TOWARDS MATURA Ssstnnserammnsoermenr 22 2ST IS TS A. INTRODUCTION The Matura Test for English language is designed to measure your ability to understand written B. and communicative English as well as to express yourself in a written form in accordance with the Foreign Language Program for Matura Exams. You will be assessed for the following learning 4 outcomes Reading Comprehension ‘The student: * reads articles and reports related to everyday problems where the author expresses his/ her points of views. * understands contemporary fiction and non fiction reading passages. tt * reads and understands a relatively long text dealing with topics related tu his/her field of interest and beyond and is able to find the main idea and details. ' Use of Language | | The student: ] ' | * conveys his/her message using correctly and without spelling mistakes grammatically 7 complex sentences; uses a wide range of idiomatic expressions in almost unpredictable | everyday situations. * — masters a wide lexical vocabulary about topics related to his/her field of interest and beyond; is able to reformulate sentences and expressions in order to avoid repetition but sometimes is hesitant while paraphrasing. * has good control of grammatical structures,but may make some mistakes,which do not lead to misunderstanding. * _ is able to correct him/herself. Writing The student: * writes essays or reports and is able to develop arguments, examples and details that support the arguments. | + considers and values different points of views and solutions | * presents arguments in favour and against an issue or point of view explaining the priorities and drawbacks of different options. | L°__analyses and synthesizes information taken from different sources, This test is based on the Global Scale of the CEFR (Common European Framework of References] for level B2, } Reading The student can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the i writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. He/she can understand contemporary literary | prose. ) writing The student can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to his/her interest. The student can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view. He/she can write letters highlighting the personal sigaificance of events and experiences. | 6B. TEST STRUCTURE 1 Reading Comprehension | I. Use of Language } M, Writing | The table below shows the structure of the test. | The Matura English Test is a paper-based test that assesses the following skill areas: | Reading ~ [ask Task2 Task 3 } | Number of questions | 10 so 10 10 | | Number of Points | 10 10 10 | | Types of questions Multiple choice Open-ended questions _| Gap filling text | iecntongece ee ee) Number of questions [10 5 | Number of points 10 Bee Types of questions Gap filing text __| Gap filling dialogue Writing ee Task 2 Number of questions | 4 1 Number of points 10 5 Types of questions e-mail/letter| SEaSRERNEE TOWARDS MATURA Snes ennns a FEIN OIE TAI 1, SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION The reading comprehension section measures a range of reading skills that you have used and mastered in English language at school and beyond. Reading passages include types of age appropriate reading materials that you have dealt with in your class environment such as articles, memos, e-mails, posters, announcements, stories est. They cover topics found in Foreign Language Curricula such as everyday life, school, life, neighborhood, the world of communication, the world around us, sports, movies, art, technology, education, and employment, science ect. You are not expected to have prior knowledge of specific topics, but you should be able to use your knowledge of English to understand the information in the texts and answer the questions. The reading comprehension section includes three different tasks. LA TASK1 Task 1 requires from you to read a long reading passage and answer 10 multiple questions. Reading Comprehension questions assess your ability to understand the main idea of a passage, identify important factual information and specific details that support the main idea, and guess the meaning of words from context. You are also asked to identify the antecedents of pronouns, recognize the author's purpose and understand steps or directions in a process. ‘Type 1: Main idea questions Main idea questions assess your ability to understand the general or overall content of a reading passage. The main idea or sometimes called the general idea is the most important idea ina paragraph or reading passage. It covers many smaller, more detailed ideas and also states the purpose of the paragraph o reading passage. The main idea is often found in the first sentence of the paragraph and then it may be repeated or restated at the end of the paragraph. The questions asked about the main idea are: . Who or what is the paragraph/reading passage about? . What is the main topic of the passage? | Example: | sit cts le’ evel 1, Brand names such as Apple, Versace, Gucci etc., are | Common household words. People start each day using soap, toothpaste, and breakfast foods | such as milk, cereal etc., promoted by advertisers, Ads have made the cars that people drive a \ ign of their success. People’s choices of clothes, food, and entertainment are also controlled by | ads. Not one aspect of people's life is untouched by advertising. (The tain Wea is stated at the | beginning of the paragraph and then restated at the end, So the paragraph is about the influence advertising has on people's lives)a A SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION ==smmmm PRACTICE Exercise |: Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions about the main idea: 1. “Nature” Nature is highly valued in many cultures. The impressive beauty of a mountainside or the vast expanse of the blue sea can inspire people everywhere. Writers, painters, architects, poets and many other artists have drawn power and enlightenment fram majestic works of nature. Among those highly talented people, poets seem to be the best at expressing the wonder of observing art in nature. William Wordsworth is that kind of poet. He believed that nature is a remedy for troubled minds and his works have inspired nature lovers for centuries by showing the true beauty of nature. What's the main idea of the paragraph? 2. "Classroom Technology” Despite modern tendencies for using technology in schools, there are some skeptics who hold the belief that technology has no place in the modern classroom, and argue against it for some reasons. The loudest and most heavily researched arguments come from an organization whose mission involves supporting and protecting the rights of children worldwide. They have completed a report called “A Critical Look at Computers and Childhood” where they state that (1) there are no conclusive statistics that prove technology's helpfulness in school and (2) kids need real world learning tasks and not computer training. Their research supports their claims which make the debate what real learning means more intense. What's the main idea of the paragraph? Exercise Il: Read the following paragraphs and circle the alternative that best describes the main idea: 1. “Measuring time” Before clocks were made, people kept track of time by other means. In ancient Egypt, people used a water clock. Water dripped slowly from one clay pot into another. People measured time according, to how long it took one pot to empty and the other one to fill. Candle clocks were common during the Middle Ages. As such, when a candle burned, marks on its side showed about how much time had passed. A final ancient way to measure time was the sundial, which used the movement of the sun across the sky. The shadows moving across the face of the sundial showed the current time. What is the main idea of the paragraph? A. Inancient Egypt, people used water clock B. The sundial showed the exact time C. People measured time by other means before clocks were made D. People used candle clocks in the Middle Ages 2. “Golden Gate Bridge” The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge is in San Francisco. The bridge is red but it is often surrounded by gray clouds. On clear days people 9come and take pictures of the bridge. The pictures show the beautiful green hills next to the bridge and the blue water under it. What is the passage mainly about? A. taking photographs B. a famous bridge gray clouds D. San Francisco 3. Some people think that television feeds us constant diet of violence and vanity. When we wake up, the morning news greets us with the latest mass murders, earthquakes, and plane crashes. Soap operas serve up a menu of disloyalty, falseness and agony. The evening news replays the morning news, in case we forget. The final fare of the day is nighttime television full of useless programs and horror movies. What is the main idea of the paragraph? A. Television programs are not fit for young children because of the violence B. Some of violence on television centers around disasters, adultery and crime. €. Game shows and soap operas promote vanity more than violence. D. From morning to night, television programs provides viewers with violence and emptiness. 4. In many countries in Europe, farmers’ houses are generally situated within a village, and machines and animals are located near the houses. Every morning the farmers and the workers leave the village to work their land and come back to the village at the end of the day. While in Canada, this tradition has been preserved only in some parts of Quebec. ‘What is the main topic of this paragraph? A. social life in Quebec B. the relationship between farmers in Europe and Canada €. European tradition of rural life D. European farm products 5. Despite the bad image fats have acquired in the recent years, we should always keep in mind how essential they are for our lives. Fats provide the best way our bodies store energy and they are far more efficient energy sources than either carbohydrates or proteins. Fats act as lubricant and insulation against cold because they cover the internal organs. Moreover, some fats contain fatty acids that have necessary growth factors and help with the digestion of other foods. ‘The main idea of this paragraph is that: A. fats have a bad image B. fats contain only acids C. fats serve important functions in the body D. fats store food more efficient than proteins and carbohydrates pegs DSMNONEE TOWARDS MATURA ‘sassnaensnssssmsassnnrinar SSeSType 2: Factual Information Questions Factual information questions assess your ability to identify factual information and supporting or specific details that are directly stated in the reading passage. These questions typically focus on facts, details or other important information in the reading passage. The questions asked about factual information are often phrased in the following ways: According to the author, why .....? According to the reading passage what causes 2 2 In the story, who knows how to do ... | Example: “The bridge” The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge is | in San Francisco. The bridge is red but it is often surrounded by gray clouds. On clear days people come and take pictures of the bridge. The pictures show the beautiful green hills next to the bridge and the blue water under it. What colour is the Golden Gate Bridge? A. red B. gray Cc. green D. golden \ {the correct answer is A) PRACTICE Exercise |; Read the following paragraphs or passages and answer the questions about specific details by circling the right alternative. 