Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reading Passage 1
1. San Francisco
Fisherman’s Wharf is a historic marketplace on the seafront with trendy restaurants, shops
and street performers. Visit Ghirardelli Square, home to amazing Ghirardelli Ice Cream
and Chocolate Shop and Pier 39, a lively market place with shops, restaurants and music.
From here you can take a cruise round the Bay.
2. Golden Gate Bridge
Connecting San Francisco and Marin County, this is the largest suspension bridge in the
world and one of the most famous Californian landmarks. As you can cross the 4200-FT
bridge below the famous orange towers, you’ll enjoy awesome views of the entire Bay
Area.
3. Alcatraz Island
Once a high –security prison, Alcatraz Island is one of the Bay Area’s most interesting
tourist attractions. Take the ferry from Pier 41 and visit the dark cell blocks that were home
to America’s most wanted criminals.
4. Santa Cruz
Go to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, which is in the lighthouse, and see classic boards
including one eaten by a shark- the surfer survived! Next stop, the Santa Cruz Beach
Boardwalk for a ride on the Giant Dipper rollercoaster.
5. Venice Beach
This is where skateboarding started, so you must visit the famous skate park right on the
beach. Also watch the bodybuilders at Muscle Beach Gym, which is where Arnold
Schwarzenegger started his career.
6. Hollywood
You can stand in the footprints of Johnny Depp at Grumman’s Chinese Theatre and then
meet his strangely accurate wax model, along with Hugh Jackman, Lance Armstrong, and
Brad and Angelina, all at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. Discover how films are made at
the working movie studio at Universal Studio Hollywood, where there are also exciting
park rides and shows.
7. Los Angeles
Have you ever wanted to record yourself? Now you can at the fascinating Grammy
Museum. You can also learn how to dance like Michael Jackson, and find out about the
links between blues and rap.
8. Disneyland
One of the most magical places in the world, Disneyland Park has hundreds of rides such
as Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Matterhorn and Pirates of Caribbean. A day
in Disneyland is a day you will never forget.
Read the text and match the person with the place they would enjoy most. Write a
recommendation for them in the box.
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge
Madame Tussauds Hollywood Grammy Museum Alcatraz Island
1. “I love ferry rides. They're so much fun. I also like visiting places with an interesting and unusual
history.” ……………………….. Alcatraz Island
2. “I'd love to have my photo taken with all my favorite film stars!” ………………………..
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
3. “I really want to go on some exciting rides. I’ve just taken up surfing too so I’d like to learn
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
more about that.” ………………………..
4. “I'm a keen photographer so I want to go to the place with the best views.”
Golden Gate Bridge
………………………..
5. “When I'm on holiday, two things are most important for me: great shopping and great food.”
San Francisco
………………………..
Grammy Museum
6. “I'm a music lover and my dream is to record a song.” …………………………………
Reading Passage 2
Read the text carefully and decide if the statements are True (T) or False (F).
Madagascar – When to go
Madagascar has two seasons, a warm, wet season from November to April, and a cooler dry
season between May and October. However, different parts of the country have very different
weather.
The east coast is hotter and wetter, with up to 4000mm of rainfall per year. In the rainy
season, there are strong winds, and these can cause a lot of damage. Avoid visiting eastern
Madagascar between January and March because the weather can make road travel very difficult.
The dry season is cooler and more pleasant.
The high, central part of the country is much drier and cooler. About 1,400 mm of rain falls
in the rainy season, with some thunderstorms, but the summer is usually sunny and dry, but it can
be cold, especially in the mornings, with freezing showers, and it may snow in mountain areas
above 2,400m, and even stay there for several days.
The west coast is the driest part of the island. Here, the winter months are pleasant with little
rain, cooler temperatures and blue skies. The summers can be extremely hot, especially in the
southwest. This part of the country is semi-desert, and only gets around 300mm of rain per year.
1. Madagascar has two seasons: warm season and wet season…………... T
T
2. There is more rain in January than in June. …………...
F
3. Between January and March are beautiful time to visit eastern Madagascar. …………...
4. It sometimes has thunderstorms in the rainy season in the central part of Madagascar.
T
…………...
