seat and worse food, or no food! And when you go to baggage reclaim,
somebody gives you the brilliant news that although you are in Holland, your suitcases are in
Africa.
Some people decide that a luxury cruise is a good way to travel the world. My
neighbour spent a couple of years saving up to go on an extremely expensive cruise around the
Greek islands. On the second day, after eating some bad shellfish in a beach caf on a tiny
island, he got terribly ill and spent most of his holiday lying on the bed in his cabin on the ship
listening to other people enjoying themselves. He couldnt stop thinking about all the money he
had spent on a holiday that he was unable to enjoy. He returned from his holiday a few kilos
lighter and a few thousand pounds poorer and looking very miserable.
Things arent a lot better if you stay at home. Think of all the wonderful descriptions of
the English countryside youve read - all that green grass, those beautiful flowers and
spectacular views and scenery. Well, even if you manage to get there through the heavy traffic,
youll probably find a sign saying that you dont have permission to walk on the grass. And then
theres the English weather- very occasional sunshine, otherwise rain and possibly fog or strong
winds.
Lets accept the fact that travelling is too much like hard work. My advice is to stay at
home. If you want something foreign, go out and eat some Tacos or Chow Mein. And if you still
have some money left after that, buy yourself a lovely new sofa or some armchairs. Perhaps you
wont broaden your mind, but at least youll be comfortable.
3

16.

What is the writer trying to do in the text?

a) Stop people going to travel agencies.
b) Make them see that its a good idea to take their holidays in England.
c) Make them think about travel.
d) Make them buy more furniture.

17.

Where would you find this text?

a) In an advertisement.
b) In a newspaper.
c) In a holiday brochure.
d) At a tourist information office.

18.

What does the writer think about travel?

a) It broadens the mind.
b) Its a positive thing to do.
c) Its better to do it in your own country.
d) It causes too many problems.

19.

What did the writers neighbour think about his holiday?

a) He wasted his money.
b) The food on the cruise ship was terrible.
c) The other passengers were too noisy.
d) It was a good way to lose some weight.

20.

The writer is
a) someone who hardly knows anything about travel.
b) someone who has travelled a lot.
c) someone who has never travelled.
d) someone who hates flying.

II. LISTENING COMPREHENSION (NUMBERS 21-30)

LISTENING A
You will hear John talking about how he met Maria. Listen and choose the correct answer A,
B, OR C . You will hear the text twice.
21. John met Maria _____.
a) in Morocco
b) on July 1st
c)
on July 3rd
22. John sat ____.
a) at another table
b) outside the caf
c)
opposite Maria
23. Maria was wearing _____.
a) a T-shirt
b) red shoes
c)
a red skirt
4

24. Maria was reading _____.

a) a newspaper
b) a magazine
c)
a travel guide
25. At the club, John and Maria ___ .
a) had something to drink
b) sang
c)
danced
Listening B
Listen and choose the correct answer A, B, or C for each item. You will hear the text twice.
26.

James first learnt about photography from

a) his parents.
b) his aunt.
c) his uncle.

27.

James first won a photography competition when he was

a) eight years old.
b) nine years old.
c) twelve years old.

28.

What did James do when he left school?

a) He got a job to earn some money.
b) He went on holiday before starting work.
c) He studied law.

29.

In Jamess studio you can mostly see

a) photos of weddings.
b) sports photography.
c) artistic photographs.

30.

In the future, James plans to

a) try a new kind of photography.
b) take photos of works of art.
c) go back to his previous job.

III. WRITTEN EXPRESSION (Numbers 31-50)

Please do not write in this space.

Written Expression: UofE (

/20 2)=

/10 + Compositions

/20 =

30 3 =

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A. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Rewrite the following sentences using the new beginning given. The meaning of the original
sentence must not change. (31- 40)
Example:
They didnt allow us to leave early.
Answer:
They didnt let us leave early.
31. Nobody in the class is as intelligent as Ana.
Ana is .
32. John works hard.
John is .
33. Our car is eighteen years old.
We have an ...
34. I last ate there three months ago.
I havent
35. Understanding films in English is difficult.
Its difficult .
36. Shall we go to the cinema this evening?
How about
37. She walks faster than me.
She doesnt walk
38. Not many people came to the party.
Only
39. Miriam fell asleep and then the phone rang.
Miriam was .
40. There was nothing to do in my parents village.
There wasnt

B. CLOZE.

Read the texts and fill in each gap with ONE word only. (41-50)

(0) = Example
1)
Last summer I decided I was tired (0) of going to the beach and I wanted to do (41)_____
different, so I went to a travel agency and I (42) _______ a trip to London. Before I travelled, I read
(43) _____ the city on the Internet and I was really excited about the trip. It was a lovely holiday. The
hotel was excellent and the girl at (44) _____ was very friendly. Before I came home, we promised
to keep in touch every week. Of course we dont write very often; we spend hours (45) _____ on the
phone instead.

2)
Last week I was invited to a neighbours party where everybody seemed to know each other. I
tried to introduce (46) _____ to a couple, but I didnt know what to say and they moved away. I
waited for ages to get a drink at the bar but it was impossible because there (47) _____ so many
people. (48)_____ the end, I decided to speak to a man standing on his (49) _____ at the back of the
room. What a mistake! He didnt stop (50)_____ about his family all evening and I couldnt escape.

C. COMPOSITION

Part I

Please do not write in this space.

Part II

/10

/10

TOTAL
/20

Part I. You must complete the following task. Write 125 words. Count the words and indicate
the required number of words (125) clearly with an asterisk. (*)
E-mail/Letter: Susan is an old school friend you havent seen for ten years. She just
contacted you last week. This is part of her e-mail:
Well, thats enough about me. What about you? What did you do after school? Did you
go to the university? Are you working? Did you get married? Please write and tell me
all about you and your life.
Write an e-mail to Susan and answer her questions.

Part II. Choose ONE of the following options and write 125 words. Count the words and
indicate the required number of words (125) clearly with an asterisk (*).
Essay:
1. Your teacher has organised a writing competition for all of her classes and
you decide to participate. Theres only one rule: the story must include this line: He
knew he would never forget that weekend.
Write your story.
2. Write about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Include information about the
city, what you did there, the hotel facilities, where you ate, the room, etc.