1. “The football match” When Tom got home from school, he handed his dad a note. “There's going to be a special football match for fathers and sons at school on Saturday,” said Tom. “want you to come and meet my school friends and their fathers.” His father looked at the note. “This sounds like a wonderful time.” “You will go, then?” Tom asked, breaking into a smile, “Of course,” said his father. “Why wouldn't 1?” How does Tom's father learn about the football match? A. froma note B. from the school website froma friend D. fromTom’s mother 2. "Mychildhood dreams” When | was little, | lived in a small town by the sea. Most often | would see this wonderful place 1| REE TOWARDS MATURA situs esses angus crs tasers by daylight, but occasionally it was by night when the lights looked like golden strings along the shore, and a few of them seemed to be sparks floating in water, or in the air. It was a wonderful breathtaking place The town lights at night A. were arranged in lines B. hung from the sky C. drifted into the sea D. looked like silver 3. Last week twenty students from “Ismail Qemali” high school in Tirana visited London as part of an exchange program. “The weather has made it possible to see many interesting places,” says Arlind, one of the students of the group. “I'm also enjoying the English classes we attend every morning. Everything is perfect. Even the flight from Tirana was more enjoyable and shorter than | thought it would be!” What was Arlind probably worried about before arriving in London? A. missing the plane B. how long the flight would be C. not being able to attend English classes D. what to do if there was bad weather 4, Marking a book is a useful skill, but it’s important to do it the right way. First, read a chapter with one felt-tip pen in your hand and others next to you on the desk. Second, read @ whole paragraph | before you mark anything. Don’t mark too much; usually you mark 10% of a passage. Third, decide ‘on your own system for marking. For example, maybe you'll mark main ideas in yellow, important details in blue, and new words in orange. Maybe, you'll put red question marks in the margins when you don’t comprehend anything. ‘According to this paragraph what color will you use if you don’t understand anything? A. orange | B. blue cred D. yellow 5. January 4, 1997 was a day that | will never forget. It was the day | experienced my first earthquake. | had just got back from school and was lying on the sofa reading a comic book. My mom was doing some shopping. My older sister was preparing dinner for me, and my younger brother, who was watching a musical. My father was at work. According to this paragraph what was the author’s brother doing? A. reading a comic book B, doing some shopping . watching TV D, listening to classical music ) 12 jTT! SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION manenemas 6. Last summer, my friend and | went on a walking tour in the south of Albania. While we were walking through a small village, we were very hungry but we didn’t have 2 lot of money. We decided to stop at the village shop to get some groceries and fruits. | chose some crisps and we went to the front counter to pay. Near the counter I saw some packed cookies in a large bin. They looked good and were a lot cheaper than the crisps, so | took them instead. What did the author buy? fruits crisps groceries cookies 7. The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. The adult bird has brown body and wings, white head and a large hooked yellow beak. Younger birds appear all brown. Having fish as their main food source, Bold Eagles live near water, However, sometimes they eat dead animals. Bold Eagles would even steal food from other birds, a, How are younger Bald Eagles different from the adult ones? A B. « D. they are smaller they have black beaks they are completely brown they have lighter bodies b, What colour is the Bold Eagle’s beak? A B. c D. white yellow black brown c, Why do Bald eagles live near water? A B. c D. to protect the nest from predators because they often steal food because they like swimming because they eat fish ‘Type 3: Author's Purpose Questions Author's purpose questions assess your ability to identify the authors overall reason or purpose for presenting the information in the reading passage. The author sometimes clearly states his/ her purpose in the passage (generally the author states his/her purpose at the beginning of the passage) or otherwise you will need to focus on key words or phrases to decide on the author's purpose (such as “because”, “reason”, “purpose” or “need to”, should” and “must”. The questions asked about author's purpose are often phrased in the following ways: Why did....... Write the e-mail? What is the purpose of this article? 13fommmemmens TOWARDS MATURA Sassimmunsnmnmesmsnnasmssnansaes Example: Z To : basketball team members From: Mr. Borova Subject: things to do Sent: Monday, 4.30 p.m. | Dear basketball team members, Thank you for joining our team but before we begin participating for this year season, you will need to do a few things. First, you have to bring a letter from your family doctor confirming that you enjoy good health. Second, you must make sure that you keep good grades in all your subjects. Sometimes you will miss some classes because of the games. For those times, you have to notify your class teacher at least a week in advance of the absence. Third, you need to be at every game. Finally, your parents will need to fill in and sign a permission form, which you will return to me. I ook forward to a very successful season together! Coach Borova What is the purpose of this e-mail? A. To invite students to participate in a basketball team B. To encourage team members to take part in all games C. Toask for student volunteers for an upcoming school event D. To explain the things the team members need to do (the correct answer is D) PRACTICE Exercise I:Read the following paragraphs or passages and answer the purpose questions by choosing the best alternative. 1. Math teacher talking to his/her students | just wanted to remind you again that you will need to bring your calculators to class next time. We will do a lot of review exercises before next month’s exam, and we will be able to cover more material and work much faster if you have your calculators with you. What is the purpose of this talk? A. to tell students to bring an item to class B. to announce the time of the coming exam c D. 2. English teacher talking to his/her students to list the exercises of the exam to request students to bring the homework next time Dear students. You've all been doing a great job with the preparation for the school debate tournament. After the school tournament, | would like to know how many of you would like to be part of the school team getting ready for the national tournament. The team would meet a twice a week, and we'd be doing the same kind of debate that you have been doing in class. The difference is that you would be competing with students from other schools of the country. Now, how many of you would be interested in being part of the school team? 14Tete A SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION lunaunnsam What is the purpose of the talk? to explain students the advantages of debating to describe to students the rules and procedures of debating to discuss with students the ways they can improve their debating skills to find out whether students would be interested in being part of the school team 3. A teacher sending an email to her/his class Dear students, | know that you might be nervous and anxious about our class presentation next week. | am writing this email to give you some tips on how to best prepare. When you practice at home, time yourself- if your presentation is too long, shorten it! Try to keep to the point. It’s very important not to try to cover all your materials just by talking too fast. If you speed, you will lose the attention of your friends. A good rule is better short than long just KISS (Keep It Short and Sweet) it. You might also ask your parents or brothers and sisters to help you. They can be your practice audience. Wishing you success, Your teacher What is the purpose of this email? A B c. D. to remind students about the upcoming presentation class, to ask students to submit their presentation materials on time to give students advice on speaking in front of people to encourage students to invite families to the presentation class next week 4. Director of the school sending an email to students Dear student: weekend will be fun for those of you who are planning to go on the camping trip. | am writing this short email because | want to send you a list of what to bring and what not to bring. The trip is only for three days, and there's limited room on the busses taking you there. Don’t forget, the you bring, the better. On previous trips, the students found out that they brought many extra clothes that they never needed! Wishing you the time of your life School principal Why has the principle written this email to students? A. 8. c D, to apologize for not being with them in the trip to warn them not to pack too much for the trip to remind them to get permission from their parents to warn them to behave well during the tripmmm TOWARDS MATURA 5. Biology teacher sending an email to his/her students Dear students, As tomorrow is our lab class, | want to remind you again that we'll be looking at samples of different kinds of foods under the microscope. Please, remember to bring in fruits, vegetables, bread, etc., anything you can think of. The more samples we have the more interesting the class would be. We will analyze everything you bring in our lab, Looking forward to a very interesting class, Your teacher What is the purpose of this email? ‘A. to inform students for a trip to a farm B. to warn students not to eat in class . to explain students how to use a microscope D. to remind students what to bring to class 6. Director of a school making an announcement Dear students This is a very special announcement for all of us. This year four of our students, who have just finished the high school, will be receiving an award from the Ministry of Education for the highest academic scores in the Matura Exams. It is unusual for one school, with only 12 classes, to have so many students receive this award in a single year. What is the purpose of this announcement? A, The school will add 12 more classes Four new teachers will be working at the school B. C. Some students have been awarded D. There will be four tests for the Matura Exams. Type 4: Pronoun Referent Questions Pronoun referent questions assess your ability to identify the referential relationship between a pronoun and its antecedent (the word to which the pronoun refers). It is important to understand the meaning of pronouns (such as him, her, it, and them}. Other types of pronoun references are also tested, for instance, the demonstrative pronouns “this”, “these”, or “those”, The questions asked about reference pronouns are often phrased in the following ways: What does... if line... refer to? In line ....., the word ..... refers to. The answer choices are words or phrases taken from the reading passage. The correct answer choice should correspond both grammatically and contextually with the pronoun.AA SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION mama Example: Satellites are objects that are sent to the space and send signals back to Earth. Communication satellites are of great importance to people's daily life. They transmit all kinds of information: from signals for telephones and television to signals for Internet and many more. The word “They” in the passage refers to A, lives B. signals C. satellites D. telephones (the correct answer is “C”) PRACTICE Exercise |: The following sentences have an underlined pronoun. What does the pronoun refer to in each context below? Write the noun or the noun phrase on the line. 1. Learning is important for all animals in a new environment. It allows an animal to be adaptable. It= Imagine a mother duck in a lake. Four or five ducklings are swimming after her. They know to follow her. They The parents told the children that they were going out for dinner. the ‘An essay is @ piece of writing that has more than one paragraph. It is divided into three parts: the introduction; the body and the conclusion. It In my country, students’ textbooks are in perfect condition. Students cover them carefully in plastic. They turn the pages carefully and never fold the corner of a page up and down. them= They Animals living in modern 200s enjoy several advantages over animals in the wild; however, the must also suffer some disadvantages. they =TOWARDS MATURA Exercise Il: The following sentences or paragraphs have a pronoun in bold. What does the pronoun refer to in each context below? Circle the right alternative: 1. All detergents that we use clean clothes by first removing the dirt from the fabric, then suspending the particles until they can be washed away. A. clothes B. detergents C._ particles D. fabric 2. The secret of fresh looking flowers is that florists often refrigerate cut flowers to protect their fresh appearance. A. flowers B. florists C. appearance D. secret 3. While explaining some nature's rules, the professor said that water is an exception to these rules because of its unusual properties. A. nature's B. water's . professor's 4, This is what the professor said in a biology class: “The lives of butterflies are divided into four main stages, as are those of wasps, beetles and ants. A. lives B, stages €._ butterflies D. wasps 5. A mouse is smaller than an elephant because it has trillions fewer sells, not because its cells are any smaller. A. amouse’s 8, anelephant’s 6. Despite being influenced by numerous combinations of the basic tastes, the experience of taste is also enriched by other sensations, such as temperature and odors. These combined together produce what people recognize as unique tastes. ‘The word “These” in the passage refers to A. B. tastes odors . sensations D. peoplemam SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION s 7. Lenjoy acting in plays more than anything else. Even if it’s a minor character, | would love to have one of the acting roles. If they have all been taken, then hopefully | can still work as one of the costume designers. As you know last year | worked as volunteer sewing costumes. What does the word “they” refer to in the paragraph? A. roles B. plays designers D. costumes 8. Being a footballer, | felt great pride when | entered for the first time into the stadium and onto the pitch in Barcelona. It is the dream of many footballers to play for such glorious team. That was the best time of my career. Not only did we beat our rivals, Real