Mid-Year Test Units 1 – 6

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Date:
Mark: / 90 marks

Reading
A Read the text about how cultures evolve.

Culture change
All cultures change over time since all elements of culture
change. Whether that be food, music, language or just the w
in which people interact, our cultures are constantly
evolving. people in the world grew from 2.5 billion to 6.5
Some cultures try to resist change by creating laws to preserve billion. With billions of people eager to experience
and protect traditions. 1 For example, the French what the world has to offer in terms of food, fashion,
government has forbidden the use of English words in shops music and more, the road is wide open for cultural
and businesses if there are French equivalents. Young people change.
use English words such as sandwich and computer so much But it isn't only foreign influences that bring about culture
that the French see it as a threat to their own language. So change. Local conditions can have an affect too. The
proud are the French of their culture and traditions that change from life in rural communities to urban living
foreign companies often encounter problems when trying to brought huge changes. First and foremost, more children
establish themselves there. The US coffee giant Starbucks has began attending school. With more education, they were
found it very difficult to get a foothold in France despite the able to find higher-paid jobs than their parents and become
fact that it is becoming successful elsewhere in Europe. There more socially successful. Secondly, when the majority of the
are around 50 Starbucks in France but in the UK, which has a world's population lived in rural areas, families were larger
similarly- sized population, there are over 700 stores.
so that children could help with farmland and animals. Once
In contrast, other cultures are extremely open to some kinds people began moving to cities and working in industry or
of change. Over the last twenty years the Chinese have been trade, they had no need for extra help so they limited the
rapidly adopting western technology and culture in everyday number of children they had. 4 When there are
life, from mobile phones to American television shows and fast fewer children, parents can give more attention to each one
food. McDonald's has already opened hundreds of restaurants and spend more money on them for their wants and needs.
in China and soon will be adding many more. KFC has been Urban living also played a role in affecting the traditional
even more successful. Since the first piece of fried chicken family structures by changing the role of women in the
was family. 5 Men were not the only ones supporting
sold at a Beijing KFC in 1987, the number of KFCs in China the family by earning an income. This new state of equality
has grown to over 3,000, in 650 cities. Pizza Hut has done very meant that they had to help with raising children and do
well too with nearly 500 restaurants in 120 cities. 2 In things that had previously only been done by women.
2003, the Chinese government decided that all pupils, starting
Culture change is constant, and it has many causes and
in the 3rd grade of primary school, had to learn English.
effects. Whether the causes are foreign or homegrown,
The changes experienced by China are happening all over time they can lead to drastic changes in lifestyles and
around the world, whether we try to resist them or not. traditions. Some people are concerned by this while others
They are brought about by the technological advances welcome the changes and see them as advances rather
that led to the expansion of international business and than threats.
mass media. 3
In the sixty years between 1950 and 2010, the number of
Exam Task
B Complete the Exam Task.
Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences A– F the one which fits each
gap (1– 5). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
A This, in turn, affected the relationships of children with their parents and siblings.
B What they had hoped to do was to discourage change, but they failed.
C Education has also seen changes that will speed up westernisation.
D As city women left the home to enter the work force, they gained financial independence.
E Such laws aim to block foreign ideas and influences.

Copyright © National Geographic Learning. Close-up B2 Second Edition

Permission granted to photocopy for classroom Mid-Year
use. Test
 F Another important factor is the human population explosion. ( / 10 marks)

ay

Copyright © National Geographic Learning. Close-up B2 Second Edition

Permission granted to photocopy for classroom Mid-Year
use. Test
Vocabulary and Use your English
A For questions 1–10, read the text below and decide which answer (a, b, c or d) best fits each gap.

Doping for Gold

For almost twenty years, East Germans ran, swam and jumped their way to Olympic glory, winning gold medals and
(1) world records. In the 1972 Olympics, which (2) in Munich, West Germany, the East Germans (3) third in
the medals table behind the Soviet Union and the United States. Four years later, East Germany won an incredible
40 gold medals, six more than the Americans.
People were (4) a loss to explain how a nation of just 17 million people (5) rival the sporting success of the mighty
Soviet Union and the United States. The answer was a secret doping programme. The government of East Germany
was determined to (6) a reputation for their country as a model of sporting achievement, and decided they could
achieve this with the use of steroids developed in a secret laboratory. From the 1960s until East Germany's end in 1989,
approximately 10,000 young athletes were given pills that transformed them into physically (7) machines. The athletes
were told they were 'vitamins'. But these pills came at a(n) (8) . The steroids made many athletes sick and (9) to
heart problems and cancer. Many years later, some of these athletes spoke out and a few even asked for their records to
be cancelled as they (10) them by fair and honest means.

1 a making b doing c setting d putting

2 a took place b took part c took in d took up
3 a went b came c was d took
4 a in b for c on d at
5 a must b could c should d might
6 a make b have c build d create
7 a powerful b power c powerfully d powers
8 a time b price c agony d pressure
9 a connected b responded c catered d led
10 a had not won b have not won c used to win d were winning
( / 10 marks)
B For questions 1–10, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.
Use only one word in each gap.