F
5. The driest part of the island is the east. …………...
T
6. The dry season is a good time to visit eastern Madagascar. …………...
T
7. The center of Madagascar is the coldest part. …………...
8. Snow sometimes falls in Madagascar. …………... T
F
9. The west coast has the best weather in the summer. …………...
F
10. The high, central part of the country is semi-desert. …………...
Reading Passage 3
Read the email and answer the questions.
Reading Passage 4
Read the text and choose the best answer for each question.
Celebrity Profile
We all know Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, but who is the actress who plays her,
Jennifer Lawrence?
Fast Facts
• Name: Jennifer Shrader Lawrence
• Place of birth: Kentucky, USA
• Date of birth: August 15, 1990
• Profession: TV and film actress
Jen’s family
• Mother: Karen Lawrence
• Father: Gary Lawrence
• Brothers: Ben and Blaine Lawrence
Did you know? Jennifer has never had acting classes. When she was a child Jennifer liked
sports and she played hockey and basketball for all-boys team. She also worked as a model. At the
age of 14 she knew she wanted to be an actress, so she went to New York City to look for work.
She appeared in advertisements for MTV and the fashion company H&M and got work as an
actress on TV. Her family moved to Los Angeles so that Jennifer could work on TV and in films.
In 2010 she acted in the film Winter’s Bone and she was nominated for many awards including an
Oscar. In 2012 she starred in the film The Hunger Games as Katniss Everdeen. When she isn’t
working, Jen likes painting, surfing and playing the guitar.
Reading Passage 5
Read the text and choose the best answer for each question.
Sixteen - What now?
You’re 16 and finally you can leave school! By now, you’re probably sick of teachers,
desks, tests and exams. But don’t just run for the exit. You need to think carefully about what to
do next.
If you want a professional career, you will need to go to university and get a degree. To do
that, you need to stay at high school for another two years. But you needn’t stay at the same place.
There are several options in the district of Northacre.
St. Leopold’s School has the best pass rate of all the high schools in the district. It offers a
wide range of subjects in the humanities and sciences. St Leopold’s is, of course, a private school,
so may be too expensive for you. But don’t worry, there are several other options if you want to
follow the academic route. Knowle Grammar School is a state school, so there are no fees, and it
has excellent tuition and facilities. It is a boys’ school from the ages of 11-16, but from 16-18 it is
co-educational. But it is selective, so you’ll have to pass an exam to get in. If you’re interested in
going into Business, check out Wyle River Academy. This school specializes in subjects like
Business Studies, Management and Economics. If you prefer the arts, look at the courses on offer
at Northacre College. Here you can study woodwork, art, textiles and much more.
Northacre College also offers a wide range of vocational qualifications. You can do a 1-
year certificate or a 2-year diploma in subjects like electrics, plumbing, roofing and hairdressing.
If you’d prefer to work outdoors, look at Milldown College, where there are courses in Farm
Mechanics, Land Management, Animal Management and much more.
A final option is to get an apprenticeship with a local or national company. You will get
on-the-job training, gain certificates or diplomas and start earning straight away. But be warned -
places are limited! Find out more at the Jobs Fair on 26th May at Northacre College.
Reading Passage 6
Food and restaurants
Are you looking for somewhere special to go this weekend? Do you want to try something new?
Check out one of these hot new restaurants.
Last Days of the Raj
A centrally located Indian restaurant, perfect for eating before or after the cinema or a show. In
summer enjoy your meal in the beautiful garden. The most popular dishes are lamb and chicken
cooked with mild, medium or hot spices. For brave customers there is extra hot!
A Taste of Tuscany
Whether you’d like a great value-for-money lunch or a relaxed evening meal in stylish
surroundings, this is the place for you. The chefs have all been trained in Italy and they make both
traditional and contemporary dishes. We recommend the pasta and seafood.
