Mid-Year Test Units 1 – 6

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Date:
Mark: / 90 marks

Reading
A Read the text about how cultures evolve.

Culture change
All cultures change over time since all elements of culture
change. Whether that be food, music, language or just the way
in which people interact, our cultures are constantly evolving.
Some cultures try to resist change by creating laws to preserve
and protect traditions. 1 For example, the French
government has forbidden the use of English words in shops
and businesses if there are French equivalents. Young people
use English words such as sandwich and computer so much
that the French see it as a threat to their own language. So
proud are the French of their culture and traditions that foreign
companies often encounter problems when trying to establish
themselves there. The US coffee giant Starbucks has found it
very difficult to get a foothold in France despite the fact that it
is becoming successful elsewhere in Europe. There are around
50 Starbucks in France but in the UK, which has a similarly-
sized population, there are over 700 stores.
In contrast, other cultures are extremely open to some kinds
of change. Over the last twenty years the Chinese have been
rapidly adopting western technology and culture in everyday
life, from mobile phones to American television shows and fast
food. McDonald's has already opened hundreds of restaurants
in China and soon will be adding many more. KFC has been
even more successful. Since the first piece of fried chicken was
sold at a Beijing KFC in 1987, the number of KFCs in China has
grown to over 3,000, in 650 cities. Pizza Hut has done very well
too with nearly 500 restaurants in 120 cities. 2 In 2003,
the Chinese government decided that all pupils, starting in the
3rd grade of primary school, had to learn English.
The changes experienced by China are happening all around
the world, whether we try to resist them or not. They are
brought about by the technological advances that led to the
expansion of international business and mass media. 3
In the sixty years between 1950 and 2010, the number of
people in the world grew from 2.5 billion to 6.5 billion.
With billions of people eager to experience what the
world has to offer in terms of food, fashion, music and
more, the road is wide open for cultural change.
But it isn't only foreign influences that bring about culture
change. Local conditions can have an affect too. The
change from life in rural communities to urban living
brought huge changes. First and foremost, more children
began attending school. With more education, they were
able to find higher-paid jobs than their parents and become
more socially successful. Secondly, when the majority of the
world's population lived in rural areas, families were larger
so that children could help with farmland and animals. Once
people began moving to cities and working in industry or
trade, they had no need for extra help so they limited the
number of children they had. 4 When there are
fewer children, parents can give more attention to each one
and spend more money on them for their wants and needs.
Urban living also played a role in affecting the traditional
family structures by changing the role of women in the
family. 5 Men were not the only ones supporting
the family by earning an income. This new state of equality
meant that they had to help with raising children and do
things that had previously only been done by women.
Culture change is constant, and it has many causes and
effects. Whether the causes are foreign or homegrown,
over time they can lead to drastic changes in lifestyles and
traditions. Some people are concerned by this while others
welcome the changes and see them as advances rather
than threats.

B Complete the Exam Task. Exam Task

Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences A–  F the one which fits each gap
(1–  5). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
A This, in turn, affected the relationships of children with their parents and siblings.
B What they had hoped to do was to discourage change, but they failed.
C Education has also seen changes that will speed up westernisation.
D As city women left the home to enter the work force, they gained financial independence.
E Such laws aim to block foreign ideas and influences.
(___ / 10 marks)
F
Another important factor is the human population explosion.

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 Vocabulary and Use your English
A For questions 1–10, read the text below and decide which answer (a, b, c or d) best fits each gap.

Doping for Gold

For almost twenty years, East Germans ran, swam and jumped their way to Olympic glory, winning gold medals and
(1) world records. In the 1972 Olympics, which (2) in Munich, West Germany, the East Germans (3) third in
the medals table behind the Soviet Union and the United States. Four years later, East Germany won an incredible
40 gold medals, six more than the Americans.
People were (4) a loss to explain how a nation of just 17 million people (5) rival the sporting success of the mighty
Soviet Union and the United States. The answer was a secret doping programme. The government of East Germany
was determined to (6) a reputation for their country as a model of sporting achievement, and decided they could
achieve this with the use of steroids developed in a secret laboratory. From the 1960s until East Germany's end in 1989,
approximately 10,000 young athletes were given pills that transformed them into physically (7) machines. The athletes
were told they were 'vitamins'. But these pills came at a(n) (8) . The steroids made many athletes sick and (9) to
heart problems and cancer. Many years later, some of these athletes spoke out and a few even asked for their records to be
cancelled as they (10) them by fair and honest means.

1
a making b doing c setting d putting
2
a took place b took part c took in d took up
3
a went b came c was d took
4
a in b for c on d at
5
a must b could c should d might
6
a make b have c build d create
7
a powerful b power c powerfully d powers
8
a time b price c agony d pressure
9
a connected b responded c catered d led
10 a had not won b have not won c used to win d were winning
(___ / 10 marks)
B  or questions 1–10, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.
F
Use only one word in each gap.