Living in a capsule
The famous capsule hotels of Japan offer accommodation unlike any other you
may have experienced (1) . These unique hotels were built to cater (2)
the needs of Japanese business men who work (3) late and miss the last
train home. For late-night party people, it's safer and cheaper to spend the
night in a capsule (4) it is to go home. At a cost of around 20-35 euros per
night (less for weekly or monthly rates), they offer just the basic necessities.
All you do is get a ticket from a vending (5) that is usually in the lobby. You
hand the ticket to the clerk and you are given a capsule number and a key that
opens a small locker (6) contains a pair of slippers, pyjamas and towels for
bathing. You (7) take your shoes off because it is customary in Japan not to
wear shoes indoors.
You use a small ladder to climb into your capsule. The capsules are
surprisingly comfortable to lie in, but they are not suitable for (8) else.
However, each capsule does contain a TV, and there's usually free wi-fi so you
can (9) online if you have a laptop. The most common complaint made
by people who have stayed in a capsule hotel is loudly-snoring neighbours.
But there's not really (10) you can do about
that.

( / 10 marks)
C For questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines
to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.

Over the top

I was puzzled by my sister's (1) . She kept BEHAVE
locking herself in her room and would spend hours in
there all alone, sometimes crying (2) . CONTROL
So one day, when she was out, I decided to do some detective work.
I know I shouldn't have, and I did feel (3) COMFORT
looking through her stuff, but my (4) had got CURIOUS
the better of me and I was (5) for some answers. ANXIETY
To my (6) , I came across a massive notebook ASTONISH
filled with I love Justin line after line. That's it. Over and over again. 'That's
(7) ,' I thought and wondered who this Justin EXCESS
could be. Whoever he was, I certainly (8) of APPROVE
my sister wasting her time on him. As I stood there scratching my head,
my gaze fell upon the various posters on her bedroom walls.
Of course! Justin Adams! He was her favourite singer. But
how could a skinny teen, whose only (9) ACCOMPLISH
was a stupid hairstyle, turn my otherwise intelligent sister into
a(n) (10) being who was constantly miserable? RATIONAL
It was time for a serious talk.

( / 10 marks)
D For questions 1–10, use the word given to complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five
words, including the word given.

1 Could you tell me where the bus stop is, please? IF

I me where the bus stop is.
2 Quentin, how long have you known Tracy? WHEN
Quentin, Tracy?
3 It was wrong of you to speak to your sister like that. SHOULD
You to your sister like that.
4 They didn’t let the athletes leave the country. ALLOWED
The athletes the country.
5 Danny started watching TV at ten and it's now twelve. HAS
Danny two hours.
6 My parents and I never went to the cinema when I was younger. USE
I to the cinema with my parents when I was younger.
7 Miranda wasn't confident enough to become an actress. SHY
Miranda an actress.
8 We started looking for a new house and found one soon after. BEEN
We long when we found our new house.
9 Come on, Harry, or we’ll get to the stadium after the match starts! WILL
By the time we get to the stadium, the match , Harry!
10 I don’t think there are many celebrities who deserve their fame. VERY
I celebrities who deserve their fame. ( / 20 marks)

Listening
Complete the Exam
Tasks. Exam Task
 1 You will hear fourteen short conversations. After each conversation, you will be asked a question about what
you heard. The answer choices are shown as pictures (a, b and c). Circle the letter of the correct answer.
You hear each conversation only once.
1 a b c 8 a b c

2 a b c 9 a b c

3 a b c 10 a b c

4 a b c a b c

11
7:30 8:00 7:00

5 a b c 12 a b c

6 a b c 13 a b c

7 a b c 14 a b c

( / 14 marks)
 Exam Task
2 You will hear a guide giving a talk in a museum. For questions 1– 6, choose the best answer (a, b or c).
1 Who showed the first moving pictures? 4 Which important event occurred in the 1920s?
a Cecil B. DeMille a Hollywood became famous.
b the Lumière brothers b A new kind of film was developed.
c Leon Bouly c Audiences listened to jazz.
2 When does the museum's oldest item date from? 5 Why was Hollywood a good place to make films?
a 1890 a The weather was warm and sunny.
b 1895 b There were lots of actors.
c 1899 c Famous directors lived there.
3 Where was the first public film screening? 6 What is the purpose of the talk?
a at the Lumière factory a to promote a place
b in Hollywood b to advertise an event
c in Paris c to inform about a topic
( / 6 marks)

Listen again.

Writing
Complete the Exam
Task. Exam Task

You work at a university office helping to find accommodation for students.

Your supervisor wants to know how the office can offer a better
service and has asked you to write a report. Your report should cover
types of accommodation, areas where accommodation is available, cost,
transport services to the university and anything else you consider relevant.

Write your report in 140–190 words in an appropriate style.

( / 10 marks)