PART I.

LISTENING (50 pts)

Question 1. Listen to the recording and complete the notes below. Write NO MORE
THAN THREE WORDS/ NUMBER for each answer. (20 pts)

The use of soil to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere

Rattan Lai:

 Claims that 13% of CO2 in the atmosphere could be absorbed by agricultural soils
 Erosion is more likely in soil that is (1) ________
 Lai found soil in Africa that was (2) ________
 It was suggested that carbon from soil was entering the atmosphere

Soil and carbon:

 Plants turn CO2 from the air into sugars and other (3) ________
 Some CO2 moves from the (4) _______ of plants to microbes in the soil
 Carbon was lost from the soil when agriculture was invented

Regenerative agriculture:

 uses established practices to make sure soil remains fertile and (5) ________
 e.g. through year-round planting and increasing the (6) ________ of plants that are
grown

California study:

 taking place on a big (7) ________ farm

 uses compost made from waste from agriculture and (8) ________

Australia study:

 aims to increase soil carbon by (9) _______ that are always green

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Future developments may include:

 reducing the amount of fertilizer used in farming

 giving farmers (10) ________ for carbon storage, as well as their produce

(Cambridge IELTS practice test 11)

Your answers:

1. ……………………………………. 6. …………………………………….
2. ……………………………………. 7. …………………………………….
3. ……………………………………. 8. …………………………………….
4. ……………………………………. 9. …………………………………….
5. ……………………………………. 10. …………………………………….
Question 2. You will hear a radio report about British people buying holiday homes
abroad. Listen and answer the questions WITH NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS/ NUMBER. (10 pts)
1. How many British households now own a second home abroad?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What is the main reason for more than half of the nearly 2,000 people buying a second
home overseas?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What did 40% of respondents say about making money when people invested in new-
builds?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What place remains the second most popular destination for living abroad?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What are expected to expand people’s routes to Bulgaria?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(Advanced 10 CAE Practice Tests)

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Question 3. Listen to the recording and decide whether the information in each
sentence is true (T) or false (F) or not given (NG). (10 pts)
1. Helen Perry was an expert on theatre history in the middle of the nineteenth century.
2. Her friends encouraged her a lot to become an actress.
3. Learning the lines stopped her from becoming an incredibly successful actress.
4. She was one of the first stars to have a perfume named in her honor.
5. Helen had only a few honorary university degrees.
(Certificate in Advanced English 3)
Your answers:
1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………
Question 4. You will hear part of an interview with two chefs, Jane and Chris, who
both won prizes in the National Railway Chef of the Year competition. Choose the
best answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. (10 pts)
1. Jane admits that the greatest problem she faced during the competition was having to
________.
A. be original when travelling at speed
B. produce a meal with so little money
C. work in a very small space
D. prepare a meal so quickly
2. What do both Chris and Jane feel is unique about their work?
A. the close contact with the customers
B. the need to do everything at the same time
C. the opportunity they have to be creative
D. the way they have to focus on the job
3. What do Chris and Jane feel about what they cook on board the train?
A. They approve of the menus provided for them.
B. They are more adventurous than other chefs.
C. They would like to have more freedom of choice.
D. They are happy to adapt their ideas to suit the job.

3
4. What is often Jane’s initial reaction when things spill over?
A. She asks another member of staff to help her clear up.
B. She blames the train driver for the accident.
C. She tells herself to keep a closer watch next time.
D. She says nasty things to the other staff.
5. What does Chris say caused his worst disaster?
A. leaving things to burn under the grill
B. dropping the main course on the floor
C. losing his concentration when cooking
D. not keeping an eye on the oven temperature
(Certificate in Advanced English 3)
Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

PART II. LEXICO - GRAMMAR (30 pts)
Question 5. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to complete each sentence below.
(15 pts)
1. The best travel books of this year fall into three main categories: ______ informational,
narrative, and anecdotal.
A. truly B. fully C. literally D. purely
2. As a matter of ______, we have six security guards on the premises at all times.
A. wisdom B. prudence C. foresight D. acumen
3. With just a little preparation and regular feeding and watering, you can guarantee that
you have a ______ of colour throughout the summer.
A. disturbance B. riot C. demonstration D. rally
4. It was such a sad movie that we were all reduced ______ tears.
A. for B. with C. into D. to
5. Serena is still ______ ignorant of the fact that she is about to be made redundant.
A. blissfully B. decorously C. jubilantly D. ecstatically
6. At the end of the competition, all the runner were ______ exhausted.

