Key Competences Diagnostic Tests ESO4

Test 1: READING
Competences:
 Linguistic communication

1. Read the text.

This is Ellen Richardson – My Blog

When you’re a news reporter, every day on the job is different. You
never know what will happen next. One minute you’re interviewing the
city mayor, and the next minute you’re reporting about a murder.
Another thing about being a news reporter is you have to be ready to
work at a moment’s notice. I discovered this while I was having a
holiday with my husband in Italy in October. It was the fourth day of
our holiday in Sicily. Right after enjoying a delicious breakfast at our
Bed & Breakfast, I received a phone call from the TV station that I work
for in the USA. They wanted me to report on the eruption of the Mount
Etna Volcano. My husband used to work as a photographer for a
newspaper, so he was happy to join me.
We drove to Linguaglossa, a small ski town that lies just under Mount
Etna, to see what was going on. Many small earthquakes had hit the area
and caused the volcano to erupt early in the morning. Lava was pouring
on Linguaglossa and it had already covered buildings and had caused a
forest fire. The schools in the area and the airport were closed and many
people had left their homes because of the danger. The good news was
that no one was hurt and there weren’t any injuries or deaths to report.
I interviewed a few residents about the disaster that had struck their
hometown. They seemed quite calm and explained the facts to me. They
told me that Mount Etna is the largest volcano in Europe and is also the
continent’s most active volcano. An 87-year-old woman who was
leaving town with the help of her son said, “This is my home. When the
volcano quiets down again, I’ll return.”
I didn’t stay much longer in Linguaglossa myself. Another reporter from
my TV station came to replace me the next day, so my husband and I
continued our holiday. Of course, I checked the news as often as I could.
I guess the news is in my blood.

1
Photos: Shutterstock, Inc.
2. Answer the questions.
1. Why does the text mention a city mayor and a murder in the same sentence?
..................................................................................................................................................................
2. When did Ellen suddenly start working on her holiday?
..................................................................................................................................................................
3. What caused the eruption of Mount Etna?
..................................................................................................................................................................
4. Which additional disaster did the volcano eruption cause?
..................................................................................................................................................................
5. Why does Ellen write “I guess the news is in my blood”?
..................................................................................................................................................................

3. Tick the sentences T (true) or F (false). Which sentences

in the text give you the answer? Write those sentences. T F
1. Ellen’s husband is a photographer for a newspaper.
....................................................................................................... ...... ......
2. People generally go skiing in the area of Linguaglossa.
....................................................................................................... ...... ......
3. Lava was pouring onto the town when Ellen arrived there.
....................................................................................................... ...... ......
4. All the residents left the town immediately.
....................................................................................................... ...... ......
5. Ellen ended her vacation because of the disaster.
....................................................................................................... ...... ......

2
Test 1: WRITING
Competences:
 Linguistic communication

Write a blog entry about a trip that you’ve taken. Include the following information:
• where you went and who you went with
• the things you saw
• the activities you did
• how you felt

............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................

3
Test 1: LISTENING
Competences:
 Linguistic communication
 Learning to learn

1. Listen and choose the correct answer.

1. Yesterday evening, Mike did NOT ...... .
a. go bowling
b. ride his bike
c. have dinner
2. Mike thought the crime drama was ...... .
a. too old
b. too frightening
c. too silly
3. In Anne’s opinion Real Teen! is ...... .
a. entertaining
b. realistic
c. boring
4. The tsunami in Japan yesterday had waves that were ...... metres high.
a. seven
b. ten
c. more than 30
5. ...... caused the tsunami in Japan.
a. An earthquake in the ocean
b. An earthquake on land
c. A nuclear power station
6. ...... that the news is very interesting.
a. Only Anne thinks
b. Only Mike thinks
c. Both Anne and Mike think

2. Listen again and complete the sentences.

1. Mike played basketball for .................................... yesterday.
2. On the crime drama, a husband and wife hijacked a rich person’s .................................... .
3. On Real Teen! last night, they cooked some .................................... .
4. According to the news report, the tsunami in Japan killed .................................... .
5. The earthquake that started the tsunami in Japan was .................................... on the Richter scale.

