INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL

CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10

USE OF ENGLISH

1. Write full sentences using the prompts given. Make any necessary changes.

1. A: (you / taste / ever) sushi?

2. B: Yes, I (eat) sushi at least five times so far.

____________________________________________________________________
3. A: When (you / eat) sushi for the first time?

____________________________________________________________________
4. B: I (eat) sushi for the first time on my dad's 50th birthday.

___________________________________________________________________
5. He (invite) the whole family to a Japanese restaurant.

2. Match the columns and write your answers in the box below.

1. Have you ever seen a ghost? a. No, I haven´t ever written a letter.

2. Have you ever eaten insects? b. No, I haven´t. I don´t believe in ghosts.

c. Yes, I have. I made one for my brother on

3. Have you ever cooked seafood?
his birthday.

4. Have you ever made a video? d. No, I haven´t. I don´t even like seafood.

5. Have you ever written a letter to a e. No, I haven´t. They are nasty!

famous person?

Answers: 1. ( ) 2. ( ) 3. ( ) 4. ( ) 5.( )

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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10

3. Put the verbs into the correct form. Use going to.

1. It (rain) ___________________________ tonight.

2. They (eat) _________________________ pizza next weekend.

3. I (wear) ____________________________ blue shoes for the party next week.

4. We (not / help) ________________________ you.

5. Jack (not / walk) ________________________ home.

READING.
Read through the text below, answer the questions that follow.

Reality Television
Reality television is a genre of television programming which, it is claimed, presents
unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and features ordinary
people rather than professional actors. It could be described as a form of artificial or
"heightened" documentary. Although the genre has existed in some form or another since the
early years of television, the current explosion of popularity dates from around 2000.

Reality television covers a wide range of television programming formats, from game or quiz
shows which resemble the frantic, often demeaning programmes produced in Japan in the
1980s and 1990s (a modern example is Gaki no tsukai), to surveillance- or voyeurism- focused
productions such as Big Brother.

Critics say that the term "reality television" is somewhat of a misnomer and that such shows
frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic
locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen
handlers, and with events on screen manipulated through editing and other post-production
techniques.

Part of reality television's appeal is due to its ability to place ordinary people in extraordinary
situations. For example, on the ABC show, The Bachelor, an eligible male dates a dozen
women simultaneously, travelling on extraordinary dates to scenic locales. Reality television
also has the potential to turn its participants into national celebrities, outwardly in talent and
performance programs such as Pop Idol, though frequently Survivor and Big Brother
participants also reach some degree of celebrity.

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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10
Some commentators have said that the name "reality television" is an inaccurate description
for several styles of program included in the genre. In competition-based programs such as
Big Brother and Survivor, and other special-living-environment shows like The Real World, the
producers design the format of the show and control the day-to-day activities and the
environment, creating a completely fabricated world in which the competition plays out.
Producers specifically select the participants, and use carefully designed scenarios,
challenges, events, and settings to encourage particular behaviours and conflicts. Mark
Burnett, creator of Survivor and other reality shows, has agreed with this assessment, and
avoids the word "reality" to describe his shows; he has said, "I tell good stories. It really is not
reality TV. It really is unscripted drama."

1 - In the first line, the writer says 'it is claimed' because…

a. they agree with the statement.

b. everyone agrees with the statement.
c. no one agrees with the statement.
d. they want to distance themselves from the statement.

2 - Reality television has

a. always been this popular.

b. has been popular since well before 2000.
c. has only been popular since 2000
d. has been popular since approximately 2000.

3 – Japan…

a. is the only place to produce demeaning TV shows.

b. has produced demeaning TV shows copied elsewhere.
c. produced Big Brother.
d. invented surveillance focused productions.

4 - People have criticised reality television because…

a. it is demeaning.
b. it uses exotic locations.
c. the name is inaccurate.
d. it shows reality.

5 - Reality TV appeals to some because…

a. it shows eligible males dating women.

b. it uses exotic locations.
c. it shows average people in exceptional circumstances.
d. it can turn ordinary people into celebrities.
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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10
6 - Pop Idol…

a. turns all its participants into celebrities.

b. is more likely to turn its particiapants into celebrities than Big Brother.
c. is less likely to turn its particiapants into celebrities than Big Brother.
d. is a dating show.

7 - The term 'reality television' is inaccurate…

a. for all programs.

b. just for Big Brother and Survivor.
c. for talent and performance programs.
d. for special-living-environment programs.

8 - Producers choose the participants…

a. on the ground of talent.

b. only for special-living-environment shows.
c. to create conflict among other things.
d. to make a fabricated world.

9 - Paul Burnett…

a. was a participant on Survivor.

b. is a critic of reality TV.
c. thinks the term 'reality television' is inaccurate.
d. writes the script for Survivor.

10 - Shows like Survivor…

a. are definitely reality TV.

b. are scripted.
c. have good narratives.
d. are theatre.

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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10
LISTENING

Listen to a Radio show where a presenter is interviewing a contestant.

Answer the following questions.

1. Where are these people?

_________________________________________________________________________

2. What are they doing?

_________________________________________________________________________

3. What did Jasmina has to do?

_________________________________________________________________________

4. What has Maria done?

_________________________________________________________________________

5. How was the boss after he listened to Maria?

_________________________________________________________________________

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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10
ANSWER KEY

+1. USE OF LANGUAGE.

1. Have you ever tasted sushi?

2. Yes, I have eaten sushi at least five times so far.
3. When did you eat sushi for the first time?
4. I ate sushi for the first time on my dad´s 50th birthday.
5. He invited the whole family to a Japanese restaurant.

2 Answers: 1. ( b ) 2. ( e ) 3. ( d ) 4. ( c ) 5.( a ).
3
1. is going to rain
2. are going to eat
3. am going to wear
4. are not going to help
5. Is not going to walk

READING

1 they agree with the statement

2 has been popular since well before 2000
3 has produced demeaning tv shows copied elsewhere
4.poeple uses exotic locations
5. it can turn ordinary people into celebrities
6 is dating a show
7 just for Big Brother and Survivor
8 to create conflict among other things
9. is a critic of reality tv
10. are scripted

LISTENING
1. They are at a radio program
2. They are in a contest.
3. Jasmina has to answer questions.
4. Maria has just quit.
5. He was shocked.
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 INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
CENLEX UST
Centro de Auto Acceso
ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE
INTERMEDIATE 1 MIDTERM
LIFE ELEMENTARY UNITS 9-10

TAPESCRIPT
(FIRST 60 SECONDS)
Presenter: Welcome to Grammar Challenge from bbclearningenglish.com. Let´s make this
week challenge.
Guest:Hi my name is Jasmina from Brussels in Belgium, I love English language because
this is the most important language all over the world.
Presenter: Jasmina, welcome to Grammar Challenge. What I want you to do is to listen to
this conversation. This conversation is about something that Maria did. Was Maria´s boss
surprised by what Maria did?
People talking. Man: “Have you heard the news?”
Woman: What? What´s happened?
Man: Maria´s just quit. She went to the boss and said ”I´m leaving, and you can´t stop me”.
Woman: What did the boss say?
Man: Nothing! He just looked really shocked! And told us to get to our work

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