4
 A. actually B. wholly C. utterly D. eventually
7. No decision has been taken about the building of the new airport. The authorities are
still ______.
A. beating about the bush B. comparing apples and oranges
C. sitting on the fence D. holding all the aces
8. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.
A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined

9. It’s important to keep your ______ about you when you are walking through the
African bush.
A. wits B. heads C. brains D. minds
10. His appearance at the reception with the late Mayor’s widow caused something of a
______.
A. confusion B. rumour C. wonder D. stir
11. Derek had no experience of white-water canoeing, so it was extremely______ of him
to try and shoot the rapids.
A. hazardous B. intrepid C. perilous D. foolhardy
12. Members of the aristocracy don’t ______ a great deal of power nowadays.
A. practice B. wield C. sway D. manage
13. Why do  you  object  to him being  taken  on – he’ll  be a(n) ______ to  the 
company?
A. property B. estate C. asset D. material

14. A boycott of other countries’ sporting events appears a politically more expedient
form of protest than trade ______.
A. treaties B. actions C. blocks D. sanctions
15. I heard ______ that Jack has been dropped from the basketball team.
A. in the woods B. on the grapevine
C. under your feet D. on the olive branch

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Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…
11. …………… 12. …………… 13. …………… 14. …………… 15. ……………
Question 6. Give the correct form of the words given in brackets. (10 pts)
A recent government report (1. HIGH) _______ the extent to which credit card debt is
spiraling. Blame is (2. PORTION) _______ solely to the credit card companies, who, the
report claims, will go to any (3. LONG) _______ to attract new customers. (4. ADD)
_______, according to the report, they are responsible for encouraging (5. EXIST)
_______ customers to borrow more by raising their monthly limit. Certainly a recent
advertising campaign by a major credit card company – which has since been (6.
DRAW) _______– seems to bear these findings out.

However, while the responsibility of the credit card companies is not (7. CONSIDER)
_______, it is, in my opinion, unfair to lay all the blame on their shoulders. The (8.
MAJOR) _______ of credit card users are able to make their (9. PAY) _______ on time
without difficulty. There will always be a minority of people in our society who are
financially (10. RESPONSE) _______. If they run up huge debts, is it really the credit
card company’s fault?
Your answers:

1. ……………………………………. 6. …………………………………….
2. ……………………………………. 7. …………………………………….
3. ……………………………………. 8. …………………………………….
4. ……………………………………. 9. …………………………………….
5. ……………………………………. 10. …………………………………….
Question 7. Identify 05 errors in the following passage and correct them. Write your
answers in the space provided in the column on the right. There is an example at the
beginning. (5 pts)
Example 0. include => includes

6
Whirlwind, any rotating air mass, (0) include the tornado and the large cyclonic and anti-
cyclonic storm. In meteorology, the term whirlwind is more strict applied to the smaller
swirling atmospheric phenomenon commonly known as dust devil or dust whirl, which
occurs mostly over deserts and semiarid plains during hot, calm days. The principal cause
of whirlwinds is intense insulation, or incoming solar radiation receiving by the earth,
which produces an overheated air mass just above the ground. This air masses rises,
usually in the form of a cylindrical column, sucking up loose surface material, such as
dust, sand, and leaves. Whirlwinds vary in height from 30 to 152 m, but exceptionally
vigorous dust devils may exceed 1524 m in height. The vortices of whirlwinds range in
size from a little meters to several hundred meters and, depend on their force and size,
dust devils may disappear in seconds or last several hours. Brief whirlwinds are erratic in
motion, but the longer-lasting ones move slowly with the prevailing winds.
Your answers:

Lines

1. …….………………….

2. …….………………….

3. …….………………….

4. …….………………….

5. …….………………….

