First Certificate Masterclass

Progress test 1 Units 1–4

Use of English

A For questions 1–15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each
space. Use only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Women and gambling

It’s hard to know exactly how 0 many female compulsive gamblers there are.
Unlike men, women are quick to realise that they gamble mainly for emotional,
1 than financial, reasons. This 2 them ashamed and thus
less likely to look for professional help.
Sandra Garcia’s story is illustrative of the way in which many women 3
gambling addicts. In December 1995 Sandra won £2,000 in a lottery,
4 meant she and her husband were 5 to have a wonderful
Christmas. Unfortunately, soon after the birth of their daughter, Sandra and her
husband broke 6 . Depressed and lonely, Sandra found gambling was
a way 7 filling the emotional void left by her failed marriage.
From spending a few pounds a week 8 lottery tickets and scratch cards,
Sandra was soon gambling £250 a month and was struggling to pay the bills. She
always 9 to fill the fridge before she gambled but 10 rarely
afford treats for her daughter. By April 2001 she was nearly £2,000 11

debt and was evicted from her flat. Not long after, Sandra was arrested
12 stealing money from a friend in order to buy scratch cards. She
decided it was time to 13 up gambling forever and joined the support
group Gamblers Anonymous. Since then, Sandra has 14 to control her
compulsion but, like all addicts, she knows that the desire to gamble 15

never go away.
/15 marks

Progress Test 1 © Oxford University Press 1

First Certificate Masterclass

B For questions 1–10, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D)
best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Gender gap in education

For many years now, British girls have 0 much better in exams than boys.
Most theories about the causes of this gap 1 the sexes have blamed the
education 2 . However, new research suggests that boys’ poor performance
has nothing to do 3 internal practices at schools. Instead external factors,
such as different learning styles and how children are 4 up, have to be
considered.
For this 5 , many educationalists are now studying how boys and girls learn to
read. They believe that, since reading is 6 taught either by mothers or by
female primary school teachers, many boys 7 reading as a woman’s activity
and this puts them 8 it.
Another factor could be that boys are generally more 9 than girls. When they
can’t be the best, they would rather 10 up on education than be considered
average. Girls seem much happier to be second best.

0 A acted B behaved C performed D succeeded

1 A among B between C beside D beyond
2 A method B style C technique D system
3 A by B from C at D with
4 A brought B raised C given D grown
5 A cause B purpose C reason D objective
6 A hardly B generally C rarely D lately
7 A look B notice C see D watch
8 A off B on C across D through
9 A determined B optimistic C possessive D competitive
10 A give B take C break D turn
/10 marks

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 First Certificate Masterclass

C For questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end
of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line . There is an
example at the beginning (0).

Child athletes
Child sporting prodigies risk serious 0 psychological and physical damage, an PSYCHOLOGY
1 group of American doctors has warned. The American Academy INFLUENCE

of Paediatrics has found that children who 2 in one sport before SPECIAL

puberty can suffer 3 burnout, as well as damage to joints and bones, EMOTION

and heart problems. Furthermore, 4 is the time when healthy eating CHILD

habits should be established, but children doing sports like gymnastics, where
5 is important, may not receive proper nutrition. Accordingly, the SLENDER

Academy suggests 6 parents think twice before forcing young AMBITION

children into intensive 7 regimes. Another factor is that child TRAIN

athletes who are 8 early in life often have short careers, while those SUCCESS

who focus on one sport only after puberty are more 9 performers in RELY

the long term and suffer from fewer 10 . INJURY

/10 marks

Total /35 marks

Writing
Write an answer to one of the questions below. Write your answer in 120–180
words in an appropriate style.
1 An English-language magazine for students of your age is running a series of
light-hearted articles about anti-social habits. The topic for the next article in the
series is “Mobile phone addicts”.
Write your article.
2 The school where you learn English is arranging exchange visits to Britain for
six students. If you are accepted, you will spend two weeks living with a British
family that has a son or daughter of a similar age to you, then the British son or
daughter will spend two weeks living with your family.
Write a letter of application to the school’s director, explaining why you think
you should be one of the six students chosen.

Progress Test 1 © Oxford University Press 3

First Certificate Masterclass

Progress Test 1 key

Use of English

A 1 rather
2 makes/leaves
3 become
4 which
5 able
6 up
7 of
8 on
9 used
10 could
11 in
12 for
13 give
14 managed
15 will/may/might

B 1 B
2 D
3 D
4 A
5 C
6 B
7 C
8 A
9 D
10 A

C 1 influential
2 specialise
3 emotional
4 childhood
5 slenderness
6 ambitious
7 training
8 successful
9 reliable
10 injuries

4 Progress Test 1 © Oxford University Press