Reading comprehension exam

Postgraduate courses
ENGLISH 1
I. Vocabulary section: Part A

Word definition

How professional sportsmen cope with Ramadan

THIS year Ramadan begins on June 28th, just as the knockout stage1 of matches gets under way
at the World Cup. It is the first time since 1986 that the tournament2 has coincided with Islam’s
holy3 month. This will cause a dilemma for some Muslim footballers. During Ramadan observant
Muslims are expected to refrain4 from eating, drinking and sex, from dawn until sunset. Contrary to
their licentious reputation, most players can cope with5 the latter. Nutrition, though, is considered
critical6 to a sportsman's preparation—particularly in Brazil, where the climate7 can be punishing
for even the best-prepared athletes. In Fortaleza, which is hosting several8 big games, daylight
lasts around 12 hours, with the sun rising and setting at around 5.30am and 5.30pm. The average
maximum temperature in July is 30ºC (86ºF); humidity reaches an average of 92%. How do
footballers who observe Ramadan cope?
Many teams in this World Cup have a large Muslim presence9, and not only those representing
predominantly Islamic countries such as Bosnia & Herzegovina, Algeria and Iran. Star players from
France (Karim Benzema), Germany (Mesut Özil), Switzerland (Philippe Senderos), Belgium
(Marouane Fellaini) and Ivory Coast (Yaya Touré), among numerous others, will have to decide10
how to deal with Ramadan, should their teams make it that far in the competition.

Select the option which best fit the meaning of the underlined word:

1. The word stage, in the line 1, can be replaced for:

a. expression b. phase c. speech d. argue

2. The word tournament, in the line 2, can be replaced for:

a. competition b. segment c. fragment d. Trophy

3. The word holy, in the line 3, can be replaced for:

a. sacred b. meeting c. bench d. fridge

4. The word refrain, in the line 4, can be replaced for:

a. organize b. eat c. have d. abstain

5. The word cope with, in the line 4, can be replaced for:

a. take off b. deal with c. turn on d. make in

6. The word critical, in the line 6, can be replaced for:

a. gold b. plain c. decisive d. plot

7. The word climate, in the line 6, can be replaced for:

a. weather b. order c. invitation d. intrigue

8. The word several, in the line 7, can be replaced for:

a. numerous b. singular c. ambitious d. radiant

 Reading comprehension exam
Postgraduate courses
ENGLISH 1
9. The word presence, in the line 11, can be replaced for:

a. assistance b. attendance c. recognition d. appreciation

10. The word decide, in the line 14, can be replaced for:

a. choose b. waver c. force d. oblige

Part B:

Suffixes and prefixes

___________11 are advised to eat plenty of slow-release carbohydrates, like sweet potato and corn,
outside of ___________12 hours, according to Zaf Iqbal, Liverpool FC’s club doctor. They should
also avoid anything with too much sugar, which is a quick-release carbohydrate. However, sports
___________13 suggest that the lack of fluid has a bigger impact than the lack of food. Dehydration
can affect cognitive functions. Muslim athletes often report feeling fatigued and can suffer from
mood swings during Ramadan, according to a 2009 paper in the International Journal of Sports
___________14 and Performance. It can also increase the risk of injury. Muslim footballers are told
to drink plenty of liquid before dawn, and to make sure they do not train during the ___________ 15
parts of the day. Indeed, as fasting can also affect sleep patterns, some team doctors advise
players to take a siesta instead. Where such steps are taken, most studies suggest that athletes’
training performance is not adversely affected.

But dehydration during matches could be a problem. ___________ 16 training sessions, match times
cannot be tailored to a sportsman's needs. So many Muslim athletes take a ___________ 17
approach. While some, such as Kolo Touré (pictured), an Ivory Coast defender, are strict
_________18, others, like Marouane Chamakh, a forward for Morocco (which did not qualify), fast on
most days but not on the eve of a game or on matchday itself. (Mr Chamakh says he makes up the
lost days later in the year.) Others postpone fasting altogether during important events. During the
London Olympics in 2012, which also coincided with Ramadan, Abdul Buhari, a British shot-putter,
told the Guardian he believed it was _________ 19 to stay in peak condition while fasting, so he
came to another _________20: “I believe God is forgiving, and I'll make up for every single day I've
missed.”