PART III. READING (60 pts)

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Question 8: Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D)
best fits each gap. Write your answers in corresponding numbered boxes. (10 pts)
(CAE builder)
Gerard Mercator: The Man Who Mapped the Planet
When Gerard Mercator was born in 1512, the geography of the globe still (0)___
remained ______a mystery. It was unclear whether America was part of Asia, if there
was a vast (1) _________of sea at the top of the world or if Australia was connected to
Antarctica.
Mercator’s childhood was spent chiefly in Rupelmonde, a Flemish trading town on
the river, and it was here that his geographical imagination was (2) _________by the
ships which passed to and from the rest of the world. Alongside imagination, he
developed two very different skills. The first was the ability to gather, (3) _________and
co-ordinate the geographical information provided by explorers and sailors who
frequented the margins of the known. He also had to be able to imagine himself (4)
_________from the heavens, to achieve the visionary (5) _________of gods in the skies,
(6) _________ down on the world. The main reason why Mercator’s name is familiar to
us is because of the Mercator Projection: the solution he (7)_________to represent the
spheroidal surface of the globe on a two-dimensional plane. It is less well known that
Mercator was the first man to conceive of mapping the (8) _________surface of the
planet or that he (9) _________the idea of multiple maps being presented in bound
books, to which he gave the name ‘Atlas’.
It is difficult for us now to be surprised by maps, so many are there, and of such
detail and coverage, but we should bear in mind that Mercator lived at a time when such
knowledge was far from (10) _________. He was the man who altered our worldview
forever.
0. A. remained B. continued C. maintained D. endured
1. A. territory B. distance C. range D. expanse
2. A. raised B. reared C. supplied D. nourished

8
3. A. congregate B. amass C. assimilate D. construct
4. A. suspended B. located C. situated D. attached
5. A. inspection B. observation C. perspective D. assessment
6. A. glimpsing B. scrutinizing C. watching D. gazing
7. A. invented B. contrived C. devised D. schemed
8. A. sheer B. full C. entire D. utter
9. A. pioneered B. initiated C. lead D. prepared
10. A. typical B. common C. routine D. normal
Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…
Question 9: Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space.
Use only one word in each space. (10 pts).
There is an example at the beginning (0).
(CPE succeed)
Karaoke fever

Karaoke is fast (0)____becoming_____ the nation’s Number One party pastime.

Public humiliation has (1)_________ been so fashionable. It’s 1 a.m. at an exclusive
location in the heart of London. A major pop singer has taken the stage but rather than
sing her latest hit, she treats the crowd (2)_________ a Michael Jackson song. What was
(3) _________ the party habit of teenagers is now favoured by London’s coolest crowd
and everyone is having a (4) _________. So why are so many of our young celebrities
queueing up to make fools of (5) _________ in clubs and bars across the country? Maybe
it’s because belting (6) _________ a naff pop song to a public audience shows that even
though you may be a celebrity, you don’t (7) _________ yourself too seriously. And if
you are a big movie star, that’s a good message to get across. Nobody gets away without
being laughed (8) _________ on a karaoke evening, no matter how famous they are. (9)
_________ all, that’s the whole point of the exercise. But for the musical experts among

9
you, a word of warning: this isn’t about proving to the world that you know all the lyrics
to a serious song. It’s about expressing your inner performer. Don’t bother (10)
_________ up at a karaoke night if you aren’t prepared to sing; you’ve got to put in the
effort and prove that you are one of the ‘in-crowd’. Break a leg!

Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…
Question 10: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. (10
pts) ( (TOEFL iBT advanced)
Solving Deforestation problems
As more and more countries around the globe move towards industrialization in an
attempt to compete in the global market, an environmental crisis over deforestation --- the
cutting down, burning and general damaging of forests --- is looming for mankind. Over
the last several decades, environmental specialists have proposed various strategies
aimed at slowing down this process of deforestation in developing countries. Many
of these proposals are indeed valuable ideas in that they are realistic attempts to address
some of the causes of deforestation, such as farming, cattle ranching, and commercial
logging. All of them rely on government involvement of some kind.
There are three broad categories of solutions: state economic policies, internal
agreements, and international programs. ■ A) Economic policies generally attempt to
limit the activity of small farmers through government actions. ■ B) Government actions
can include the clear and proper definition and enforcement of property rights, meaning
that squatting, or illegally settling on land, would be more difficult. ■ C) Subsidies can
be used to encourage conservation. That is, money may be paid to supplement the
income of those farmers who make an effort to reduce the usual amount of damage to the
forest that their farms cause. In addition, taxes can act as a deterrent to undesirable land
use. ■ D) For example, certain kinds of agriculture, like the slash-and-burn method, as
well as cattle ranching, may be taxed to discourage these activities.