Madrid, but we were classified for the UEFA finals where we defeated Sampdoria and England, What does “glorious team” refer to? A. Real Madrid B. Barcelona Cc. Sampdoria D. England 9, Many children these days have mobile phones. However, some children misuse them. They access inappropriate websites, chat for hours, or take inappropriate photos or videos What does the word “they” refer to in the paragraph? A. mobile phones B. children C. websites D. videos 10, Last year | took part in Master Chef Competition. | was among the finalists, but it seerned to me that the judges weren’t impressed by my cooking and | thought I had lost. But, as | looked at my } friends in the studio audience they all were smiling at me and this gave me confidence. What does the word “they” refer to in the paragraph? A. the audience B. my friends C. the judges | D. the finalists15S pemmemes TOWARDS MATURA Sstismenscsmmasis et OiO TTS EHTS AORN 11, Mother Theresa spent most of her life caring for the forgotten people of the world. She felt unworthy of the many honors she had received. However, they enabled her to raise funds to continue her work among the poor people, and for that she was truly grateful What does the word “they” refer to in the paragraph? A. poor people B. funds C. forgotten people D. honors 12, In many cultures, weddings are important events. The families of both the bride and the groom spend many months preparing for the big day. It is a joyous occasion when families and friends of the bride and groom gather for the solemn marriage ceremony and stay to enjoy the festivals that follow it. What does the word “it” refer to in the paragraph? A. ceremony marriage festivals D. occasion 13. Every culture in the world has special days that people celebrate with traditional foods, customs, and events. The origin of holidays and of the customs associated with them is a fascinating subject. What does the word “them’” refer to in the paragraph? A. customs B. holidays events D. traditional foods 14. Food is more likely to attract insects if it is kept for a long period of time. Even if food is stored in containers, it often attracts bugs. To give a solution to this problem, scientists have been working with different odors trying to find one strong enough to keep insects from going near food. What does the word “one” refer to in the paragraph? A. aninsect B. a scientist Cc. anodor D. container 20LT SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION ==mmmmmm 15, Last summer, my friend and I went on a walking tour in the south of Albania. While we were walking through a small village, we were very hungry but we didn’t have a lot of money. We decided to stop at the village shop to get some groceries and fruits. | chose some crisps and we went to the front counter to pay. Near the counter I saw some packed cookies in a large bin. They looked good and were a lot cheaper than the crisps, so | took them instead. What does “them” refer to? A. crisps. B. fruits groceries D. cookies ‘Type 5: Vocabulary in Context Questions Vocabulary in context questions assess your ability to understand the meaning of individual words or phrases based on context. You often find new words in reading passages but you are not expected to have prior knowledge of the words. It is the context, in which the word or phrase is found, which will help you to understand its meaning, a. You can find a definition of a new word in the same sentence. Definitions usually follow the verb “be” (is, are) or “means” Example: Prospective means something that is possible in the future. (prospective=something possible in the future) b. The meaning ofa new word (oran explanation of it) is after acomma (,)ordash (-)orin parentheses. Example: The new factory in our neighbor will produce many goods, products to sell, for export. (many goods= products to sell) ¢. The meaning of a new word comes after the phrase “in other words” Example: After doing a market research they determine how much to charge customers; in other words, they decide on the price. (determine=decide) d. The meaning of a new word comes after the phrase “that is” Example: Children who can’t hear learn the Sign Language-that is, a system of hand signals. (Sign Language=system of hand signals) e. Examples can help you to guess a new word. You can find examples after the phrase “such as” for example” or “for instance”. Example: She studies apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees. ( from the context we understand what apes are.) alm= TOWARDS MATURA SammmsmmnnsmmanensnsssssnesnesaestreSs ‘There is an explanation or a definition of a new word in the sentence following the new word. Example: My brother is curious about everything. He is especially interested in electricity. (curious= especially (very) interested) The questions asked about guessing the meaning of words from the context are often phrased in the following ways . In line ...., the word..... is closest in meaning to PRACTICE Exercise |: For each underlined word in the following sentences guess the meaning from the context, and then check it with your friend and teacher. 1, England sent soldiers to the colonies and made sure people did not try to smuggle goods-take things into the country secretly to avoid paying the new taxes. ‘Smuggle . People cannot directly change the laws, but they can protest-speak or act against things they disagree with. Protest _ . Context means the sentence or paragraph around a word. Context 7 . An entry-level position is a job at a beginning or low level in a company. Entry-level-position . Datum is information or fact. Datum . Resources are books and other material that contain important information. Resources An objective is a goal, target or something you want to do in the future. Objective . To put something into effect means to take action. To put into effecteommmnmie SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION "ssa 9. They havea Surplus _ : = plus of books. In other words, they have an oversupply-too many. 10. Most schools in England supply hot lunches to children at a very low price; in other words, they give inexpensive meals to students BOP ose 11. The bookshop has a large supply of English books right now. The amount is always very large at the beginning of the school year. supply eee 12, There was an oil shortage in many countries in 1974; in other words, there wasn’t enough oil. shortage _ 13. Advertisers need to decide on a target; in other words, who are possible buyers for their product. target __ 14. Advertisers need to think about people's motivation- their reasons for buying something. motivation _ 15. This is a way of learning by association-that is, putting together different ideas. association 16. \ere was also plenty of brown rice, and tofu, a soya product high in proteins and vitamins tofu Z es Exercise il: The following sentences or paragraphs havea word or phrase in bold. Circle the alternative that is closest to its meaning in the context 41, Every atlas has its own legend. A. famous person B. historic leader €. mythical story D. explanation of symbols 2. The planet Mercury is visible to the naked eye but it is not the easiest planet to notice, A. unclothed B. unaided © unarmed D. openjjsmmmmmm: TOWARDS MATURA 3, Table salt is finer than rock salt. A. of worse quality B. of better quality cleaner D. made up of smaller particles 4. All chimpanzees are extremely inquisitive about their surroundings. A. strange B. curious C. familiar D._ indifferent 5, The French students want to make the most of their time in Tirana by learning as much as possible about the city and Albanian culture in general. The students visited the National History Museum and they saw a movie at Cineplex Cinema. One venue the students decided against visiting was @ Chinese restaurant. The word “venue” is closest in meaning to A. topic B. class C. place D. meeting 6. Ms. Gordon, the principal of the school, was very excited about Ben’s suggestion. She immediately told Mr. Brown, the geography teacher at school, about the student’s proposal. Like Ms. Gordon, Mr. Brown thought that the environmentally friendly project would be an educational opportunity for the student. The word “proposal” in the paragraph is closest in meaning to__ A. plan B, meeting €. education D. request 7. “The students are familiar with Chinese food, and to have them eat it here in Tirana, would have been pointless,’-says the group leader, “It’s more exciting for them to have lunch at Era restaurant and try typical Albanian cuisine.” The word “cuisine” is closest in meaning to ‘A. cooking B. drinking C. vegetable traditionA SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION sammmm 8, Throughout the year, Tirana International Hotel accommodates hundreds of tourists who come from all over the world to visit Albania ‘The word “accommodate” is closest in meaning to A. give advice to pay attention to take money from provide rooms for 9. After so many years of difficulty, other inventors most likely would have admitted their failure. It took someone as fearless and persistent as him to keep trying despite the many setbacks, The word “setbacks” is closest in meaning to A. accidents B. payments C. surprises D. problems 10. Although hunting whales for commercial reasons was banned in 1986, whales are still under threat. Norway has repeatedly ignored the ban, Iceland has started to openly hurt whales again and Japan kills about 440 whales every year for ‘scientific research” The word “banned” is closest in meaning to_ A. forbidden B. discovered C. developed D. threatened 11. The park has excellent facilities, in particular an educational center with information about plants and animals in the park. It also offers a good opportunity for children to gain practical experience of animals. The word “gain” is closest in meaning to A. become B. obtain c.reach D. succeed 25ja Samm TOWARDS MATURA Resserseesae Simin TENCE 12. “Eco-Schools” is an international program which encourages schools to take actions to protect the environment. Recognizing the need to involve young people in finding solutions to environmental challenges, the program offers prestigious awards to schools committed to the highest standards in environmental education. The word “involve” is closest in meaning to occupy include encourage incriminate 13, My uncle and his wife have been retired for ten years now but their time is completely filled with different activities. His wife has just taken up computer classes, in addition to her English lessons, and between them they have also got a wide social group. The expression “take up” is closest in meaning to _ A. finished B. participated C. delivered D. required 14. | have to admit that it is a sad fact of modern life that fewer young people read for pleasure today than in the past. Young people are much more likely to pick up their mobile or remote control rather than a book. ‘The expression “pick up” is closest in meaning to A. discover B. improve C. throw away D. take hold of 15. On Saturday, January 20", from 9 A.M until 2 P.M., “Ismail Qemali” High School will be holding a music festival in the school gym. The special event will feature a variety of professional artists, musician and singers. The word “feature” in line two of this paragraph is closest in meaningto_ AL keep B. look include D. entertainRESET POT 12 TASK2 Task two asks you to read four short promotional and info materials, advertisements and answer ten open ended questions about them. These questions assess your reading ability to understand facts and as such they do not include your opinion. Example A. (TRecruitment Officer Our office, based in London, is looking for recent graduates who would like to work with some of the most important companies in the digital industry all over the world. This post is based in China. After receiving a two-month training on our computer system, you will be responsible for: - cooperating with recruiters to create job descriptions - advertising jobs - sourcing possible candidates - updating the database The perfect candidate must be able to work under pressure, be self-motivated and people- focused. These qualities will help you progress within the company. Recruitment Officers who are willing to learn can train to become Account Managers and Account Directors. Competitive basic salary plus commission. B. Logistics Associate Our Company is looking for someone who is willing to work in the sales and customer service department. The successful candidate will have to make sure that customers have the best professional service from the moment they make an order until they receive their product, The job is for 20 hours per week. Hours are negotiable and there might be opportunities for overtime. the associate responsibilities include: - placing and processing orders ~ keeping accurate records - processing returns and refunds The successful candidate should: ~have a Bachelor degree | be able to work efficiently and meet tight deadlines in a high pressured environment have good IT skills Candidates should have experience in business logistics, purchasing and supply management or operations management, 1. Which job requires someone who has previous experience in the field? 