Your Local Caff
Remember when cafés served full English breakfasts – sausages, beans, fried bread, bacon and
eggs – with a strong cup of tea? Well, this place still does and you can have your breakfast at any
time you like during the day while you listen to your favorite tunes from the 1980s.
The Lemon Tree
This pretty restaurant serves healthy food that’s tasty too. Come in for a vegetarian snack at
lunchtime or a great fruit smoothie or a cappuccino and a delicious piece of cake in the afternoon.
Food is bought from local producers whenever possible.
Cheesy Bites
A restaurant that only serves cheese, but hundreds of cheeses from many countries and in lots of
different forms. They serve reasonably priced lunches but dinner can be expensive. Lovely food
and a very elegant dining room, looking onto an amazing flower garden.
Fast Best
Fast food doesn’t have to be junk food, as this café proves. Do you fancy a really good hamburger
made with the best ingredients, or old-fashioned fish and chips fried to perfection, all on the table
in super-quick time? Speed and quality are important here, and the prices aren’t bad either.
The Chocolate Box
The owner of this small café used to cook all kinds of food, but then she realised she preferred
desserts to anything else. If you want meat or fish, don’t come here. They only do desserts! Lots
of different kinds of sweets. Chocolate lovers will be excited by the range of chocolate cakes.
Musical Chairs
Have you noticed how music improves the taste of your food? This new restaurant has different
types of live music every night except Sundays, and excellent food to go with it. Great fish dishes,
steak and pizza. Monday is classic rock night, so see you there!
1. “My girlfriend and I are vegetarian. Could you recommend a suitable restaurant for us?”
Tom, aged 18. …………… The Lemon Tree
2. “My friend has a sweet tooth and I want to take her somewhere special this weekend.”
Lucy, aged 16 ……………The Chocolate Box
3. “My mates and I all love spicy food. Can you recommend somewhere good for us to go
Last Days of the Raj
tonight?” Dino, aged 21 ……………
4. “I only get 30 minutes off for lunch and I'm in a hurry. Where can I get something quick
to eat?” Melissa, aged 27. …………… Fast Best
5. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day in my opinion. Do you know anywhere
Your Local Caff
that serves a good brekkie?”. Mickey, aged 38. ……………
6. “We love Italian food, especially pasta. Everyone loves Italian, don't they? Any good
Italians near here?” Momo, aged 22. ……………
A Taste of Tuscany
Multiple choice
7. Which restaurant serves an all-day breakfast including sausages, bacon and eggs?
A. Last days of the Raj
B. A taste of Tuscany
C. Your local Caff
D. The Lemon Tree
8. Which restaurant serves hot and spicy food?
A. Last days of the Raj
B. A taste of Tuscany
C. Your local Caff
D. The lemon Tree
9. Which restaurant is good for people who don't eat meat?
A. Last days of the Raj
B. A taste of Tuscany
C. Your local Caff
D. The Lemon Tree
10. In which two restaurants can you listen to some great music?
A. Cheesy bites
B. Fast best
C. The chocolate box
D. Musical Chairs
Reading Passage 7
Read about a woman’s job as a Christmas elf! And fill in the gaps with the appropriate words
or phrases.
November a holiday resort wrap days got up uniform
dressed third Santa Christmas Christmas tree
Reading Passage 8
Read the text and decide these sentences are True (T) or False (F)
T
1. More people aged 55 or more use Facebook than people aged 65 or more……………...
F
2. Grandparents typically use Facebook less than their grandchildren. ……………...
T
3. Sheila feels grateful to social media. ……………...
4. Peter found his own smartphone use affected how he felt about how much his children used their
T
phones. ……………...
F
5. Peter has changed how much he uses his phone during the working day. ……………...
T
6. Peter feels that the changes make him a better parent. ……………...
Reading Passage 9
Read the text and decide these sentences are True (T) or False (F)
F
1. You should only use one keyword in a single search. …………
T
2. Inverted commas are a useful way to find something you’ve already seen. …………
3. Words like ‘an’ are unhelpful in a search. …………
T
4. If your keyword could refer to a lot of different things, you can’t avoid getting a long list
of results. ………… F
5. Small spelling mistakes aren’t important. ………… F
T
6. Filter software is especially important for image searches. …………
7. Some search engines give different results to different people. …………T
8. Some websites contain false information. …………
T
Reading Passage 10
Read the text quickly and check the sentences True (T) or False (F).