10
 An internal agreement may be made between governments and indigenous or native
people living in the moist rainforests and open woodlands of the tropics, where the vast
majority of this deforestation is occurring. Such an agreement would allow people to
carry on traditional activities adapted for some economic benefit. One example is the
rubber-tappers in Brazil. These native people draw sap from rubber trees in the
rainforest, without damaging or killing the trees. The sap, in turn, is sold to rubber
companies, thereby providing the native people with economic benefits.
Finally, international agreements usually involve the exchange of monetary aid in
return for government action to protect its forests. One such plan seeks to help play a
nation’s debt in exchange for restrictions on certain kinds of activities in rainforests. This
is appealing for a poor country such as Brazil, which has an international debt of $160
billion. Instead of selling logging concessions to play down that obligation, the
government receives money for banning or restricting logging in its forests. There is also
the proposal of a global fund created in order to grant money to countries that choose to
protect their environments. While all of these ideas could possibly work, it remains to be
seen whether there will be any real progress in rainforest conservation.
It is clear that something must be done to protect the forests of the world. If the
current rate of deforestation continues, the world’s rainforests will vanish within 100
years, causing numerous adverse effects on global climate and eliminating the majority of
plant and animal species on the planet. Deforestation significantly increases the amount
of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere each year, which in turn causes an
increase in global temperatures. Also, scientists speculate that the tropical rainforests,
though covering only seven percent of the Earth’s dry surface, contain more than half of
the 5 million to 80 million species of plants and animals that comprise the “ biodiversity “
of the planet. The loss of species resulting from radical climate change will have a
drastic effect. The Earth is losing species every day that could potentially prevent cancer
or lead to a cure for AIDS. In addition, other organisms are losing species they depend
upon, and thus face extinction themselves. Unless some form of concrete solution for

11
deforestation is enacted quickly, the survival of all creatures living on Earth could be in
jeopardy.
1. According to paragraphs 3 and 4, what is the main difference between an internal
agreement and an international agreement?
A. International agreements are more effective than internal agreements.
B. An international agreement is between countries; an internal agreement is between a
government and its people.
C. Internal agreements benefit governments; international agreements benefit indigenous
groups.
D. Internal agreements are more effective than international ones.
2. The word "obligation" in paragraph 4 could best be replaced by ________.
A. promise B. relationship C. guarantee D. debt
3. In paragraph 1, what does the word "them" refer to?
A. The causes of deforestation
B. Decades
C. Proposals
D. Developing countries
4. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be
added to paragraph 2:
“Deforestation by a peasant farmer is often done to raise crops for subsistence and is
driven by the basic human need for food.”
Where would the sentence best fit? Choose the square [■] where the sentence should
be added to the passage.
A. Line 2 B. Line 3 C. Line 5 D. Line 7
5. Why does the author mention rubber-tappers in paragraph 3?
A. To provide an example of an internal agreement
B. To provide an example of an international agreement
C. To provide an example of a state economic policy

12
D. To provide an example of why Brazil is a poor nation
6. According to the passage, what are the major adverse effects of deforestation?
A. An increase in carbon dioxide and decrease in biodiversity
B. Warmer weather and an increase in biodiversity
C. Loss of plant and animal species and an increase in global debt
D. An increase in global debt and human diseases
7. Which of the following sentences best expresses the essential information of the
highlighted sentence?
A. In coming decades, environmental scientists will suggest several strategies for
stopping deforestation in
third-world countries.
B. Environmental scientists, in recent years, have suggested that deforestation slows
down the process of development in various countries.
C. In recent decades, several methods for countering deforestation in poor countries have
been suggested by experts on the environment.
D. Experts on the environment have been concerned about the impact of deforestation on
the Earth's biodiversity in recent decades.
8. From the passage, it can be inferred that ________.
A. state economic policies are more effective than international agreements
B. indigenous peoples in the tropics depend on forestry to make money
C. the three types of solutions mentioned will save the rainforests
D. deforestation is not a very serious problem
9. The word "deterrent" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. fine B. penalty C. incentive D. discouragement
10. The word "this" in paragraph 4 refers to _________.
A. a poor country
B. a nation's debt
C. an international agreement

