Name____________________

First name_______________
Grade _________

INITIAL TEST

I Read the following text and mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

A Short History of the Bagel

The bagel is known around the world as a typically New York type of food. But it has a surprising and
unusual history that goes back many years.
The basic idea of a bread roll with a hole is centuries old. In Roman times, soldiers ate hard bread called
buccellatum, and in China there is similar-shaped traditional bread called girde. The ancient Egyptians ate a
bagel-like snack, too, and there are even more examples from around the Mediterranean area.
But it was in Poland that today’s bagel really began. According to legend, it was the product of the 1683
Battle of Vienna. The Polish king, Jan Sobieski, had saved Austria from the Turkish invaders. To celebrate,
the Jewish bakers of Krakow made a roll in the shape of the king’s stirrup – the metal objects you put your
feet in when you ride a horse – and called it a ‘buegel’ (from the German word for stirrup). There is, however,
no evidence to show whether this was true or not, but the story still remains today.
It is unclear when the first bagels made their way to the United States, but by 1900, 70 bakeries which sold
bagels existed on the Lower East Side district of New York. What is also certain is that immigrants from
Eastern Europe, with their cravings for the foods of the old country, sparked the New York bagel craze.
It was the 1950s that were the real turning point. As Jewish people began to move to other parts of New
York, they started to share their traditional food with the rest of the city. Bagels were mentioned in a popular
cookbook of the time, and demand started to grow across America. To meet this demand, a baker called
Murray Lender began to use recent inventions like the freezer and plastic packaging to distribute freshly-made
bagels across America. Soon, Lender’s bagels were available in almost every supermarket, and today they are
part of a traditional American diet and available all over the world.
But why has the bagel endured through all this time? Possibly because of its heroic legend, but also because
it has the advantage of lasting longer than freshly-baked bread. If it gets slightly stale, it can be dunked in hot
liquid to soften it. So it lasts long, can be eaten in many ways, and of course tastes delicious.

1 People made bread in the shape of bagels in many different cultures. ...........
2 Bagels were first made in Austria. ..........
3 They were made by Jewish bakers. ..........
4 Bagels were first made in New York in the Brooklyn area. ..........
5 They became popular all over America in the 1960s. ..........
6 New inventions were used to sell bagels across America. ..........
7 One of the reasons bagels are popular is because they stay fresh for a long time. .......
7 x 2 = 14p

II Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.

1 I .............................................. (live) in this town since I was born.
2 Everybody knows that kangaroos .......................................... (not/live) in Spain.
3 These days everything ................................................ (change).
4 They ..................................................... (move) house next October.
5 Alice ...................................................... (normally/cut) her hair herself.
6 Sarah is very happy. She .............................................. (win) a poetry competition.
7 While the dog ....................................................... (dig) in the garden, it found a bone.
8 The teacher ................................................... (teach) the children a song yesterday.
8 x 2 = 16p
III Correct the following sentences by taking out the inappropriate word.
1 He has an uncle who he likes fishing.
2 Sharon did has met many famous film stars.
3 The car who they had rented broke down after half an hour.
4 This jumper it is too small for me.
5 The children had a great fun at the fair.
5 x 2 = 10p

IV Fill in the correct word derived from the words in bold.

1 Because there was no ........................., the suspect was found not guilty. PROVE
2 Everyone at the meeting made ............................ about how to raise money.SUGGEST
3 His job is very ................................ as it involves a lot of responsibility. STRESS
4 He has changed .................................. since the last time I saw him. DRAMATIC
5 Thailand is a ..................................... country which is well worth visiting. BEAUTY
5 x 2 = 10p

V Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words.
1 Samantha is prettier than Julia. AS
Julia ................................................................................................. Samantha.
2 He hasn’t worked for six months. WAS
The last time ................................................................................. six months ago.
3 It’s a two-hour drive to the seaside. TAKES
It ............................................................................................... to the seaside.
4 Paul lived in Mexico when he was young. LIVE
Paul ............................................................................... in Mexico when he was young.
5 I’ve never seen such a pretty girl. EVER
She’s the .......................................................................................... seen.
5 x 3 = 15p

VI Imagine you have some British friends in the UK, and you stayed with them for a
week last month.
Write a letter to thank them. Write 80 – 100 words.

25 p