Shanghai is sinking
Officials in Shanghai, the second biggest city in China, say they must reduce the
construction of new high-rise building. Over the last ten years, about 3,000 new buildings have
gone up, and there are plans for 2,000 more. Shanghai is growing faster than any other city in
history. It looks good, but now the weight of the concrete and steel is making the city sink. Many
parts are sinking more than a centimeter every year.
The tallest building in china is in Shanghai, and a building that will be the tallest in the
world is going up. It seems that planners are forgetting that the area was once a swamp. The rock
bed is about 300 meters below the surface and the land is very soft. Officials are worried about
what will happen to buildings that are already up and the city’s subway if construction continues.
Some of the subway tunnels are already changing shape.
The problem is the worst in the busy financial center, where there are huge skyscrapers on
what was farmland not long ago. A report says that land there sank nearly four centimeters last
year. Land around the tallest building sank nearly six centimeters.
Officials started to record changes in 1921, and they believe the city has sunk nearly two
meters since then. There is similar problem in Bangkok and Mexico City, and the people of
Shanghai need to understand that construction must slowdown. The officials hope to show them
how bad the problem is. However, with so many building already up it may be too late.
T
1. Shanghai used to be considered as a second largest city in China. ………….
T
2. The sinking of the city is the result of the heavy buildings. ………….
F
3. Shanghai has no the tallest building in China. ………….
T
4. Soft soil is one of the problems that Shanghai is facing. ………….
5. All the construction is favorable for Shanghai’s subway. ………….F
6. Some parts of Shanghai are influenced heavily by the sinking problem compared to other
T
parts. ………….
7. The sinking problem only occurs in Shanghai. …………. F
T
8. Shanghai people have been aware of what problems that their city is facing. ………….
Reading Passage 11
The Golden Age of Comics
The period from the late 1930s to the middle 1940s is known as the Golden Age of comic
books. The modern comic book came about in the early 1930s in the United States as a giveaway
premium to promote the sales of a whole range of household products such as cereal and cleansers.
The comic books, which were printed in bright colors to attract the attention of potential customers,
proved so popular that some publishers decided to produce comic books that would come out on
a monthly basis and would sell for a dime each. Though comic strips had been reproduced in
publication prior to this time, the Famous Funnies comic book, which was started in 1934, marked
the first occasion that a serialized book of comics was attempted.
Early comic books reprinted already existing comic strips and comics based on known
characters; however, publishers soon began introducing original characters developed specifically
for comic books. Superman was introduced in Action Comics in 1938, and Batman was introduced
a year later. The tremendous success of these superhero comic books led to the development of
numerous comic books on a variety of topics, though superhero comic books predominated.
Astonishingly, by 1945 approximately 160 different comic books were being published in the
United States each month, and 90 percent of U.S. children were said to read comic books on a
regular basis.
1. It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that, at the beginning of the 1930s, comic books most likely
cost
A. nothing
B. 5 cents
C. 10 cents
D. 25 cents
2. Comic books would least likely have been used to promote
A. soap
B. cookies
C. jewelry
D. bread
3. It is implied in the passage that Famous Funnies
A. was a promotional item
B. appeared in a magazine
C. had been produced prior to 1934
D. was published on a regular basis
4. From the information in paragraph 2, it appears that Superman most likely
A. was introduced sometime after Batman
B. was a character that first appeared in a comic book
C. first appeared in Famous Funnies
D. first appeared in a promotional comic strip
5. It is implied in paragraph 2 that it is surprising that
A. comic strips were more popular than comic books
B. superheroes were not too popular
C. 90 percent of U.S. children did not read comics
D. comic books developed so quickly
Reading Passage 12
Ketchup
The sauce that is today called ketchup (or catsup) in Western cultures is a tomato-based
sauce that is quite distinct from the Eastern ancestors of this product. A sauce called ke-tiap was
in use in China at least as early as the seventeenth century, but the Chinese version of the sauce
was made of pickled fish, shellfish, and spices. The popularity of this Chinese sauce spread to
Singapore and Malaysia, where it was kechap. The Indonesian sauce ketjab derives its name from
the same source as the Malaysian sauce but is made from very different ingredients. The
Indonesian ketjab is made by cooking black soy beans, fermenting them, placing them in a slat
brine for at least at week, cooking the resulting solution further, and sweetening it heavily; this
process results in a dark, thick, and sweet variation of soy sauce.