Living in a capsule
The famous capsule hotels of Japan offer accommodation unlike any other you
may have experienced (1) . These unique hotels were built to cater (2)
the needs of Japanese business men who work (3) late and miss the last
train home. For late-night party people, it's safer and cheaper to spend the
night in a capsule (4) it is to go home. At a cost of around 20-35 euros per
night (less for weekly or monthly rates), they offer just the basic necessities.
All you do is get a ticket from a vending (5) that is usually in the lobby. You
hand the ticket to the clerk and you are given a capsule number and a key that
opens a small locker (6) contains a pair of slippers, pyjamas and towels for
bathing. You (7) take your shoes off because it is customary in Japan not to
wear shoes indoors.
You use a small ladder to climb into your capsule. The capsules are surprisingly
comfortable to lie in, but they are not suitable for (8) else. However, each
capsule does contain a TV, and there's usually free wi-fi so you can (9)
online if you have a laptop. The most common complaint made by people who
have stayed in a capsule hotel is loudly-snoring neighbours. But there's not
really (10) you can do about that.

(___ / 10 marks)

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C  or questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to
F
form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.

Over the top

I was puzzled by my sister's (1) . She kept BEHAVE
locking herself in her room and would spend hours in
there all alone, sometimes crying (2) . CONTROL
So one day, when she was out, I decided to do some detective work.
I know I shouldn't have, and I did feel (3) COMFORT
looking through her stuff, but my (4) had got CURIOUS
the better of me and I was (5) for some answers. ANXIETY
To my (6) , I came across a massive notebook filled ASTONISH
with I love Justin line after line. That's it. Over and over again. 'That's
(7) ,' I thought and wondered who this Justin EXCESS
could be. Whoever he was, I certainly (8) of APPROVE
my sister wasting her time on him. As I stood there scratching my head,
my gaze fell upon the various posters on her bedroom walls.
Of course! Justin Adams! He was her favourite singer. But
how could a skinny teen, whose only (9) ACCOMPLISH
was a stupid hairstyle, turn my otherwise intelligent sister into
a(n) (10) being who was constantly miserable? RATIONAL
It was time for a serious talk.

(___ / 10 marks)

D For questions 1–10, use the word given to complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning
to the first sentence. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including
the word given.
1
Could you tell me where the bus stop is, please? IF

I me where the bus stop is.
2
Quentin, how long have you known Tracy? WHEN

Quentin, Tracy?
3
It was wrong of you to speak to your sister like that. SHOULD

You to your sister like that.
4
They didn’t let the athletes leave the country. ALLOWED

The athletes the country.
5
Danny started watching TV at ten and it's now twelve. HAS

Danny two hours.
6
My parents and I never went to the cinema when I was younger. USE

I to the cinema with my parents when I was younger.
7
Miranda wasn't confident enough to become an actress. SHY

Miranda an actress.
8
We started looking for a new house and found one soon after. BEEN

We long when we found our new house.
9 Come on, Harry, or we’ll get to the stadium after the match starts! WILL

By the time we get to the stadium, the match , Harry!
10 I don’t think there are many celebrities who deserve their fame. VERY

I celebrities who deserve their fame. (___ / 20 marks)

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 Listening
Complete the Exam Tasks.
Exam Task
1  ou will hear fourteen short conversations. After each conversation, you will be asked a question about what
Y
you heard. The answer choices are shown as pictures (a, b and c). Circle the letter of the correct answer. You
hear each conversation only once.
1 a b c 8 a b c

2 a b c 9 a b c

3 a b c 10 a b c

4 a b c 11 a b c

7:30 8:00 7:00

5 a b c 12 a b c

6 a b c 13 a b c

7 a b c 14 a b c

(___ / 14 marks)

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 Exam Task
 2 You will hear a guide giving a talk in a museum. For questions 1– 6, choose the best answer (a, b or c).
1
Who showed the first moving pictures? 4
Which important event occurred in the 1920s?
a Cecil B. DeMille a Hollywood became famous.
b the Lumière brothers b A new kind of film was developed.
c Leon Bouly c Audiences listened to jazz.
2
When does the museum's oldest item date from? 5
Why was Hollywood a good place to make films?
a 1890 a The weather was warm and sunny.
b 1895 b There were lots of actors.
c 1899 c Famous directors lived there.
3
Where was the first public film screening? 6
What is the purpose of the talk?
a at the Lumière factory a to promote a place
b in Hollywood b to advertise an event
c in Paris c to inform about a topic (___ / 6 marks)

Listen again.

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 Writing
Complete the Exam Task.
Exam Task

You work at a university office helping to find accommodation for students.

Your supervisor wants to know how the office can offer a better service
and has asked you to write a report. Your report should cover types of
accommodation, areas where accommodation is available, cost, transport
services to the university and anything else you consider relevant.

Write your report in 140  –190 words in an appropriate style.

(___ / 10 marks)

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Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Mid-Year Test