2. Find a word in paragraph B which means “a repayment of a sum of money”. Lcorect answers: 1.8 —2.refund_ mu SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION SsmmmameA) mmmmene TOWARDS MATURA StasmmenannmmumsiearEnEinuinieaincaetenemeun: PRACTICE Exercise |: Read the paragraphs about unusual and dangerous activities that some people enjoy. Answer the questions that follow them using the information from the texts. Put an X or 7 on the right column. A. Corge Walking At its most intense, Gorge walking requires even more nerve than something as obviously daunting as bungee jumping. It should never be done alone, and the ratio of instructor to client should not exceed 6:1, Often the route that you take follows the course of a young river, going where the water goes, which means when you encounter a waterfall with a deep enough pool, you jurnp —sometimes as much as 12 metres. Gorge walking is always exhausting, drenching and challenging to your courage ~ or lack of it. Surprisingly, no serious incidents have yet been reported from commercial companies who organize the sport, although it is not yet well-established and is potentially very dangerous; the routes often have real hazards, perhaps making you zip across a narrow ravine faster than you ever thought you wanted to go, your legs dangling in the void. 8. Diving with sharks Nothing in the sea fascinates people like great white sharks, and off an istand 200 miles North West of Tahiti, divers are guaranteed to see dozens of them. The diving centre prides itself on taking small groups of divers out to the area where the sharks come to breed and feed, but this is not without risk- there are strong water currents and groups of divers must be small and what about the risks from the sharks themselves? Shark divers are apparently rarely a target for sharks, but certain species do have to be treated with special caution — among them the great whites, Commercial companies have been running shark feeding dives for more than a decade without serious incident; in fact, some believe that human activities are more of a threat to the sharks rather than vice versa Even so, it is not for the fainthearted C. Ice boating Sailing on ice started in Europe in the 1600s, when sailing boats where fitted with runners and used for moving cargo on frozen canals in the Netherlands. Now it is the fastest sailing and non-powered sport in the world. In temperatures of about minus 11*C, the speed that these craft can reach sailing over the ice means that the wind-chill factor is minus 43*C - and frostbite is a real danger. The pilot lies almost flat on his back, pinned to his seat by a speed that can increase from 60-100 mph in two seconds ~ faster than a Formula Uno car. But unlike car drivers, there are no brakes, the pilot has no seatbelt or protection of any kind. Less than 5 mm of fiberglass separates him from destruction - and weather conditions play an important part. Yet many are prepared to risk it. D. Canoeing down waterfalls Place a bunt tube over a vertical drop with tons of water cascading over it, and then let yourself go. ‘Those who have done it say that going over a waterfall in a canoe, or a kayak, is an amazing experience, although full of danger. Every item of equipment has to be specially manufactured or customized for the individual, and spinal injury is the biggest risk. Even if the fall itself does not cause injury, there are hidden, dangers from rocks or trees in the waterfall itself. Iceland, with its hundreds of waterfalls and rapids, offers many exciting challenges to the extreme white water kayaker — but this is an activity limited to a very small number of adventurers who are prepared to take the very real risk. 28AMR SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION ==ammmm E. Travelling with dogs in the Yukon The Yukon lies between Alaska and the Canadian Arctic, and has a population of only 31000 peop! 1uge playground for those adventurous types who want to explore this wilderness of i and snow, and the best way for them to do it is standing on a sled being pulled by dogs. Travelling like this is now big business, and there are plenty of people prepared to pay a lot for it. Speeding through the snowy landscape for hours without seeing another person provides an unexpected escape from the stresses of life. However, even after initial instruction, it’s still dangerous, cold and not as easy as some films make it look. Yet sledding remains an exhilarating and unusual experience. 1. Which activity is expensive? . Wi h activity began as something other than a sport? Which activity is compared to another sport? _ Which activity isa new activity? ie 2, 3 4, Which activity is compared to another sport? _ 5, 6. Which activity has been going for about ten years? _ ts Which activity needs personalized equipment? 8, Which is the surprising benefit that travelling with dogs in the Yukon offers? 9. Which activity is not always considered to be dangerous? h activity will never attract large number of people? 111.Which activity has unexpected risks? 12. Which activity should be done with a teacher? _ 13.Which activity is less dangerous than it seems 14.Which activity is more dangerous in certain weather conditions? 115.Which activity involves animals that may be dangerous? 16. Find a word in paragraph E that means “ thrilling” Exercise Il: Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions in the chart using the information | from the texts. Put an X or ¥ on the right column. | Some places to visit | A. Kingsley House This beautiful house was built in the 18th century, and all the rooms are decorated and furnished in the antique style of the time. They include display of 18th-century ladies’ clothing. Our volunteer guides in each room bring the house to life with stories of the past. B. Africa Museum The museum was founded 50 years ago, and to commemorate the event, we have chosen 50 treasures from the permanent collection and put them together to tell the fascinating story of that continent. This exhibition continues until the end of the year. The Folk Art Gallery opens to the 29‘ummm TOWARDS MATURA public next month, exhibiting traditional paintings and other objects from alll over Africa. C. 17 Mansfield Street From the outside, 17 Mansfield Street may not look particularly exciting, but if you go inside, you'll find yourself in a historic building that started life as a theatre, before becoming a bank and then a restaurant, which is still in operation, On Sundays and Mondays, when the restaurant is closed, @ guide is available to show you round the building and its fascinating architectural features. D, The Industrial Heritage Centre ‘The Industrial Heritage Centre tells the fascinating story of a local family firm. Mr. John Carroll started his engineering business in this building exactly 150 years ago. The firm closed in 1969, but the factory has been re-created, with machines like those that Mr. Carroll was familiar with. See what working life could be like in the 19th century, a life far removed from the elegance of the wealthy. E, The Fashion Museum The Fashion Museum has only just opened. It is home to an outstanding collection of more than 30,000 objects worn by men, women and children, dating from the 17th century to the present day. You'll see how people used to dress! As well as the permanent exhibits, you can currently see “Dressing the Stars’, which displays original costumes worn by the stars of many popular films. F. The Mason Museum Having spent the best part of two years being refurbished, the Mason Museum has recently opened its doors again. It provides a magnificent setting for its art collection and for the beautiful 18th-century furniture for which the Mason is famous. Open Mondays to Fridays 10-4, and weekends 10-6, 1. Which paragraph mentions clothes that well-known people have worn? 2. Why can’t people see The Folk Art Gallery at the African Museum? 3, Which paragraph mentions people who talk in an entertaining way?__ 4. Which paragraph mentions the museum having just reopened? 5. What was 17 Mansfield Street initially used as? 6. Which paragraph mentions furniture of the same kind that was used when the building was new? _ 7. Which paragraph mentions being open for tours on certain days of the week? 8. Which paragraph mentions a special event to mark an anniversary? 9. Which paragraph mentions the business of a family from a particular region? 10. Which paragraph mentions that guides work for free? 11, Find a word in paragraph 2, which means “recall or show respect for”. Exercise Ill: Read the three paragraphs and answer the questions that follow them using the information from the texts, Put an X or Von the right column, A. Insurance Telesales Do you have previous sales experience? Are you available from March 1st until the end of December? Our companys currently looking for someone to deal with insurance renewals sales. The position consists in calling existing customers and asking them if they intend to renew their policy, and if necessary, discuss how we can keep them as our future customers. The position will be a 10-month fixed term contract with 30ROOT SUEEEESEEEE SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION === a possibility of renewal, The working hours are from 8:00am until 4pm Monday to Friday. We are looking for ahard working person who is computer literate, has good telephone communication skills and willing to work with costumers. B, Data Analyst The position of Data Analyst is open for young graduates who love working with figures and has an eye for detail. The person will join a team that analyses research data for anomalies and presents them to people within and outside the company. Confident communications skills are also vital for this position. This position could be an ideal career opportunity for all those young boys and girls who have good knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software, excellent numerical skill, investigative and enquiring mind, and enjoy problem solving. You will also have a package, which includes health insurance cover and annual gym membership, C. Project Assistant The main duties of the position of project assistant are: reporting monthly to the Project Manager, undertaking property surveys, site inspections and also attending site meetings to make sure that work undertaken by our contractors is being carried out properly. Project assistants in our company work on their own for most of the time, so itis vital that you must have initiative and able to make decisions. It is, also essential that you have your own transportation. An allowance will be provided. Candidates should have excellent organizational skills, good IT skills and good written and verbal communication skills. REQUIREMENTS. * Minimum 2-year Construction related qualification. * Minimum of two year’s relevant experience or transferrable skills from a relevant background. Which position does not require previous work experience?, 2. Which position requires employees to travel a lot? 3, What other benefits does the data analyst job offer to the employees? 4, Which position offers the possibility for extending the period of working? 5. Which position requires good telephone communication skills? 6. Why does a project assistant need to have initiative? 7. Which position offers the possibility to work in groups? 8. Find a word in paragraph C which means “the amount of money that is permitted for a specific purpos Exercise IV: Read the advertisements for musical concerts below and answer the questions that follow them using the information from the texts. Put an X or ¥ on the right column. 31t mmemamese TOWARDS MATURA tiissanenstsesssncnS=ssieseiciSnett ‘SYDNEY CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC CONCERTS for January 2019 ‘A. Sydney Youth Orchestra Conservatorium High School students play a selection of Mozart concertos. Date: Sat. 4th and 11th January, 8.00 pm. $10 and $5. B. Let's Sing Together {An afternoon for the young and the young-at heart. Led by the Giggles Band, sing children’s songs from your childhood and from all over the world, There will be a special appearance by Willy Wallaby, from the popular children’s programme, Hoppy! Date: Sun. 5th January, 3.00 pm. $5. C. One Romantic Evening Bring someone special with you and listen to some of the greatest love songs as you gaze at the stars together! Date: Sat. 25th January, 8.00 pm. $20 and $12. Note: This concert will be held in the Conservatorium Rose Garden, not in the Concert Hall. D. Rock n’ Roll Pop along ‘tll late to the rock hits of the last 10 years. Bands playing include The Hippies, The Hypers, and The Heroes. If you have a special request, write it down at the ticket counter when you come in. Date: Sat. 18th January, 8.00 pm. $10 and $5. E. Flamenco! World-famous classical guitarist Rodrigo Paras will play a selection of traditional Spanish Flamenco pieces. Date: Sun, 19th and 26th January, 7.30 pm. $20 and $12. At which concert will a television character appear? At which concert will young performers play? _ How is the concert in paragraph C different from the others? _ 4. Which concerts will happen more than once? . How many performers will you be able to listen and watch at Flamenco concert? _ Which concert is NOT being held at night? ‘At which concert can the audience choose what will be performed? Find a word in paragraph C which means “look at something with admiration”. 