Early in the eighteenth century, sailors from the British navy came cross this exotic sauce
on voyages to Malaysia and Singapore and brought samples of it back to England on return
voyages. English chefs tried to recreate the sauce but were unable to do so exactly because key
ingredients were unknown or unavailable in England; chefs ended up substituting ingredients such
as mushrooms and walnuts in an attempt to recreate the special taste of the original Asian sauce.
Variations of this sauce became quite the rage in eighteen-century England, appearing in a number
of recipe books and featured as an exotic addition to menus from the period.
The English version did not contain tomatoes, and it was not until the end of the eighteen
century that tomatoes became a main ingredient, in the ketchup of the newly created United States.
It is quite notable that tomatoes were added to the sauce in that tomatoes had previously been
considered quite dangerous to health. The tomato had been cultivated by the Aztecs, who had
called it tomato; however, early botanists had recognized that the tomato was a member of the
Solanacaea family, which does include a number of poisonous plants. The leaves of the tomato
plant are poisonous, though of course the fruit is not.
[A] Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated the tomato in his garden at Monticello and served
dishes containing tomatoes at lavish feasts, often receives credit for changing the reputation of the
tomato. [B] Soon after Jefferson had introduced the tomato to American society, recipes combining
the newly fashionable tomato with the equally fashionable and exotic sauce known as ketchap
began to appear. [C] By the middle of the nineteenth century, both the tomato and tomato ketchup
were staples of the American kitchen. [D]
Tomato ketchup, popular though it was, was quite time-consuming to prepare. In 1876,
the first mass-produced tomato ketchup, a product of German-American Henry Heinz, went on
sale and achieved immediate success. From tomato ketchup, Heinz branched out into a number of
other products, including various sauces, pickles, and relishes. By 1890, his company had
expanded to include sixty-five different products but was in need of marketing slogan. Heinz
settled on the slogan “57 Varieties” because he liked the way that digits 5 and 7 looked in print, in
spite of the fact that this slogan understated the number of products that he had at the time.
Reading Passage 13
Hermit crabs occupy the empty shells of dead sea snails for protection while still retaining
their mobility. They are capable of discriminating among a selection of shells of various sizes and
species, and they choose the one that fits the body most closely. Hermit crabs change shells as they
grow, although in some marine environments a large enough variety of shells may not be available
and the hermit crab may be forced to occupy a smaller-than-ideal "house." When a shell becomes
too small for the hermit crab to occupy, it will sometimes become aggressive and fight other hermit
crabs to gain a larger shell.
Hermit crabs may encounter empty shells in the course of their daily activity, but the vacant
shell is usually spotted by sight. The hermit crab's visual response increases with the size of an
object and its contrast against the background. The hermit crab then seizes the shell with its
walking legs and climbs on it, monitoring its size. If the size is right, the crab investigates its shape
and texture by rolling it over between its walking legs and running its claws over the surface. Once
the shell's opening has been located, the crab uses its claws to remove any foreign material before
preparing to enter. The crab rises above the opening, flexes its abdomen, and enters the shell
backward. The shell interior is monitored by the abdomen as the crab repeatedly enters and
withdraws. When completely satisfied with its new mobile home, the hermit crab will emerge one
last time, turn the shell over and make a final entrance.