Adapted from: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/06/economist-explains-11

Complete the blanks with the correct word:

11. a. players b. playful c. playing d. playfully

12. a. faster b. fasting c. fastest d. fastness

13. a. nutritionists b. nutrition c. nutritious d. nutrient

14. a. Physiological b. Physiologist c. Physiologically d. Physiology

15. a. hot b. hotter c. hottest d. hotest

16. a. likely b. likeness c. unlike d. likeable

17. a. pragmatic b. pragmatism c. pragmatics d. pragmatically

 Reading comprehension exam
Postgraduate courses
ENGLISH 1
18. a. observant b. observers c. observable d. observation

19. a. impossible b. possibly c. impossibility d. impossibly

20. a. arrange b. Arranger c. arrangement d. arranged

II. Reading comprehension

French chefs get a taste for english

1. The language of tomorrow’s kitchen will not be French but English. This surprising
resolution was taken yesterday by a congress of leading French chefs.

2. Forty of the country’s Maîtres-Cuisiniers, who for the past three days have been discussing
policy at Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne, decided that their one big regret in life was their joint
inability to speak English.

3. Would it mean that, in future, menus at some of the finest restaurants in the world might
reject such popular dishes as Boeuf Bourgignon, Profiterolles de lapereau au miel and Coq au Vin
and serve instead Rabbit Pie with Honey and Chicken Casserole?

4. One of the attending “master-cooks” looked suitably horror-stuck. “Pas du tout,” he replied,
shaking his head so vigorously that this chef’s hat was almost dislodged.

5. English need not necessarily become the language of our dishes, but it is without any doubt
the language of communication,” said M. Jean-Yves Bathe, whose restaurant, the Clos St. Pierre at
Clermont-Ferrand, has just one star in the Michelin Guide.

6. He explained: Our greatest cuisines are now not only run by French chefs, by also by
British chefs, German chefs, American and Japanese chefs. What is the one language they have in
common? Why, English, of course. I never learned English, but I shall be taking lessons as soon
as I am able, he said.

7. However, French remained the language spoken during their closing dinner - a sumptuous
feast prepared and served by Master Chef Gilbert Vacher at the Chateau de Ravel, one of the finest
castles in the Auvergne.

8. Last night, M. Paul-Louis Meissonnier, president of the Association of Ma6itres-Cuisiniers

de France and among, France’s greatest chefs, said: “The French have always taught the rest of
the world how to eat and throughout the 19th century London’s palaces, including Bucking-ham
Palace, and the best hotels had French chefs.

9. “Now, the best cuisine is beginning to disappear from the fine hotels and palaces abroad.
Why? Because the chefs do not speak English. Today, if you cannot speak English, you cannot
become a leader.

Write the number of the paragraph where the answer to the question can be found.

21. Where did the meeting take place? _____

22. Does Mr. Bathe speak English? _____

23. Who is Mr. Paul-Louis Meissonnier? _____

 Reading comprehension exam
Postgraduate courses
ENGLISH 1
24. What is the English name for coq au vin? _____

25. Who prepared the closing dinner? _____

26. Why is the best cuisine beginning to disappear from fine hotel palaces? _____

27. What has got one star? _____

28. What do you need to become a leader? _____

29. Who is going to take English lessons soon? _____

30. How many people attended the meeting? _____

III. GRAMMAR

Select the appropriate option to complete the following sentences.

31. How many jobs in the last five years?
a. have you had b. have you have c. you had d. did you had
32. What books before you started university?
a. have you read b. had you read c. Did you read d. you read
33. I a lot in this current English course?
a. have learned b. learned c. am learning d. was learning
34. How many books in the bookstore yesterday?
a. did you buy b. do you buy c. will you buy d. have you bought
35. I’ve already made my mind. I buy that apartment.
a. am going to b. am buying c. will buy d. won’t buy
36. I this business plan for 3 times
a. I have seen b. I saw c. I did see d. I have see
37. Mrs. Rogers Mr. Bill on Monday at 4pm.
a. will meet b. is meeting c. is going to meet d. meets
38. Sales next year.
a. will increase b. are increasing c. are going to d. have increased
39. I think you go on a training course. You have still some problems
a. could b. can c. should d. would
40. I my dissertation proposal 3 weeks ago.

a. finished b. have finished c. will finished d. has finish

Elaborado por Ever de Jesús Bedoya Bedoya