32caccncncouanemamme SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION s=mamam Exercise V: Read the Advertisements for Language Centresbelow and answer the questions that follow them using the information from the texts. Put an X or 7 on the right column. | A. International Language Centre Institute of Technology French and Japanese Summer Intensive Also commencing January 2019 Mandarin Cantonese, Thai Vietnamese, Korean, Indonesian, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, For further details contact: | Admissions and Information office # | 5 Bligh Street | Sth, Sydney, 2000, Tel xxx Fax xxHXXKKK B. Global Language Learning Centre one of the world’s best language schools is now in Sydney Learn a new language IN 10- 20 WEEKS Latest methods full and part-time courses, business , hospitality or travel Phone for appointment [ Xxo0000000 C. DO YOU WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT? Then come to Perth, the Picturesque Capital City of Western Australia situated on the beautiful ‘Swan River. Perth offers you. Mediterranean climate lovely Indian Ocean Beaches every sport imaginable multicultural society government owned TAFE colleges high standard facilities and staff maximum facility hostel and homestay accommodation Intensive English Courses Available 5 intakes per year 10 week modules multicultural classes optional programmes Cost 2000$ AUD per 10 weeks Study tours available | English/ cultural/ tourism For further detail contact: TAFE International | Level 5 1 Mill street Perth 600 Western Australia Telephone: x900.x000x‘Im, TOWARDS MATURA D. FRENCH SUMMER COURSES January 2019 Adult’s Crash Course 9-19 Jan Intensive 3 oF 4 hrs a day Morning or evening 30 hrs $ 250 (Beginners and low Intermediate only) Adults’ Normal Course 9 Jan- 4 march 10 levels from Beginner to Advanced Twice a week ~ 2 hrs morning or evening Once a week, Saturday 9am—1.30 pm 32hrs $ 278 High school crash course 11-25 Jan Intensive 3 hrs a day, 1 pm-4 pm Years 8-12 24 hrs $ 200 Starts Wednesday 11.1. 05 Club Francois 27 Claire St, Sydney, 227 1746 E. University of Canberra Learn English in Australia’s National Capital ‘The TESOL Center has more than 24 years’ experience in providing quality language programs for overseas students ‘Test preparation, possibility of further academic study Access to University facilities Classes conducted on campus with opportunity to mix with Australian students Which advertisement mentions up-to-date teaching systems? Which advertisement mentions that the institution has been established for a significant time? Which advertisement mentions examination classes? |. Which advertisement mentions that arrangements can be made for activities outside class? . Which advertisement mentions the availability of courses for school students? Which advertisement mentions language teaching for special purposes? ‘What do paragraphs A and B have in common? What do paragraphs B and D have in common? Find a word in paragraph A which means “starting”. 1.3 TASK 3 Task three asks you to read a gapped text (story, article, email est.) and insert a number of sentences that have been removed from the text. This task tests your understanding of coherence, cohesion, text structure and global meaning of the reading passage. When you put missing sentences into a text you have to work like a detective and look for clues. You should consider the following while doing this kind of exercise: 34* Read all the sentences taken out of the text. * Read the text and match the sentences with the gaps you are sure about. + Read the sentences before and after the gap carefully. There will always be a link between these sentences and the missing sentence. * Look for reference words. What do they refer to? Typical reference words include: (personal pronouns (|, you, he, she, it, we, they]; possessive pronouns (my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) * Look for discourse markers such as in addition, however, as a result, then, etc. * IF you are not sure which sentence goes in the gap, leave it and move on to the next. * If you think there are two possible sentences for one gap, write down both answers and check again later. ‘* Write down all the possibilities for each gap. If you make the wrong choice at the beginning, this may affect the rest of your answers. + You don’t have to read the text in order. You can move backwards and forwards to different paragraphs. + There is one extra sentence you don’t need. But remember, there will always be a link between the correct missing sentence and the text, Example: Itwas dark and completely quiet on the streets outside her home. Brenda thought it was strange. Now they were absolutely empty. The snow that had fallen looked like a white shining carpet. Outside looked like inside. A. Usually these streets were full of busy people. B. Usually it doesn’t snow in this time of the year. The missing sentence is Aas there is a reference to streets (these streets) in the previous sentence as well as to the next one (they are empty). “They” refers to the streets. PRACTICE Exercise I: Find the sentence that best fits in the following paragraphs. 1. “Graffiti and Street Art” People all over the world have been painting and writing on walls throughout history. In prehistoric times, people in Africa and Europe used to paint pictures of animals and humans in caves. Graffiti has also been found on the ruins of ancient sites in Greece, Italy, Syria and Iraq. In Pompeii, a Roman town, archaeologists have found various interesting examples of graffiti written in Latin A. This depends on your point of view, but in many countries, writing or painting on walls is not considered art but vandalism. B. These include religious, political, social and romantic messages, and even some magic spells. 35 SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION sms.___!:£ TOWARDS MATURA Exercise Il: Read the article below and choose one sentence (A-H) that best fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra sentence, which you DO NOT need to use. “The Statue of Liberty” The work for building the Statue of Liberty's foundation began on August Sth, 1884, on a small island in New York Harbor. The statue is made out of a covering of pure copper, put on a___{1) but for the flame of the torch, which is coated in gold leaf. It (2) stonework pedestal with a foundation in the shape of an irregular eleven-pointed star. The statue is 151 ft. (46 m) tall, __(3) and foundation, it is 305 ft. (93 m) tall. The statue was a gift from the people of France to the (4) 100th anniversary of America’s independence from Great Britain and was sculpted by Frederic Bartholdi. Barry Moreno, who wrote The Statue of Liberty Encyclopedia, says that Frederic Bartholdi chose the place where the statue was placed. While entering the harbor by ship Frederic saw a small island called Bedloe’s Island. Then he saw Manhattan and was greatly (5) view, and he was aware that New York was the pre-eminent harbor. So he selected (6) Statue of Liberty for that reason. It took more than two years to complete the pedestal and statue on the island. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28th, 1886. Millions of (7) immigration station on Ellis Island, near Bedloe’s Island, came to see the Statue of Liberty a5 a symbol of freedom and their new lives in America. Source: htte://veanews.com A. United States to mark the ison a rectangular ). New York as the site of the B, C. passengers heading for the D, E, framework of steel F. the best location but with the pedestal H. struck by the magnificent Exercise Ill: Read the following email and choose one sentence (A-G) that best fits each gap (1-6). ‘There is one extra sentence which you DO NOT need to use. Dear Mis. D... Iam contacting you to ask you to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf, am seeking a new position with Marketing Solutions company as a(n) MS professional. The hiring manager has asked me to provide a letter of reference from someone (1). ‘and who can. speak about my abilities to perform in the job for which | am being considered. Since we worked together effectively in the past, | am hoping (2) into my work ethic and abilities My interests in the position | am seeking with MS Company are in line, yet slightly heightened, with the roles and duties | carried out while employed at your Company. It is a career goal of mine (3) | can and a solid recommendation will help me get there. The letter of recommendation is due by January (4) to the following 36LA SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION sssmom person by mail or email: Joe Drake Human Resources Department MS Company Please let me know if you will be able (5) __ on my behalf by January 20". | will be happy (6)_ or provide additional information. You can reach me at whrad@gmail.com or via telephone. Thank you in advance for your consideration and assistance. Sincerely, 1d Wyke Source: httpsi//business lovetoknow.com/business-communications-sample-letters/free-sample-letters to provide a letter of recommendation that you can provide some insights and should be discussed A B C. and should be sent D. E. who knows me on a professional level F to expand to the highest possible potential G._ toanswer any questions Exercise IV: Read the application letter and choose one sentence (A-H) that best fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra sentence, which you DO NOT need to use. Dear Ms. am writing to apply for your art summer course which | saw advertised on your website. | am twenty years old and I am studying history of art at university. (1)____the art course because | love painting and (2) improving my skills. | would like to start a career in painting in the future. (3) paintinganddrawingsince|wasinthe primary school.|havesome experience in painting and | also attended (4) the first was a traditional painting one and the second was about impressionism, | also participated in (5) organized in elementary and high school and I have won (6), would be available every afternoon and early evening from Monday to Thursday. At the moment ” on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, but | would be free the rest of the weekend. Looking forward to hearing from you Yours sincerely, Ben Rod5/!/cossmmmamet TOWARDS MATURA A. [have had a passion for I would very much like to attend 1am doing some part-time work two prices as the best painter in school all painting competitions some dancing courses Jam very keen on H. two courses in 2010 and 2012 Exercise V: Read the following letter, which Jane has written to her friend Ann. Choose one sentence (A- E) that best fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence which you DO NOT need to use. Dear Ann, We arrived in Puerto Rico last Monday, Our flight was smooth, comfortable and on time. We are staying at 2 beautiful hotel in San Juan this week, (1) . Our hotel has tennis courts (2) Edward plays tennis every morning, | usually sleep late in the morning. In the afternoon, we usually go to the beach or to the pool. The children love to swim. Sometimes | go shopping in the early evening, At night we usually eat at the restaurant. Last night we had dinner in a lovely Puerto Rican restaurant. The dinner was delicious (3)__—=- We had a great time, Now lam sitting on beach (4) The children are playing in the water. Edward is reading the newspaper in the shade (5) He always likes the shade, (6). Next week we are going to visit Saint Thomas, (7) We are going to leave at 7 o'clock on Friday morning and we will stay there for three days. If | have time, I'll write youa postcard from St. Thomas. After that, we are going to return home. | will call you when | get home | will tell you all about our vacation. Take care, Jane. A. and getting a good suntan B. which is another island nearby C. which is the capital of Puerto Rico and there was live music as well and listening to music D. E. but my children prefer eating ice creams FE 6. and two big swimming pools H. but prefer the Sun Exercise VI: Read the following text about music from the Internet. Choose one sentence (A-L) that best fits each gap (1-11). There is one extra sentence, which you DO NOT need to use. Music from the Internet People’s tastes always differ; they differ (1) - Some like pop music, some - classic, other: like jazz and (2) style. It will take too much time to name all genres and styles of musi 38MN SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION Sassen people like. The main question is where to find this very music, regardless the style it belongs to. No matter which music style you prefer, it (3) , whether your favorite music is on the Internet Prices for (4) are one more question that interests customers. Prices for different discs may differ and it allows a wider number of clients to find the proposition they were searching for, items that are