13
D. an obligation
Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…

Question 11: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow. (20 pts)
(IELTS Practice)

The Hollywood Film Industry

A This chapter examines the ‘Golden Age’ of the Hollywood film studio system and
explores how a particular kind of filmmaking developed during this period in US film
history. It also focuses on the two key elements which influenced the emergence of the
classic Hollywood studio system: the advent of sound and the business ideal of vertical
integration. In addition to its historical interest, inspecting the growth of the studio
system may offer clues regarding the kinds of struggles that accompany the growth of
any new medium. It might, in fact, be intriguing to examine which changes occurred
during the growth of Hollywood studio, and compare those changes to contemporary
struggles in which production companies are trying to define and control emerging
industries, such as online film and interactive television.
B The shift of the industry away from ‘silent’ films began during the late 1920s. Warner
Bros.’ 1927 film The Jazz Singer was the first to feature synchronized speech, and with
it came a period of turmoil for the industry. Studios now had proof that ‘talkie’ films
would make them money, but the financial investment this kind of filmmaking would
require, from new camera equipment to new projection facilities, made the studios
hesitant to invest at first. In the end, the power of cinematic sound to both move
audiences and enhance the story persuaded studios that talkies were worth investing in.
Overall, the use of sound in film was well-received by audiences, but there were still
many technical factors to consider. Although full integration of sound into movies was
complete by 1930, it would take somewhat longer for them to regain their stylistic

14
elegance and dexterity. The camera now had to be encased in a big, clumsy, unmovable
soundproof box. In addition, actors struggled, having to direct their speech to
awkwardly-hidden microphones in huge plants, telephones or even costumes.
C Vertical integration is the other key component in the rise of the Hollywood studio
system. The major studios realized they could increase their profits by handling each
stage of a film’s life: production (making the film), distribution (getting the film out to
people) and exhibition (owning the theaters in major cities where films were shown
first). Five studios, ‘The Big Five’, worked to achieve vertical integration through the
late 1940s, owning vast real estate on which to construct elaborate sets. In addition,
these studios set the exact terms of films’ release dates and patterns. Warner Bros.,
Paramount, 20th Century Fox, MGM and RKO formed this exclusive club. ‘The Little
Three’ studios - Universal, Columbia and United Artists - also made pictures, but each
lacked one of the crucial elements of vertical integration. Together these eight
companies operated as a mature oligopoly, essentially running the entire market.
D During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable
enterprises, due in large part to long-term management heads - the infamous ‘movie
moguls’ who ruled their kingdoms with iron fists. At MGM, Warner Bros, and
Columbia, the same men ran their studios for decades. The rise of the studio system also
hinges on the treatment of stars, who were constructed and exploited to suit a studio’s
image and schedule. Actors were bound up in seven-year contracts to a single studio,
and the studio boss generally held all the options. Stars could be loaned out to other
production companies at any time. Studio bosses could also force bad roles on actors,
and manipulate every single detail of stars’ images with their mammoth in-house
publicity departments. Some have compared the Hollywood studio system to a factory,
and it is useful
to remember that studios were out to make money first and art second.
E On the other hand, studios also had to cultivate flexibility, in addition to consistent
factory output. Studio heads realized that they couldn’t make virtually the same film

15
 over and over again with the same cast of stars and still expect to keep turning a profit.
They also had to create product differentiation. Examining how each production
company tried to differentiate itself has led to loose characterizations of individual
studios’ styles. MGM tended to put out a lot of all-star productions while Paramount
excelled in comedy and Warner Bros, developed a reputation for gritty social realism.
20th Century Fox forged the musical and a great deal of prestige biographies, while
Universal specialized in classic horror movies.
F In 1948, struggling independent movie producers and exhibitors finally triumphed in
their battle against the big studios’ monopolistic behavior. In the United States versus
Paramount federal decree of that year, the studios were ordered to give up their theaters
in what is commonly referred to as ‘divestiture’ - opening the market to smaller
producers. This, coupled with the advent of television in the 1950s, seriously
compromised the studio system’s influence and profits. Hence, 1930 and 1948 are
generally considered bookends to Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Task 1: The reading passage has six paragraphs A - F. Choose the correct heading for
paragraphs A - F from the list of headings below.