4
Test 1: SPEAKING
Competences:
 Linguistic communication
 Learning to learn
 Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship

Student A

1. Look at the reporter’s notes about a news event that has just taken place and answer your partner’s
questions.
What has happened: heavy rains – floods
Where: in Middletown
two people – drowned
Results:
1,000 people in flooded homes – need help to get out
Current actions: rescue teams on boats transport people to safety
Reporter’s plans: follow rescue team in action

2. Now ask your partner questions to complete the chart below.

what / happen
where / it / happen
what / the results
what / actions / people / take / now
what / reporter’s plans

5
Test 1: SPEAKING
Competences:
 Linguistic communication
 Learning to learn
 Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship

Student B

1. Ask your partner questions to complete the chart below.

what / happen
where / it / happen
what / the results
what /actions/ people / take / now
what / reporter’s plans

2. Look at the reporter’s notes about a news event that has just taken place and answer your partner’s
questions.
thief shot jewellery shop owner in leg,
What has happened:
thief stole diamond necklaces from shop
Where: Crown’s Jewellery, Greenwood Road
injured shop owner in hospital
Results:
police search for thief
Current actions: police investigate witnesses and shop owner
Reporter’s plans: interview police officers

6
Test 1: LISTENING
Anne: Hi Mike. How was your evening yesterday? Did you go bowling with Harry and James in the end?
Mike: No, I didn’t. I was too tired, Anne. I had played basketball for about five hours before I rode my bike
home. I was exhausted!
Anne: Five hours? Is basketball practice always so long?
Mike: No, this was a special practice because we’ve got an important match in two days. When I got home I
just had dinner and sat in front of the TV for the rest of the evening. I saw part of a film. It was a crime
drama. This man and his wife hijacked a millionaire’s yacht, but the film was really slow and scary, so
I changed channels and watched -
Anne: Don’t tell me - Real Teen! You love that silly programme, don’t you?
Mike: Yeah, reality TV is usually great. It’s very entertaining, but this episode was so boring. Daniel, Evie
and William just sat around eating sandwiches. Then they got up and made some spaghetti and they
all sat around eating again. Thomas was sleeping in his bed the whole time. Nothing was happening.
Anne: But it’s always like that. That’s why I can’t stand reality TV. It’s not natural. It doesn’t show you the
real world. Next time you want to watch something interesting on TV, you should simply watch the
news.
Mike: Really? What was on the news last night?
Anne: Mike! Haven’t you heard? There was a tsunami in Japan yesterday. It killed thousands of people. On
the news, they showed videos of the tsunami as it hit land - huge waves covering up cars, houses, a
train… The water carried everything away! It was unbelievable.
Mike: Are you serious?
Anne: Yes. I think the waves were seven metres high!
Mike: Seven metres? Wow!
Anne: Yeah. In the tsunami in the Indian Ocean a few years ago, the waves were even higher – 10 metres
high. But theoretically, the waves of a tsunami can be more than 30 metres high.
Mike: Really? Why does a tsumani suddenly happen?
Anne: I think there are different reasons for a tsunami, but it was an earthquake in the ocean that started the
tsunami in Japan yesterday. It was a very strong earthquake – 9 on the Richter scale.
Mike: 9 is an extremely powerful earthquake.
Anne: I think it’s actually the strongest earthquake that Japan has ever had. Anyway, now they’re worried
about another type of disaster. They’ve got many nuclear power stations in Japan. Damage to these
stations means radioactive material in the air!
Mike: Radioactive material? That’s terrible! What a disaster! You’re right, Anne - real life is a lot more
interesting than reality TV.

7
 ANSWER KEY
ESO 4 TEST 1
Reading

2. 1. Because when you’re a news reporter, you often report on very different subjects. You never know what
will happen next.
2. It was the fourth day of her holiday.
3. Many small earthquakes had hit the area and caused the volcano to erupt.
4. It caused a forest fire.
5. Because even on her holiday, she checked the news as often as she could.

3. 1. F My husband used to work as a photographer for a newspaper.

2. T We drove to Linguaglossa, a small ski town that lies just under Mount Etna.
3. T Lava was pouring on Linguaglossa since early in the morning.
4. F Many people had left their homes because of the danger.
5. F My husband and I continued our holiday.

Writing

Accept all logical and grammatically correct answers.

Listening

1. 1. a 3. c 5. a
2. b 4. a 6. c

2. 1. five hours
2. yacht
3. spaghetti
4. thousands of people
5. 9.0

8
IH-009-465