Reading Comprehension – OSNOVNA RAZINA

Task 1

Match the messages (1-5) and statements (A-F). There is one letter that you do not need.

0 When you come to London, there’s no need for you to book into a hotel. You can sleep at my
place.

1 I got stuck in the traffic so I’m going to be a bit late. Don’t leave without me.

2 The talk show starts at 8. I’ll wait for you at the entrance to the studio. Don’t forget that once the
cameras are on, you can’t enter.

3 I’ve got the chance to study abroad, but I’d have to leave my job here. What should I do? I need an
answer soon.

4 I apologize. I was rude and selfish, but I really care about you. Please let me prove it to you.

5 Sorry I had to run off, but our discussion is not over. I want to tell you what I think.

A Give me another chance. 0- G

B Wait for me. 1-

C Text me before you leave. 2-

1

D I’ll talk to you later. 3-

E Don’t be late. 4-

F Tell me what you think. 5-

G Stay with me.

Task 2

You will read five emails. For each question (6-10), choose the correct answer, A, B or C.

6 Hi

Grace won the race easily. Although she looked tense, I was so sure she’d break the record again.
Everybody was immensely proud of her. She really deserved the medal around her neck. But instead
of boasting about it, she just said she was lucky. That’s so typical of her. Nick What does Nick think of
Grace?

A She is self-confident. B She is modest. C She is proud.

7 Maya

I got really angry with my daughter this morning. She told me off for having too many handbags! As
you know, I’ve always been very proud of my collection. But when I counted them, I saw I had a
problem. I couldn’t believe how many I’d got. She was right. Sondra How did Sondra feel when she
realized she had a problem?

A Shocked. B Proud. C Angry.

8 Hi

I saved €30 to buy myself something nice at Paco Jeans for the summer. Remember the sandals from
their website? When I tried them on, they looked too simple. I got a €13 bag instead, so I’ll spend the
€17 on a new pair of jeans. Beryl How much money did Beryl spend?

A €13. B €17. C €30

9 Martha

I met up with Harriet yesterday evening at a café in the mall. We talked about the film we were going
to see. When I showed her the dress I’d just bought in the boutique next door, she immediately went
and bought one herself! Now what shall I wear on Saturday? Zoe Where did Zoe go first yesterday
evening?

A To a boutique. B To a cinema. C To a café.

10 Joel
2
Have you seen the new JDL smartphone? It looks great! It’s got some updated features and is quite
an improvement on the one I’ve got. I’d definitely buy one if I had the money. Oh, well, I’ll just have
to wait and some day maybe get an even better version. Arthur Why won’t Arthur buy the new
smartphone?

A He’s waiting for a newer version. B He already has one. C It’s too expensive

Task 3

For questions 11-15, complete the form with one or two words in each space. There is an example
at the beginning (0).

Evan Ringer – Geneticist

People born with abnormal eyes might soon have replacements with their own DNA, thanks to
research by scientists like Evan Ringer. The 35-year-old geneticist got his interest in research from his
father. “My dad was a great teacher. He made me really interested in the world around me, asking
me questions and encouraging me to find answers. When the local car factory closed, there was no
more work for mechanics like him, so my mother went to work and he looked after me. I was a bit
unusual: the kids around me hero-worshipped the Scottish footballer Richard Gough, while the
person I looked up to was Charles Darwin. I wanted to be just like him.” Ringer won a scholarship to
Edinburgh University to study engineering. He didn’t enjoy the student lifestyle, though, and left
after the first year. He had already been a waiter to get work experience but thought that the kitchen
looked much more satisfying and got a job as a junior chef. Four years later, he was a chef de partie
in a top restaurant in London. He loved the job, but had to return to Edinburgh. He applied for chefs’
jobs, but ended up studying food science. After switching to biochemistry, he spent the summer
researching the parasite that causes malaria in mice. After graduation, he went on to research for a
PhD. He still enjoys cooking, but now only for fun. He is now at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine
in Edinburgh, working on the growth of eyes in the laboratory.

0 Name: Evan Ringer 11 Degree in: __________________

12 First job: __________________ 13 Father’s occupation: __________________

14 Hobby: __________________ 15 Hero: __________________

Task 4

Read the text about a break-up. For questions 16-20, choose from A-F to complete the sentences.
There is one letter that you do not need. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Break-up 3

We make decisions all the time. But we never know (0) G. It was at the end of their last year at
secondary school that Emilia and Rowan broke up. Emilia was Rowan’s first love, but he broke up
with her (16) _____. He could not forgive her for this. When he saw her at Jade’s party at the end of
term, (17) _____. He just didn’t want to speak to her. She hated the idea (18) _____. She wanted to
tell him that she was sorry. She had felt it was important (19) _____ and not be in a restrictive
relationship. Now she knew she had been wrong. She tried to find him, but it was too late – (20)
_____. It was the last time she saw him before he left for university. Fifteen years later, they met
again – married with children. They looked at each other. Did they have any regrets? They didn’t say.

A he left the room B he was already gone

C that it was not what she wanted D because she had gone out with another boy

E that it was the end of their relationship F to be free to see other people

G if we made the right one

Task 5

Read the text. For each gap (21-25), choose the correct answer, A, B or C. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
 My First Magic Set

I have been interested (0) _____ magic tricks ever since I was a child. When I was only seven years
old, I was given an old magic set (21) ____ an aunt. At first I didn’t have a clue (22) ____ it was for,
but I soon figured it out and that’s when it all started. Of course, at the time I had no idea that one
day I would actually earn my living by (23) ____ magic tricks. Although I am now a full-time magician,
there are always new tricks to be learned. That’s why I (24) ____ a lot of money in getting better
magic equipment. My aunt’s Christmas present has played an important role in my life. She had died
(25) ____ I actually started doing magic professionally, so I never had the chance to thank her. But I’ll
never forget my first magic set.

0 A about B for C in

21 A from B by C of

22 A which B what C why

23 A making B playing C doing

24 A spend B invest C give

25 A before B while C after

Task 6

Complete this text. For questions 26-30, write one word for each space. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

Hands-free driving on the automated highway

What’s the most advanced road (0) ___ the world like? Well, just a couple of miles of this road
contain more (26) ___ 90,000 magnets built into the roadway. They create a magnetic field which is
recognised (27) ___ instruments in the bumpers of cars. The cars travel in a convoy (28) ___ speed is
fixed. They have radio antennas that pick (29) ___ all the necessary driving information from the car
leading the convoy and repeat all the actions of that car. They register speed, slow down or stop. Can
you imagine that we will soon be ‘driving’ our cars and (30) ___ the same time browsing the internet
or reading a book? And just checking that everything is going smoothly.

0 in 26____________________ 27 _________________________

28 __________________ 29 ____________________ 30________________________