List of Headings
i. The power with each studio
ii. The movie industry adapts to innovation
iii. Contrast between cinema and other media of
the time
iv. The value of studying Hollywood’s Golden Age
v. Distinguishing themselves from the rest of the
market
vi. A double attack on film studios’ power
vii. Gaining control of the industry
viii. The top movies of Hollywood’s Golden Age

16
Example: Paragraph A _____iv____
1. Paragraph B __________
2. Paragraph C __________
3. Paragraph D __________
4. Paragraph E __________
5. Paragraph F __________
Task 2: Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading
Passage?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
6. After The Jazz Singer came out, other studios immediately began making movies with
synchronized sound.
7. There were some drawbacks to recording movie actors’ voices in the early 1930s.
8. There was intense competition between actors for contracts with the leading studios.

Task 3: Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from
the passage for each answer.
THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Throughout its Golden Age, the Hollywood movie Industry was controlled by a
handful of studios. Using a system known as (9) ______________, the biggest studios
not only made movies, but handled their distribution and then finally showed them in
their own theaters. These studios were often run by autocratic bosses - men known as
(10) ______________, who often remained at the head of organisations for decades.
However, the domination of the industry by the leading studios came to an end in 1948,
when they were forced to open the market to smaller producers - a process known as
divestiture.
Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

17
6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…

Question 12. You are going to read the transcript of a series of interviews with
ordinary people conducted for the Have your say feature of a daily newspaper. For
number 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than
once. (10 pts) (CPE succeed)
Which person gives each of these opinions about the education system?

1. …………….. The testing of very young people to determine their academic pedigree is
unethical.
2. …………….. The education system is designed in such a way as to unfairly favour people
who have the money to invest in private education.
3. …………….. Students in countries where extra evening classes have to he attended are
more prone to feeling the effects of extreme tiredness.
4. …………….. The policy of giving out higher grades is making a mockery of the entire
testing system.
5. …………….. The degree of difficulty of modern examinations is a lot lower than was the
case for students sitting the same exams in the past.
6. …………….. Children are more likely to engage with what they are learning if technology
is incorporated into the teaching methods used.
7. …………….. While our third level education system is well funded and very modern, we
have neglected the primary level, where more investment is required.
8. …………….. Students should not have to overly exert themselves study-wise in the
evenings as they must also have the opportunity to enjoy their youth.
9. …………….. While we are often quick to criticise the education system, most of us
appreciate how fortunate we are in this country to have such a good one.
10. …………….. Many capable people are prevented from pursuing a third level education
due to the financial constraints they are under.
HAVE YOU SAY….. ON EDUCATION

18
 Four ordinary people give their views on the country’s educational system.

EDWARD A MICHELLE C
The British Education system
is I think our education system still commands
fundamentally flawed in numerous ways. For a lot of respect and I think many other
a start, I believe the 11-Plus exam is morally countries are still envious of the kinds of
reprehensible. Children develop at different programmes we have in place, but I also
speeds, so to promote a situation where we worry that we are not investing enough
divide up our young so early based on their money into schools to enable them to keep
performance in one stupid test seems to me up with the latest classroom innovations. I
ridiculous. Those who pass the 11-Plus are mean, sure, our universities are state-of-the-
classed as success stories and they are art, but the formative years are the most
expected to go on to do great things important of all, and, as far as education is
academically speaking in what essentially concerned, this means that it would be wise
becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy. to invest more in the facilities and resources
Meanwhile, at such a young age, those who of primary schools where young children
don't manage to pass are already being will reap the benefits. Technologically
labelled as failures and are told to set their speaking, I would say a lot of our schools are
sights low. behind the rest of the developed world. In
This, sadly, also becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy - of the
Japan, for example, every classroom has at
worst kind if you expect to perform poorly and are of a
mindset to do so, you will effectively underperform - it is
least one computer, as well as a projector
as good as guaranteed. I see no reason why we have to screen and a number of other technology-
set children up for a fall like this so early in life and divide driven interactive tools. It is vital, in this, the
them up into a two-tier education system which provides information age, that we introduce kids to
the upper - tier with a massive advantage over the lower
technology as early as possible, and that's
one. I mean, our society has enough class-based
problems without manufacturing more. And that brings
why I strongly feel that there is now a greater
me to my next criticism. I believe the education system in need than ever to kit out our primary schools
this country is biased towards the privileged. Let's face it, with the latest gadgets. Besides, the children
the best education is the one which money can buy. Fee- of the information age are becoming so
paying schools consistently outperform schools in the