Reading Passage 14
Education was of primary importance to the English colonists and was conducted at home
as well as in established, schools. Regardless of geographic location or finances, most Americans
learned to read and compute numbers. For many, the Bible and other religious tracts were their
only books; however, the excellent language contained in such works usually made them good
primers. Many families owned one or more of Shakespeare's works, a copy of John Bunyan's
classic A Pilgrim's Progress, and sometimes collections of English literary essays, poems, or
historical speeches.
In 1647 the Massachusetts School Law required every town of at least 50 households to
maintain a grammar school. The law was the first to mandate public education in America. In the
middle colonies at the time, schools were often dependent on religious societies, such as the
Quakers and other private organizations. In the South, families employed private tutors or relied
on the clergy to conduct education. At the outset, most elementary schools were for boys, but
schools for girls were established in the eighteenth century in most cities and large towns. In spite
of the informal atmosphere of most American schools, the literacy rate in the colonies of mid-
eighteenth-century America was equal to or higher than in most European countries.
Before the American Revolution, nine colleges had been founded, including Harvard,
William and Mary, Yale, the College of New Jersey (now Princeton), Brown, Rutgers, Dartmouth,
and Kings College (later Columbia University)- By 1720 the natural sciences and modern
languages were being taught, as well as courses in practical subjects such as mechanics and
agriculture. At the end of the eighteenth century, medical schools were established at the College
of Philadelphia and at King's College.
Reading Passage 15
The study of control processes in electronic, mechanical, and biological systems is known
as cybernetics. The word was coined in 1948 by the American mathematician Norbert Wiener
from the Greek word meaning pilot or steersman. Cybernetics is concerned with the analysis of
the flow of information in both living organisms and machines, but it is particularly concerned
with systems that are capable of regulating their own operations without human control.
Automatic regulation is accomplished by using information about the state of the end
product that is fed back to the regulating device, causing it to modify or correct production
procedures if necessary. The concept of feedback is at the very heart of cybernetics and is what
makes a system automatic and self-regulating. A simple example of a self-regulating machine is a
thermostat, which reacts to continual feedback about the outside temperature and responds
accordingly to achieve the temperature that has been programmed into it.
The applications of cybernetics are wide reaching, appearing in science, engineering,
technology, sociology, economics, education, and medicine. Computers can keep a patient alive
during a surgical operation, making instantaneous modifications based on a constant flow of
information. In education, teaching machines use cybernetic principles to instruct students on an
individual basis. In the home, automation is present in such everyday products as refrigerators,
coffeemakers, and dishwashers. In industry, automation is increasing its applications, although it
is currently applied primarily to the large-scale production of single units. In industries in which a
break in the flow of production can ruin the product, automatic controls are invaluable. Chemical
and petroleum plants are now almost completely automatic, as are industries involved in the
production of chemicals and atomic energy. Automation has become the answer when human
safety is the number one priority.
Reading passage 16
Read the following passage and choose the correct answers A, B, C or D to each question.
John Fisher, a builder, and his wife Elizabeth wanted more living space, so they left their small
flat for an old 40-metre-high castle tower. They have spent five years turning it into a beautiful
home with six floors, winning three architectural prizes.
“I love the space, and being private”, Elizabeth says. “You feel separated from the world. If
I’m in the kitchen, which is 25 meters above the ground floor, and the doorbell rings, I don’t have
to answer it because visitors can’t see I’m in!”
“There are 142 steps to the top, so if I go up and down five or six times a day, it’s very good
exercise! But having to carry heavy things to the top is terrible, so I never buy more than two bags
of shopping from the supermarket at a time. Apart from that, it’s a brilliant place to live.”
“When we first saw the place, I asked my father’s advice about buying it, because we couldn’t
decide. After paying for it, we were a bit worried because it looked awful. But we really loved it,
and knew how we wanted it to look.”
“Living here can be difficult - yesterday I climbed a four-meter ladder to clean the windows.
But when you stand on the roof you can see all the way out to sea on a clear day, and that’s a
wonderful experience. I’m really glad we moved.”