suitable and (5)__. Visitors of such sites can also make a payment for example $20 and receive $0.02 every day. It is allowed with the help of special Daily Bonus scheme. Making (6) of $30, bonus amount will be $0.05 every day. Visitors of the site (7) in order to have access to needed items and to buy legal mp3s. The client registering on the site receives certain requisites that will help to identify each visitor of the site. Each time clients visit the site after registration they use their own logins and passwords. In case the login and password are illegally given to other people, the site (8) - When paying for one or another service or item available ‘on the site, customers transfer their money with the help of safe SSL connection so that no data is available for the administration of the site and (9) One well-known proverb says that it is (10) for one time than to hear about it for hundred times. in the case of this music store itis. worth to see it for one time and asa result to listen to your beloved music for (11) of times! A. isreally worth to check accessible for them in music preferences too B. c D. costs a lot of money to download E. hundreds and thousands F._ others are fond of country G. the procedure is absolutely safe H. another payment 1. will be unsafe for the client J. better to see something K, should register at first L._ musical albums and mp3 songs Exercise Vil: Read the following letter of application. Choose one sentence (A-k) that best fits each gap (1-10). There is one extra sentence, which you DO NOT need to use. Dear Ms. Spark 1am writing to apply for the position of summer tourist guide, as (1) 1am a twenty-year-old student at the University of Victoria, studying for a degree in International Relations. Although (2) the TOEFL Exam yet, | think that | have a high level of spoken English (3) I have had (4), of experience working with the public, including six-month employment (5) I have (6) talking to people and helping them. Furthermore | would describe myself, 2s outgoing, sociable and hardworking | feel that | would (7) to this kind of work as | have (8) and culture, in addition to its entertainment, sports and leisure facilities. Moreover, having grown up here (9) the city centre extremely well. 39|||! TOWARDS MATURA | am enclosing a copy of my CV and a reference from my previous employer. | would be glad to attend (10) Jam looking forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Craig Stand be well suited an interview at your convenience always thoroughly enjoyed Ihave not taken where advertised a considerable amount recently advertised in the local newspaper know my way around good knowledge of this city’s history required for the job as a guide at the Historic Museum 1.4 MINI TEST Reading Comprehension TASK 1 Read the following passages and choose the answer, which you think is the best alternative for each question. Learning English (1) Nowadays, thousands and millions of people want to learn and improve their English either for academic or professional reasons, but it is not easy to find the best way. Is it better to go and study English in United Kingdom or USA or to study in your country? (2) The advantages of going to UK or USA seem obvious. Firstly, you will be able to listen to English language all the time. You will be always surrounded by the language wherever you go, in shops, supermarkets, buses, in bars and restaurants. Another advantage is that you have to speak English if you are with other people. For example, you will communicate in English with your classmates not only when you are in class but also when you go out with them. In Albania it is possible to speak English only in the English classes but the learning is slower. (3) On the other hand there are also advantages to staying at home to study. You don’t have to male big changes to your life. You will be living with your family and you will not need to worry abot cooking and shopping for yourself. Besides, itis a lot cheaper than going to UK or USA but its hardy possible to achieve the results of living in the UK or USA. If you have a good teacher in Albania, think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in UK or USA. Teachers of English Albania are well qualified and they will help you master the grammar of the language very wel 40sometimes they lack the fluency of a native speaker. (4) In conclusion, | think that if you. have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK or USA. This is simply not possible for most people, so being here in Albania is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this situation is to maximize your opportunities: to speak only English in class and to try using English whenever possible outside the class. 1. What is the article about? ‘A. how many people learn English B. the best way to learn English. C.__English schools in UK and USA. D. English classes in Albania 2, What is the purpose of the second paragraph? A. To show students that they need to listen English all the time 8. To explain that learning English in UK or USA has benefits C. To show that in Albania students speak English only in the class D. To encourage students to speak English in shops, supermarkets est. 3. According to 2 paragraph ‘A. You can only learn English in UK or USA B. Learning English in your country is impossible €. Learning English in UK or USA is faster than in your country D. You never learn English in supermarkets of your country 4. What is one of the advantages of going to the UK or USA to learn English? A. youwill have to speak English and not your language. B. there are no Albanians in UK or USA. C._ the language schools are better there D. teachers are better there 5. What does the word “obvious” in paragraph 2 mean? A. difficult B. clear C. unbelievable D. easy 6, What does the word “them” in paragraph 2 refer to? A. people B. supermarkets C. classmates D. restaurants 41 sEEENEEENE SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION Samm|! me TOWARDS MATURA 7. What is one of the advantages of staying in your country to learn English? ‘A. the teachers aren’t very good in UK or USA. B, you have to work too hard in UK or USA. ¢. your life can continue more or less as it was before. D. you will learn the language faster 8, According to paragraph 3, Albania teachers of English ‘A. Always speak English very fluently B. Teach only grammar to students C. Explain English grammar in Albanian D. Sometimes don’t speak English fluently 9. People who don’t have a lot of time and money should, ‘A. learn English in UK or USA. B. speak English only in their English classes goto Albania to learn English D. try and speak English in class and beyond. 10. What does the word “viable” in paragraph 4 mean? A. practical B. impossible . encouraging D. critical TASK 2 Read the four paragraphs below and answer the questions that follow them using the information from the texts. Put an X or Von the right column. A. John Clark John is a famious mathematician who is currently working on a program, which focuses on making virtual. surgery a reality. "Can you imagine the benefits of this technology in use!? Thanks to this technologya surgeon will be able to carry out an operation on your “digital double”, which isa “virtual you” generated by a computer. By doing so, the surgeon can learn from any mistakes he/she makes. If the surgeon is finally certain of success, he/she then will operate on you without any problems, The surgeon will be able) to practice the operation several times before actually doing it, which means that there will be fever mistakes.” says John. This great technology is called surgery simulation and is, without doubt, going to save thousands of lives ‘The method of creating a digital double involves complex geometry and mathematics. “The possibilities ate endless” adds John. “If the technology were available right now, patients would even be spared of trip to the doctor’s. A scan would be sent to the doctor who would make a correct diagnosis and prepate for the operation before asking the patient to come in.” B, Janet Jones Janet is a plant biologist involved in a project, which has as its primarily aim helping farmers investigatl ‘and monitor plants and the conditions in which they grow. Presently, farmers grow crops without cla knowing what the final result will be. If they knew what problems could come up, they would take steps 42ANN SECTION 1- READING COMPREHENSION ==mmmmmn to avoid these problems. Researchers, such as Janet, have combined their expertise in an effort to make it easier for farmers to predict the success of their crops. “The program is actually 2 3D model of a virtual plant growing,” says Janet. " By entering different parameters, such as temperature, we are able to see the effect that they will have on the plant. Furthermore, once they have planted their crops, farmers will be able to keep an eye on them and improve plant care by giving their crops whet they need, when they need it.” When this program is widely used, it will revolutionize effective crop management and it will result in cheaper and better quality food. C. Sarah Butterworth Sarah is an archeologist who was involved in a ten-year project named “Achilles Reborn”. This project used advanced technology to digitally rebuild ancient Athens. It is the largest and the most complete simulation of a historic city ever created. “We have digitally recreated mountains that no longer exist, and we have digitally restored sites that have been destroyed with time, but this is by far the most ambitious project ever to be done,” says Sarah. Itisa true 3D model that runs in real time. Users of the program can work their way through the model as they wish. Itis sure to serve as a prototype for other city models of historic value. “ The good thing is that if new discoveries are made, the program will simply be updated to include them and this is why | think we will not be able to do without it when teaching our children about Athens."adds Sarah. D. Craig Michal Craig isa 15-year-old boy who is currently receiving treatment for burns, which he got when some boiling water fell onto his right leg, It is a well-known fact that the treatment for a burn is worse than the actual injury. For this reason, nurses and physicians at Nationwide Children’s Hospital decided to use virtual reality games to help young victims put up with the pain of would care. Research shows that anxiety and pain are strongly connected and if patients are distracted, anxiety is reduced and the procedure becomes less painful “At first the nurses gave me books to look at and sometimes music to listen to, but they did little to lessen the pain of having my wounds taken care of. Then, one day, they let me play with a virtual reality game and | was so engrossed in playing the game that | was surprised when the nurse told me that she had finished dressing my wounds,” says Craig. 1. How is Craig different from the others? 2. Which person worked on a virtual technology that might be of educational value?. 3. Why can’t surgeons use the virtual technology that John is working on? _ 4. Which person benefited personally from the use of virtual reality technology? 5. How is the project that Janet is working with going to help the farmers? 6. What is an advantage of the 3D model that Sarah and her team have created? 7. Which person is part of a project that will minimize the human error? 8. Find a phrase in paragraph D which means “tolerate”? 9. What will the future financial benefit of the project Janet is working withbe? 10.Which paragraph refers to person who tried something else before using virtual reality technology? 7 43axauemamt TOWARDS MATURA SSiteiramersesueseunensetaiG/ TROUT Be A SSSI RNPTE TST TASK3 Read the application letter and choose one sentence (A-k) that best fits each gap (1-8). There is one extra sentence, which you DO NOT need to use. Application for Business Internship Dear Ms. Black, My name is Rebecca Ashton, and I’m a sophomore at the University of California majoring in finance. This past semester, (1) , who recommended me (2) _ about your company, WWV- WorldWideVentures. WWV caught my eye a few years ago (3) _. As a finance specialist, investment has always been a passion of mine. in the past, (4) that worked with startups looking to find funding and get their companies off the ground. For the past few years, (5) logistics, and debate before making a major investment decision. In one class, my final project focused (6) ___when making these choices. Because of my background and natural interest (7) , I'm writing to see if WWV is hiring(8)________in the research and financial development sector. 