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state system, and only the wealthy can exploit the unfair accustomed to using technology in the other
advantage enjoyed by students who attend these
areas of their lives that they will more likely
exclusive institutions. And if that wasn't bad enough - as if
respond well to technology-based lessons than the
ordinary working class people didn't face an uphill
traditional kind, which will ultimately see them
struggle already, if they do manage to make it through to
learning more effectively, engaging more genuinely
university, they are then expected to pay astronomical
and developing more speedily.
fees. In many cases, they are simply priced out of a third-
ALAN D
level education or are forced to take on a massive burden
I have a problem with the testing
of debt to finance their studies. Meanwhile, mummy's
mechanisms used today. I mean, if you look
little Eton boy can have his pick of universities and cost is
no barrier. It is sad really just how unfair the whole
at the statistics for the exams every year,
system is. there is one striking pattern; more and more
ELEANOR B people are getting As; the nation's results on
People often groan about the faults of our average are getting better and better year-on-
education system, but I think we just like to year. So, that means one of two things: either
complain; my gut feeling is that most people are students today are smarter than ever before,
actually only too aware of how lucky or their examinations are watered down and
they are to have such a high quality of formal do not represent a fair test.
education open to them for free all the way up to I personally believe the latter is true and l am
the end of secondary school. What we take for incensed that this is being allowed to happen.
granted - free education – is not something In ten or fifteen years' time, it will have
students from other parts of the world nec- gotten to the stage where an A is meaningless
essarily enjoy. The standard of teaching in our if this continues. In order for the education
schools is also second-to-none. Another thing system to be taken seriously, it is vital,
which can't be said everywhere. I mean, in therefore, that a complete overhaul of the
Greece, for example, state school teachers are examination system takes place and that we
often so indifferent that students are forced return to a situation where examinations offer
to attend extra study classes at night - the cost of a meaningful challenge and a true test of
which has to be borne by their parents. Not alone ability. That way, when a child receives an
is this a waste of money, it also eats into students' A, his or her achievement will feel genuine;
free time. The situation is similar in South Korea -

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students have private lessons in the evenings to it will have been earned and the child
help them improve their state school grades, and concerned will have the right to feel very
sometimes, between state school classes, private proud of themselves. The problem is, in this
lessons and homework, there are literally not country, we have forgotten that there is
enough hours in the day, leading to exhaustion absolutely no shame in getting a B, or a C or
and burnout in a worst-case scenario, and, even in D grade for that matter. Provided we do our
the best one, a significant reduction in the amount best, that is always good enough. But, in this
of leisure time available to pursue healthy politically correct world-gone-mad of ours,
activities and partake in the kind of fun and games assessors seem to think the only way for
that should characterize youth. In Britain, we go to ward is to give more and more of US the
school from 9 am until 4 p.m.; we have the best grades, devaluing the grading system
evening to enjoy being young and that is how it completely. It is as though they don't think
should be; to quote a well-known proverb, 'you-re we could take it if we got anything less than
only young once'. an A; as though we should all somehow be
perfect students. The problem with that is
that it is just not realistic, and, when you set
unrealistic objectives, the only way to
achieve them is to ‘play’ with the figures to
manufacture the right results…..

Your answers:

1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………

6. …………… 7. …………… 8. …………… 9. …………… 10. ………..…
PART IV. WRITING (60 pts)
Question 13. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the
first sentence, using the words given. (10 points)
1. Martin may not be very well but she still manages to enjoy life.

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Martin’s poor………………………………………………………………………………
2. The Pacific Ocean is on average deeper than the Atlantic.
The average ………………………………………………………………………………

3. The fire led to the setting up of a public enquiry.

As a ……………………………………………………………………………………
4. Vitamin intake and intelligence are not connected.
There is ……………………………………………………………………………
5. The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it ……………………………………………………………………………………
Question 14:
The bar chart below shows the top ten countries for the production and consumption of
electricity in 2014.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison
where relevant.

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Question 15:

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Some people believe that the best way to encourage children that have a healthy diet at school
and some people believe that parents should teach them to have a healthy diet. Discuss both
views and give your opinion?
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (30 pts)

You should write at least 300 words.

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