Reading Passage 17
Read the following emails. Who is each question about? Write the correct name (Jack, Marcy
Kathy, Daniel) in the blanks.
Addy’s advice
1. I have a big problem. It's my best friend. She doesn't really have any time for me these
days. I call her, and she can't talk. I text her, and she doesn't answer right away. I think it’s because
of her cat, Peaches. She got this little cat for her 30th birthday, and now she takes it everywhere.
She even dresses it in little sweaters and hats. I don't know what to do. Is it possible to be jealous
of a cat? - Jack
2. There's this new person at work. She works next to me and we get along, but she's always
asking me to do things for her. For example, she asks me to get her coffee when I get some for
myself. Or she drops by and asks me to copy things for her when she's "busy”.' She’s not my boss!
Should I just refuse to do things for her? I want to be nice, but I have to do my own work. Can you
help me, please? - Marcy
3. My lithe brother is driving me crazy. I’m 15, and he’s 10. He has his own Mends, but he
won't leave me and my friends alone. They come over a lot to study or just watch TV. He bothers
me and sometimes tells my friends things that are personal about me. Maybe he just wants
attention, but it's very annoying. He should just grow up! Anyway, I told my mom and dad, but
they say I need to solve the problem. - Kathy
4. I’m a neat person, and I used to live alone. I got a roommate a few months ago to help with
the rent. The problem is, my roommate is not like me at all. He never goes any chorea around the
house. He just sits around playing video games and watching TV. The apartment is always a mess,
and I’m the one who has to clean it up. I can’t count on him for anything. Should I just clean the
apartment myself? This is a big problem for me. – Daniel
1. Both Mary King and Etsuko Shimabukuro answer the interview questions. F
2. Mary’s accomplishment is that she walked across Japan in 17 years. F
3. Mary walked across Japan with another person. T
4. Mary often had to walk between 30 to 40 kilometers to finish the trip on time. F
5. When seeing bears, Mary felt terrified. T
6. Mary stopped during their walk across Japan to draw pictures and interview people. F
7. One of the interesting things in the journey is visiting a ghost house. T
8. The traffic was scary because there were too many pedestrians on the sidewalks. F
9. Mary sometimes wanted to stop, but Etsuko said they had to accomplish their goal.
F
10. Mary wanted to walk across India someday. T
Reading Passage 19
Read the following text and complete it using the words given in the word box.
Embarrassing Moments
graduated(1) from college last year, I had three parties: one that we planned
When I ……………….
didn't
and two that we ………………. (2) plan!
inviataions (3) to 20 of our friends, but he got confused and
My brother Ted emailed the ……………….
said that the party was on June 25th, not June 26th. While I was reading his email later that day, I
saw his mistake. Ted was working late that night,unfortunately
………………. (4), some of our friends didn't
read the emails carefully.
Ted and I were……………….
having (5) dinner at my house on Friday, June 25th, when we heard
door
the doorbell. When we opened the ………………. (6), we saw six of our friends. They looked
confused when they saw our surprise. Ted was embarrassed at first, but then we told them what
had happened, and everyone thought it was really amusing! We didn't have enough food for
restaurant (7) near our house. We talked, told jokes,
everyone, so we ordered pizzas from a ……………….
watched a movie, and had a great time!
The next evening, we had the real party! Sixteen of our friends were there —including our
listened (8)
friends from the night before. This time we had Chinese food. We danced and ……………….
to music, and everyone went home after midnight.
When I woke up on Sunday morning, I………………. thought (9), "Hmm. Four of our friends said
they were coming, but they weren't at the party last night. I hope they weren't confused by the
doorbell (10) rang. I opened the door, and ... you guessed it! There were our four
second ……………….
missing friends, ready for a party. I called Ted at his apartment. He ran to his car, drove to a
Mexican restaurant, and ordered some tacos while I got ready for party number three!
— Sarah, New York, NY
Reading Passage 20
Read the following passage and choose the correct answers A, B, C or D to each question.