'm confident that (9) ___ asa WWV intern. Would you be able to schedule a short talk on the phone with me to discuss any possibl opportunities? WWV is at the top of my list of internships and I am very interested (10)_. You can reach me at (XXX) XXX-XXXX, Thank you very much for your time Looking forward to talking with you. Best, Rebecca Ashton A. asa firm that’s researching and backing new, innovative companies in multiple fields in investment and venture capitalism ‘on business ethic and communication in hearing more about it | took an accounting class with Ms. Connors I've taken classes that stress the importance of research, I could perform with excellence on what elements we should most stress I've interned at a consulting firm to get in touch with you for student internshipsene aceasta Il. SECTION 2 - USE OF LANGUAGE The Use of Language section assesses your knowledge of grammatical and lexical structures necessary for accurate comprehension and effective communication in English Ther ‘are two tasks in this section, which are multiple choice and gap-fill questions. HA TASK Task one requires from youto read a gai ph or short passage and fillin the best alternative ped par Brown i You said in class on Thursday that it will be all right (1) students to send you an email this nd if we have any questions on the project you gave. Well, | have been doing (2) for my project on pollution, but after looking at some af the sources, | realized that t fanted to use is much too broad. Could | change the topic to one that (3)__ imited subject area? Please let me know whether | am allowed to do this. | 2. A. a lot of resear B.many research C.many researches _. lots research | 3. A. to cover B. cover C.it covers D. is covered 1.A.to B.of ¢. for D. from | (Correct an ers: 1. C;2.4;3.B) PRACTICE Read the following texts carefully and then choose the alternative that best fits in the gaps. Exercise | Sarah stepped onto the aeroplane and (1)_ by one of the cabin crew who showed her to her seat. It was her first time on a plane and she (2) a bit nervous. Her hands were trembling slightly and she was breathing deeply. She walked along the (3) of the plane and found her seat. Sarah (4), a lot of time on planning her holiday given this was the first time she had been abroad. Sitting next to her was an 8 year-old-girl who also (5) ___to be quite nervous. Sarah knew she was quite g00d with children, so she decided to try to calm the girl. After talking with the girl for a few minutes, Sarah gave her a bar of chocolate which she (6) at the duty free shop. The young girl then became quite cheerful and she explained that she loved chocolate so much. The woman and the girl found that they got on well together as they chatted for the whole flight. Sarah discovered that they were on the same return flight the following week, (7), pleased them both. When they disembarked at the terminal, Sarah commented about what a very good flight she (8) The young girl agreed, saying that she was looking forward to catching up with Sarah again on the return flight. 45TOWARDS MATURA A.wasmet —B. has met C.met D. had met A. feels B. was feeling C. had felt D. was felt A. aisle B. corridor C. path D. lane A. had spent _B. spent C. was spending D. has spent ‘A.showed —B. was sat D. appeared A.bought —_B. had bought C. was buying D. has bought A.so B. that . which D. what Ahad B. has had . had had D. was having Exercise Il Linkedin’ is a social network site that people use for professional purposes. The goal of the site is to allow registered members (1) and document networks of people they know and trust professionally. The site (2) by employers who are looking for staff. There are many job advertisements on Linkedin and users of this site can find jobs they wish to apply. They can also do research on companies they are (3) Linkedin’ is a very easy site (4) All you need to do is give information (5) yourself and the qualification you have obtained, for example a university degree or a college diploma. You also list any language stills you have and your previous work experience. People may try and find you on Linkedin and if (6) you a request and you want to make them your contact, you need to respond to their request. Network members (7) “connections.” 1. A. to establish B. establish €. establishing D. establishes 2. Aisoftenused B.wasoftenused C.oftenisused _—_—D. often uses 3. A.interested about _ B. interested in C. interested on D. interested for 4. A.foruse B. for using C. to use D. using 5. A. for B.on Cc. with D. about 6. A.they send B.theywillsend C.theyhave sent _D. they sent 7. A.call B. will be called C. were called D. are called Exercise Ill The Pitcairn Islands (1) in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway (2)_ Peru and New Zealand. The larger island of Pitcairn (3) in 1767 by the British. Pitcairn was the (4) _ Patificistand to become a British colony and today remains the last vestige of the British empire in the South Pacific. The population of about 50 are the (5)___ of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. English is the official language, but many islanders communicate in Pitcairnese (a pidgin language comprising of elements of 18th century English and a Tahitian dialect). People of this tiny island (6) fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. 46ZT SECTION 2-USE OF LANGUAGE Samm A.arelocated —_B. were located €. havebeenlocated _O. is located A. middle B. between C. centre D. close D. D. 1, 2 3. A. was discovered B. is discovered —_€. had been discovered has been discovered 4, A, opening B.premiere ©. first beginning 5. A. ancestors —_-B, descendants €. heir D, successor 6. A, live from B. live on ¢. live in D, live about Exercise IV Walt Disney, a film producer, is well known for his innovative ideas in animation design. He (1) a number of the world’s most famous animation heroes, like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Felix the Cat and (2) others, When he was a little boy, Walt moved with (3) family all around the United States. When young Walt arrived in Los Angeles, he (4) ‘only $40 and an unfinished cartoon in his suitcase. Disney's first wish was to become a film director. Since he (5). in live-action films, Disney turned back to animation. His first Hollywood cartoon “studio” was a garage in his uncle’s house. 1. A.create B. creating C. created D. has created 2. A.many B. any © much D. few 3. A him B. his ¢.their D. himself 4. A.was having B. has have D. had 5. A.didn’tsucceded B. didn’tsucceed —C. hasn'tsucceeded _D. wasn't succeeding Exercise V Abig night out It can be difficult to go to the cinema in London (1) there are too many films and cinemas to pick from! There's a lot of information telling you what's (2) if you look on the Internet or in Time Out magazine. But still, seeing a film can be (3) expensive night out in the centre of town! However, there are cheap cinemas there. The cheapest cinema in Leicester Square is ‘The Prince Charles’. This cinema often shows films (4) weeks later than some others, so if you don’t mind being a bit behind the times and want to save some money, this could be the place for you. If you become a member (E5 per year) you can see films from (5) little as £1.50! There are other smaller art-house cinemas in town. ‘Metro Cinema’ (6) in Soho shows a wide variety of movies but tends not to show more mainstream films. These films are made by independent filmmakers and (7) aimed at mass audiences. Another art-house cinema is the ‘Curzon Soho’; Time Out readers (8) this as London’s number one cinema. Every year London has (9) own film festival in November, you can see lots of premiers, listen to directors discussing the film and maybe see some stars too! It shows all kinds of films and many big name film-makers (10) it. There is also the Alternative film festival, which (11) in April. You usually need to book tickets well in advance. As you can see, going to the cinema in 47acme TOWARDS MATURA 2tisinennssemsnesaersane cmon waRGner oa: London (12) a lot of thinking about, maybe you want to see a famous star, or perhaps a film by your favourite director, or just sit, eat popcorn and enjoy the latest Hollywood action movie. If you take time to look, there's something for everyone 1. Asso B. because C. therefore D.and 2. Ain B.on Cat D. for 3. Amore 8 Can D. the B. A. few B. afew €. lots D. alot B. Aas = such so D. too A.islocated B, locate C. located D. location A. is not B. has not C. have not D. are not A.voted _B. were voting C. have voted D. votes A.it’s B. their Chis D. its 10. A. had visited B. are visiting C. are visited D. have visited 11. A. goes B. lasts C. runs D. takes 12. A.gives —_B. requires C. does D. necessary source:https://visc.aou.lv/vispizalitiba/eksameni/dokumenti/uedevumi/2012/9klase/9k!_anal val term.odf Exercise VI Australia is a huge continent with some of the most remote areas in the world. These areas are called ‘the outback’. The (1) between towns is huge, so where do young people go to school? The answer is the School of the Air (SOA), which (2) students with an education in their own home. Via satellite and computer network, they can communicate with their teachers and fellow students on a daily (3), 4 In the past, many outback children had to complete their lessons by post and due to (4) in email delivery, it also meant that many of them would fall (5) with their schoolwork Something had to be (6) but what? A radio network had already been set (7) across the outback by the Flying Doctor Service, in (8) to the need for medical care. The idea for SOA (9) when a teacher noticed that outback children were all (10) to use this radio service. In 1948, the first SOA lessons (11) by radio. There have been many changes (12) then: today’s students no (13) have to rely purely on the radio, and new ‘technology is improving the service all the time.A. length B. distance C. travel 2. A. provides B. brings C. gives 3. A. way B. means C. method 4. A.pauses B. rests C. waits 5. A. out B. behind C. down 6. A.made B. worked C. done 7. A.about B.on C.up 8, A. response B. result C. reply 9. A.was born B. is born C. has been born 10. A. shown B. explained C. learned 11. A. were broadcast 8. have been broadcast €. broadcast 12. A. after B. since . from 13. A. longer B. sooner . further: 2 TASK 2 and also your knowledge about grammar and vocabulary. AA SECTION 2-USE OF LANGUAGE sam i D. region. D. offers D. basis D. delays D. over D. acted D. off D. reason D. had been born D. taught D. were broadcasted D. following D. later Task two requires from you to read a short dialogue about everyday situations and complete the gaps with one appropriate word, Generally this task tests your understanding of everyday situations Example: Calling Someone at Work Merry: Hello. This is Merry. May | speak to Ms. Sarah, please? Merry: Thank you Ms. Sarah: Hello, this is Ms. Sunshine. How can | help you? } your website. Ms. Sarah: Yes, the position is still (5) Merry: Certainly, My name is Merry (correct answers: 1.Hold 2. through 3. about 4.on omplete the gaps in the following dialogue with only ONE word. | Receptionist: (1) ‘on a moment please, I'll check if she is in her office, Receptionist: (after a moment) Yes, Ms. Sunshine is in. I'll put you (2) Merry: Hello, my name is Merry, and I'm calling to inquire (3) the position advertised (4) Could I have your name and number, please? 5. open) PRACTICE Exercise | Ben: That's a difficult question. | think about 50 films! 49 Interviewer: Wow. That's a lot! How many years have you been an actor? Complete the gaps in the following paragraphs, situations or dialogues with ONE appropriate word. interviewer: Now, let’s talk about your career. How many films have you (1) ?ssccomsstel TOWARDS MATURA *nioettannmammtnstasena IRIE OI CSET LP AEDES TIS ‘ve been an actor (2) | was ten years old. In other words, I've been an actor (3) twenty years. Interviewer: That’s impressive. Do you have (4) future projects? Ben: Yes, | do. I'm going to focus (5) making a few documentaries next year. Interviewer: That sounds great. Do you have any plans beyond that? Ben: Well, 'm not sure. Maybe ... Exercise Il In April 2007, a 16-year-old boy (1) Ben was studying for his exams. Being a bit bored, he turned (2) his laptop computer. He found a website called YouTube and watched a video of another teenager like him. (3) teenager was sitting in his small bedroom and talking about how bored he was. “I can do better (4) that,” thought Ben. So he used his laptop and webcam to make his first video, and posted it on YouTube. YouTube started (5) 2005 and is now (6) world's largest video website. More than 3 billion videos (7) watched every day on YouTube and a large number of(8) _______ are video blogs. These are simply videos of people talking to a cameraabout (9) _ lives or things that interest them. THE STRATFORD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL is one of the major theatre festivals in the world. It takes place (1)____ Stratford, Ontario, near the town of Kitchener. It starts in the spring and runs (2) April to November (3) year. Some of the world’s best actors appear (4) Stages in front of crowds of thousands of fans (5)__travel to the festival from all parts of the world. There are special buses from Toronto and Kitchener on some Saturdays during summer. Tickets for this year's festival are for (6) now, on the festival website. Exercise IV Dinner Reservation ‘A: Good Evening Juvenilja restaurant. (1) may | help you? : Hello, I'd like to (2) a dinner reservation for Saturday. A: Certainly, I'd be happy to help you with that. How many people are there in your (3) B: There'll be four people. A: And what time would you like to come? t's say at 7 o'clock. A: I'm afraid we don’t have (4) available then. We could seat you either at 6 o'clock or 8 o'clock, B: Oh, OK. Let’s make it for 8 o'clock. A:Fine, 8 o'clock on Saturday evening for four people. May | (5) your name? B: Yes, it’s Green ...sco Exercise V Doctor's Appointment A: Dr. Andersons office. (1) may | help you? B: I'd like to (2) an appointment to (3)_ the doctor. A: Certainly, are you ill at the moment? B: Yes, I'm not feeling very well A: Do you have a fever or any (4) symptoms? B: Yes, | have a slight fever and aches and pains. A: Can you come tomorrow morning? B: Yes, tomorrow morning is fine. A: May | (5) your name? B: Yes, it’s David Brown. | A; OK, I've (6) for 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. : Thank you. A: Goodbye. : Goodbye. Exercise VI At the school library ‘A: Welcome to the library. I'm Ms. ......, the librarian. | usually know most of the students, but | don’t think I've seen you (4). ___..