NAME __________________________________________________________________________________

TEACHER _____________________________________________________

GROUP___________________________________________________ DATE________________________________________________ GRADE_ ______________________ / 28

LISTENING – Swimming Across the World

1 Listen to part of a phone call and choose the best answer to these
questions.

1. What are the people in this conversation talking about?

a. Cultural differences between Japan and Rotterdam.
b. Eating habits in different countries.
You feel homesick when
c. Adaptation to a new place. you are away from the
d. The results of the Olympic Games. place where you live
and you miss it.
2. Why does Cesar sound sad?
a. Because he’s homesick.
b. Because it’s very hot where he is.
c. Because he has been working too hard.
d. Because he’s scared of the new coach.

3. The coach seems to be (check two):

a. distant
b. demanding
c. supportive
d. careless

4. The coach says Cesar should become an Olympic champion. What do you think he will have to do to
reach this goal? What will it take? (Use at least one of these expressions in your answer: “either ... or ...” –
“not only ... but also ...” – “both ... and ...”.)

Advanced 2

1 CNA Gold 2
Final Test
1/2010
 READING – Building an Olympic Champion

2 Read this newspaper article and answer the questions.

The Hard Wa
y to
Olympic Glo
ry
By Elena Stepha
nopoulos
No one would
question that be
every sports prof ing an Olympic
essional in the w champion is the
path towards O orld. What som goal of almost
lympic glory may e might argue, th
if it is really wor prove too painfu ou gh, is that the
th the effort. l and cause athl
etes to wonder
The reason for
this is the extre
forced to face. me change in
One aspect is fo life habits that
od: a world-cla an elite athlete
amount of calo ss swimmer will is
ries a day, may eat an enormou
be four or five tim s
The same can es that of an or
be said about dinary person.
competitions ha muscles. Some
ve a totally diffe swimmers in m
than other athlet rent body propor ajor league
es. Data show tio n (longer arms,
considering thei that elite swimm for instance)
r physical make ers are also talle
up. r than normal,
It all boils down
to what should be
an exaggeratio seen as normal
n. The boundary and what should
less and less de be tween the two is be considered
fined, especially in the process of
to our lives – albe in O lympic years like becoming
it collective acco this one. The so
they win. mpishment – bu -c al led Olympic hero
t we mustn’t forg es may bring a
et they are hum feeling of accom
Take the swimm an be in gs whose lives will plishment
er Cesar Brems, continue past th
for a couple of fo r example. For so e medals
years he broke me time he was
country about hi record after reco th e pride and joy
s performance rd. Now he lives of all the Dutch
in the pool. “I w off his past glor . Twice an Olym
star would cost ill pr obably never be ie s an d has to cope with pic champion,
me decades of seen as ‘normal the expectations
frustration, I’d ne of a whole
Of course this is ver have started ’ again. If I had
not true for all this career in th known that a fe
athletes in all sp e fir st place”, he says. w ye ars as a
stardom: they ha orts, but many
ve to either trade are confronted
a normal life fo with a cruel choi
Maybe the answ r a life entirely de ce at some poin
er to this dilemm dicated to sports t on their way to
healthy body ”, a lies in the very , or be condem
from the Latin or spirit of the Oly ned to a hypoth
iginal). My gues m pic Games: “m etical “what if”.
much is too muc s is that if athlet ens sana in corp
h. es go for this ba or e sano” (“a health
lance, they will y mind in a
eventually learn
to recognize ho
w
Advanced 2

2 CNA Gold 2
Final Test
1/2010
 1. What is the main idea the author is trying to express?
a. The Olympic Games have lost their meaning.
b. Elite athletes may waste their lives in pursuit of their careers.
c. Eating is bad for world-class athletes.
d. Champions who don’t break records are not admired.

2. Which of the following topics is not mentioned in the text?

a. Being an Olympic champion is the dream of most athletes.
b. Athlete’s habits in general are usually different than those of non-athletes.
c. It is possible to reach a balance between dedication to sports and life without sports.
d. World-class athletes are born with a rare gift and must develop this gift.

3. Find the expressions in the text that the author uses to express these ideas:
• a comparison:_____________________________________________________________________________
• a conclusion:______________________________________________________________________________
• a hypothesis:______________________________________________________________________________
• an example:______________________________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE USE

3 A city in your country has been chosen to host the Olympic Games and this is all
people talk about on the streets. Read the descriptions and use the expressions in
the box to write what people are saying.

If you look at… As a matter of fact… My guess is… It all boils down to…
What a total shocker ... might not… if… What if…

1. (This person is talking about his/her expectations concerning the games.)

2. (This person is expressing surprise about the city’s victory.)

3. (This person is clarifying his/her point of view and saying it wasn’t a surprise.)

4. (This person is talking about how things could have happened differently.)

5. (This person is asking hypothetical questions about what will or will not happen.)

6. (This person is analyzing the facts and drawing a conclusion.)

Advanced 2

3 CNA Gold 2
Final Test
1/2010
 WRITING – Olympic Thoughts

4 Write a post on your blog commenting on the article you read on page 2. Feel free
to agree or disagree with the author, and make sure you justify your point of view.
Take into consideration that most of your readers are involved in sports.

Advanced 2

4 CNA Gold 2
Final Test
1/2010