EXAM PRACTICE 1

The Man Who Quit Money

I In the year 2000, Daniel Shellabarger stopped using money. He began by giving away all his belongings.
Then, after leaving his last $30 in a phone booth, he walked into the wilderness near Utah, USA and began a new
"moneyless” life. He also threw away his passport and driving licence and changed his name to Suelo, from the
Spanish word for soil.
II Suelo wanted to only use things that were a product of nature, had been given away or thrown out In his
view, people who live in a society that is based on money are never satisfied. They are either in debt as a result of
purchases they have made in the past, or furiously saving for potential purchases in the future. Consequently, they
can never really focus on the present and achieve true peace of mind.
III For almost 15 years, Suelo lived in a cave. His food included berries and onions that he collected and the
occasional squirrel that had been killed in a road accident Sometimes, he ate expired groceries that he had found
in rubbish bins or had a meal cooked by friends or strangers.
IV During this time, Suelo refused to use or accept money. He also did not accept government assistance of
any kind because he didn't want people to say that he was living off other people's taxes.
V However, he was never cut off from the world. He wrote a regular blog, which he maintained from the
public library in Moab, and his story was written about in well-known publications. In 2012, his biography The Man
Who Quit Money was published. Suelo refused to receive any payment from the sales of the book and, as he had
requested. A number of copies were given away for free.
VI In 2016, Suelo decided to move back to Fruita, Colorado to care for his aging parents. He still lives without
money but has had to reinstate his driving licence to drive them around. Even though he is one step closer to
modern civilisation than he was during his years in the wilderness, he still tries to take as little as possible and to
give as much as he can. He believes that this is the secret to true happiness. And perhaps it is.
Questions:
1 Choose the correct answer. (0.6 points; 0.2 each)

1. Suelo believes that we should...

a only use things that exist in nature
b use things that other people don't want
c cut ourselves off from the world
2. During his years in the wilderness, Suelo ....
a didn't use a computer
b didn't see other people
c didn't receive any social benefits
3. Today, Suelo ....
a no longer lives according to his ideals
b has made sorne changes to his lifestyle
c uses money
2 Complete the sentences. (0.4 points; 0.2 each)
1. According to Suelo, people who live in a materialistic society are always ...

2. Suelo became well known as a result of ....

3 Decide if the following sentences are true or false. Find evidence in the text to justify your answers. (0.75
points; 0.15 each)
1. When Suelo lived in the wilderness, he was a vegetarian.

2. Suelo was concerned what other people thought of him.

3. The Man Who Quit Money wasn't sold, it was given away for free.

4 Answer the questions. (1 point; 0.5 each)

1 Why does the writer say that Suelo is "one step closer to modern civilisation"?

2 What does the writer think of Suelo's philosophy?

5 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (0.75 points; 0.15 each)
1 possessions (paragraph I)
2 tranquility {paragraph II)
3 food items (paragraph III)
4 elderly (paragraph VI)
5 establish again (paragraph VI)

6. Write a formal letter of application of about 120 words and enclose your CV. You can apply for one of the jobs
on page 61 or any other job providing that you include the notice. (2.5 points)

7. Write a summary of the text in English, including the most important points, using your own words.
(Approximately 50 words; 1 point)

8. Complete the sentences so that they have the same meaning as the first one. You must use the words or
expression in italics. (2 points; 0.2 points each)
1) In the year 2000, Daniel Shellabarger stopped using money
Daniel Shellabarger hasn’t…
2) After leaving his last $30 in a phone booth, he walked into the wilderness.
a) After he…
b) Before…
3) Suelo refused to use or accept money. He also did not accept government assistance of any kind.
Not only…
4) He wrote a regular blog
A regular blog….
5) He also threw away his passport and driving licence.
His passport and driving licence…
6) Suelo decided to move back to Fruita, Colorado to care for his aging parents.
Suelo decided to move back to Fruita, Colorado so that…
7) A number of copies were given away for free.
He…
8) He still lives without money but has had to reinstate his driving licence to drive them around.
Although….
Despite …
9. People believe that this is the secret to true happiness.
a) It….
b) This…
10. Perhaps it is.
It…

9. Pronunciation. (1 point; 0.1 each word)

a. In which of the following words are the underlined letters pronounced /s/?
using, belongings, onions, wilderness, furiously, because, tries
b. Which one of the following words does not have the vowel sound /ɪə/ as in the word “here”:
year, really, meal, near, Daniel,
c. Write the word whose underlined letters are pronounced differently from the others:
licence, driving, written, life, satisfied, library, mind
d. In which words is the -ed ending pronounced /d/as in “killed”:
stopped, walked, published, changed, based, refused
e. Which word doesn’t contain the sound /əʊ/ as in the word “phone”?
only, focus, wrote, around, though, road, thrown
f. In which word is the underlined letter “u” pronounced differently?
during, included, furiously, future, use,
g. In which word is the ending “-s / -es” pronounced /ɪz/ as in “finishes”?
friends, strangers, purchases, groceries, copies, believes
h. Which one of these words doesn’t contain the sound / ʌ / as in “money”
public, number, onions, much, one, possible