|s this your (2) time in the library? B: Yes, ma’am. I'm a (3) student in this school and I’ve been so busy with my lessons (4) 'haven’t had the chance to come here. Well, Let me show you around. You can (5) the Internet for the research on the computers over there, but there is a thirty-minute time limit per day. 113 MINI TEST Use of Language TASK 1 Read the following paragraph carefully and fill in the gaps with the best alternatives given. Nowadays technology (1) more and more important everywhere; in school, in the workplace and at home as well. Lots of people (2) smart phones. Computers and laptops (3) by tablets. But, what (4) when they say “technology” in the classroom? In education, technology is any tool people use to encourage learning; this (5) tablets, interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, MP3 players and, of course computers. People (6) these things for a long time at work and at home, and now they are present in the classroom too. Resent research (7) that technology has many benefits when it comes to language learning. One of the main advantages is that it (8). students focus for a long period of time. It (9), the way teachers teach. In a digital world that (10) day by day, it is more than natural to see changes in education too, 51+H rT seceaee TOWARDS MATURA, tsar nate aaa anSeiaa 1. A. becomes B.is becoming Chas became D. become 2. A-have B.has Care having D. to have 3. A.replaced B. have replaced C.are being replaced _D. are already replaced A.theymean _B.aretheymeaning _C. have they meant D. do they mean 5. A.isincluding _B. has included includes D. has been including A.use B. are using using D. have been using 7. A.shows B. is showing . have shown D. has shown 8 A.ishelping B. has helped helps D. helped 9. A.isalso changed B.is also changing _C. also changes D. has also to change 10. A. rapidly develops B. is rapidly developing C. has rapidly developed _. is rapidly developed TASK 2 Read the following dialogue between a student and a teacher and fill each gap with ONE appropriate word. At school Student: Excuse me, teacher. | think there might be a mistake in my test score. Teacher: Sure. Do you think that the total is wrong or that you got something marked wrong that should have been marked (1) ? S:I think that the percentage is incorrect. T: Let's just go (2) all of it to double-check. 2 Sure, let’s do it. lere is the answer sheet. Do you see a place where | marked something wrong? S: | don’t see (3) mistakes. K, now that we've gotten those straightened out, let's total the score. es, let’s total it, T: Well, if | add all the points like this and (4). the sum by this number, | get this total. Do you agree? S: Yes, you're right. T: Well then, we are all straight. Have a good day and thanks for bringing that to my (5) 52REE CEN I TREES SECTION 3+ WRITING SR Ill. SECTION 3 - WRITING The writing section measures a range of writing skills that you have used and mastered during the years of learning English at school and beyond. This section consists of two tasks: an essay and an email/letter. Ld TASK 1 Task one requires from you to write an essay of about 180 words, which might be descriptive or argumentative. This task is marked for: a. Topic development (2 points) b. Organization (2 points) Grammar (2 points) d. Vocabulary (2 points) e. Mechanics (2 points) What is an essay? An essay is a piece of writing that has more than one paragraph. It is divided into three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning is called the introduction, the middle is called the body, and the end is called the conclusion. The introduction and the conclusion of the essay are generally one paragraph each. The body of the essay may have more than one paragraph depending on the arguments you want to give. The following is an ou 1e of the essay. ‘THE ESSAY 1. General statement | Introductory Paragraph —— rE Thesis Stetement { 1. Topic sentence 2. Supporting sentences (details and examples) Concluding sentence { 1. Topic sentence aly Panga <—* | 2 Sang eines (tad ec) \, (roto sence 2. Sopprtngechnen Gi ekeeet) | 3. Concluding seatence | \ : 1, Concluding sentences >| 2. Final houghis | Concluding Paragraphjy = TOWARDS MATURA * You should consider the following tips while writing the essay. + Read the essay topic very carefully and plan what information you want to include, * Brainstorm and write down some interesting ideas for each paragraph. * Remember to use varied vocabulary relevant to the topic and linking words. + Asyou are presenting your point of view, you need to support it with reasons, facts or evidence. * Make sure you use formal style and avoid using informal language. An essay can have many purposes, but the basic structure is the same. You may be writing an essay to argue for a particular point of view or to explain the steps necessary to complete a task. What is a paragraph? A paragraph is a group of related sentences that you develop about a subject/topic. The first sentence states the main point or idea and the rest of the sentences in the paragraph support that point or idea. A paragraph consists of three types of sentences, which develop your opinion or feeling about the subject. These sentences are (1) the topic sentence, (2) supporting sentences, and (3) the concluding sentence. WRITING THE ESSAY BRAINSTORMING You should start writing the essay by brainstorming about the ideas that you want to include in the essay. Brainstorming is @ pre writing activity in which you come up with a number of ideas about the topic, You should write down as many ideas as come to your mind and then you choose among them. Example Topic “Do you agree or disagree with the following? Young people can do a lot to help protect ‘and improve their local environment. Give reasons and details to support your opinion.” After deciding which side to take, you start brainstorming on the reasons you want to give. If you agree with the statement, the following are some ideas: volunteer at an earth day event... plant a tree. ... host a recycling drive. ... recycle... stop using plastics. ... host an event to clean your community, use cars less. plant your own vegetable garden support your local farmer's market. After you have written down some ideas you select two or three, and use them as topic sentences for the paragraphs of the body of the essay.NNER SECTION 3. WAITING mmm INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH. The introduction is the first paragraph of the essay and introduces the topic of the essay. This Paragraph has two main parts: (a) the general statement, which gives background information about the topic and (b) the thesis statement, which introduces the main idea of the essay and generally it is the last sentence of the introduction, where you may include the main topics of each body paragraphs. Example: Topic “Do you agree or disagree with the following? Young people can do a lot to help protect and improve their local environment. Give reasons and details to support your opinion.” Protecting the environment is important because when we protect it, we are taking care of our families, our future and ourselves. Young people, as part of the community, can do many things to protect and improve their local environment, Therefore, they can contribute with recycling, | using car less, and planting trees. (the three ideas in the last sentence will be used as topic sentences for the body paragraphs;1. Recycling; 2. Using car less; 3. Planting trees) | PRACTICE Exercise I: Write an introduction paragraph for the following topics: 1. Topic: “It is often claimed that the more time people use the internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Should we worry about the effect this is having on social interaction or should we see the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities worldwide? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.” 2. Topic: “Science is very important in the 21st century. How do you think it could be made more appealing to young people? Give details and examples to support your answer.”usmssememe TOWARDS MATURA Sescenszsasnanscneo st mrarsn ito SOATEST BODY PARAGRAPHS: The following is the outline of a body paragraph. THE PARAGRAPH 1, TOPIC SENTENCE 2. SUPPORTING SENTENCES (details and cxamples) 3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE ‘The body paragraph starts with a topic sentence, which is then followed with supporting sentences, details and examples. Generally speaking, topic sentences give a strong idea and they are: * short * simple + clear Atopic sentence generally appears early in the body paragraph (often the 1st or 2nd sentence) and controls the paragraph. A topic sentence is like a mini thesis sentence for each paragraph and serves to unify the contents of the paragraph. Everything that follows in the paragraph needs to relate to the topic sentence. No matter what type of essay is being written, all body paragraphs need to be fully developed and provide supporting detail. This detail can come in the form of personal examples, statistics, and/or ‘quotes from an expert, which should be used to support the topic sentence. Example: ‘| Essay topic: “Do you agree or disagree with the following? Young people can do a lot to help protect and improve their local environment. Give reasons and details to support your opinion.” ‘o begin with, young people should consider recycling as a good way to improve the environmentoorn | Secondly, young people should use means of transport other than cars, which are among the causes of air pollution nowadays... | Finally, young people can help to make their local environment greener. PRACTICE Exercise |: Write two or three topic sentences for the following topics: (you have written the introduction paragraph previously) 1, Topic: “It is often claimed that the more time people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Should we worry about the effect this is having on social interaction or should we see the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities worldwide? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.”2. Topic: Science is very important in the 21st century. How do you think it could be made more ‘appealing to young people? Give details and examples to support your answer. ‘SUPPORTING SENTENCES The supporting sentences are the middle sentences of the paragraph. They provide details such as explanations or examples that expand on or support the topic sentence. Supporting sentences are sometimes connected by transition words or phrases. Example: Essay topic: “Do you agree or disagree with the following? Young people can do a lot to help protect and improve their local environment. Give reasons and details to support your opinior Topic sentence: To begin with, young people should consider recycling as a good way to improve | the environment Supporting sentences (details and examples). make sure that things such as plastic containers, glass bottles and newspapers are recycled. pick up any litter you find in the street and put it into a rubbish bin reuse glass bottles and don’t thro. PRACTICE Exercise I: Read the following topic sentences. Write down three supporting points, details or examples: a. International students have difficulties taking notes in class for several reasons. b. Everyone should consider several criteria before choosing a sport.\ gam TOWARDS MATURA ne a SRE SBR TT TT ¢. Camping requires a variety of special requirements. 4d. Bicycling has several advantages. £. Owing a car is a necessity for some reasons Exercise Il. Write the supporting sentences for the following topic sentences 1. Online learning has its problems. _ ansSECTION 3- WRITING mamma 3, One of the most important qualities for successful language learning is being confident. Exercise Ill: Write the supporting information and details for the topic sentences you have written in the previous exercise: 1. Topic 1: Topic: It is often claimed that the more time people use the internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Should we worry about the effect this is having on social interaction or should we see the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities worldwide? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. a,