EMC11 – PRACTICE TEST 7

I. LISTENING
Part 1. For questions 1 – 5, you will hear the beginning of a radio interview with Stephen
Perrins, a composer of musicals. Listen and indicate the most appropriate response, A, B,
C, or D.
1. The light songs Stephen wrote at college weren‟t published because _______.
A. he couldn’t interest a publisher in them
B. he was afraid of people‟s reactions
C. his family advised him against it
D. he didn’t think they would sell
2. Stephen and Jenny’s original reason for writing Goldringer was that_______.
A. they wanted to include it in their college show
B. it was commissioned for a school concert
C. they wanted to find out if they were able to do so
D. a music publisher asked them to write a musical
3. Stephen prefers not to write the lyrics for his shows because he _______.
A. would rather work with someone else
B. finds it difficult to write them
C. thinks they are of poor quality
D. is only interested in writing music
4. Stephen‟s purpose in mentioning Helen Downes is to convince listeners that _______.
A. he has strong views about productions of his musicals
B. Helen Downes was an unsuitable director
C. the design for a particular show was of too low a standard
D. the director has ultimate responsibility for a production
5. Stephen claims that reason why some newspapers criticize him is that _______.
A. they think he is conceited
B. they don‟t like his music
C. he isn‟t interested in publicity

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 D. he tries to control his public image
Part 2. For questions 6 - 10, you will hear a conversation. Decide whether the following
statements are true or not by writing:

T for a statement which is true;

F for the statement which is false;

N if the information is not given.

6. Napoleon controlled all of Europe at one time.

7. Austria and Russia fought fiercely against Napoleon, but England did not.

8. Napoleon lost most of his soldiers when he attacked England.

9. Napoleon died before he reached the age of fifty-two.

10. He was married when he was very young.

Part 3. For questions 11 – 15, answer the questions below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

11. How did the students do their practical sessions?

12. In the second semester how often did Kira work in a hospital?

13. How much full-time work did Kira do during the year?

14. Having completed the year, how does Kira feel?

15. In addition to the language, what do overseas students need to become familiar with?

Part 4. For questions 16 - 25, listen to a piece of VOA news about Croatia Voters Back
Same – Sex Marriage Ban and fill in the missing information.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in
the spaces provided.
Government proposals to (16)______________________ rights for same-sex couples
prompted the petition. Around (17)________________________ of a million people signed it
– out of a total population of just over 4 million. The Catholic Church is a

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(18)_____________________ of Croat identity – and many people are
(19)________________________.
The referendum is an enormous (20)________________________ for Croatia‟s government.
It tried – and failed – (21)______________________ the vote through the courts. Success is
(22)________________________. Croatia appeared to be moving in
(23)__________________ to other western Balkan countries (24)_____________________
the EU in July. Now, like its neighbours, Serbia and Montenegro, it has
(25)_______________________ on the same-sex marriage.

II. LEXICO - GRAMMAR

Part 1. For questions 26 - 35, choose the most suitable word to complete each sentence.
26. Religion and politics interest him almost ________.
A. equally B. the same C. similarly D. alike
27. Our salesmen normally _______ their travel expenses from the company.
A. settle B. reimburse C. cover D. claim
28. A property company was making a take-over ________ for the supermarket site.
A. proposition B. bid C. tender D. proposal
29. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________.
A. went off B. died out C. wore off D. died down
30. These suggestions are _______ to be accepted by the majority of members.
A. unlikely B. impossible C. undoubtedly D. inconceivable
31. The train _______ the bay and then turned inland for twenty miles.
A. coasted B. skirted C. edged D. sided
32. I‟m not keen on _______ control of the project to a relative newcomer.
A. undertaking B. charging C. entrusting D. allotting
33. Our party chairman is _______ great admirer of the Prime Minister.
A. some B. very C. no D. not
34. I‟m afraid we haven‟t got a spare bed. Can you _______ with a mattress on the floor?
A. make do B. make by C. make over D. make up
35. _______ receipt of your instructions, I immediately sent a telex message to Algeria.
A. On B. In C. With D. By

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Part 2. From the four underlined words or phrases (A), (B), (C), or (D), identify the one
that is not correct.

36. Anthropologists agree that our primitive ancestors who inhabited the tropics probably
have
A B C
natural protection against the sun.
D
37. During the first half of the nineteenth century, immigrants to the United States were
A
predominant from Western Europe; after the Civil War, however, new arrivals came mainly
B
from Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as from Asia.
C D
38. Bill Gate built his microcomputer software company into one of the largest in the nation,
A B and
in doing so became one of the country‟s wealthiest and most respected man.
C D
39. With his many theories, Albert Einstein did a great impact on physics, so much so that
A B he
is often called the greatest physicist of all time.
C D
40. Made up of more than 150 member countries, the organization known as the United
A B
nations were established after World War II to preserve international peace and security.
C D
Part 3. Fill each blank with a suitable preposition or particle.
41. He is still run ____________ after his illness and unfit for work.
42. Don‟t throw those books around. They won‟t stand ____________ to that kind of
treatment.
43. Their skin broke ____________ in a terrible rash. They were allergic to strawberries.
44. I didn‟t know what to say. I was ____________ a loss for words.

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45. Short skirts are ____________ vogue now.
Part 4. For questions 46 - 55, read the text below, use the words given in capitals at the
end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.
THE ANTARCTIC ICE MARATHON

There is no other race quite like it; no other race in a place so (46)_________
ACCESS; no other race which puts the body through a(n) (47)__________________
ENDURE test of such extremes. The Antarctic Ice Marathon was the
(48)___________________ CHILD of Richard Donovan, whose company, Polar Running
Adventures, gives runners the opportunity to (49)____________ TAKE in a race through the
barren wasteland that is the snow covered Union Glacier.
Last year, there were some 34 participants in the race, and this time, the
number of (50)____________ ENTER is expected to be higher still; such has been the
level of interest shown by members of the public, amateur and professional athletes and
the media alike.
But, while the prospect of being part of as unique an experience as the Antarctic Ice
Marathon is, seems, on the face of it, a rather (51)___________________ AGREE notion,
those considering putting their names in the mix would do well to be
(52)_____________MIND of just how intense and demanding, both physically and
psychologically, the event can be. You will be cut off completely from civilization , with not
even a penguin there to cheer you on , and you may have to face temperature dipping
considerably than the levels your body would be (53)____________________ CUSTOM to
dealing with, not to mention the (54)____________________ PROBABLE of fine weather-
think instead near whiteout conditions and zero (55)__________________ VISIBLE. But, if
you still fancy giving it a go, get in touch with Richard and he can make your dream (or
nightmare) come true.
III. READING COMPREHENSION

Part 1. For questions 56 - 65, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B,C or D)
best fits each space.
Over the past fifty years or so, the methods used for collecting money from the public to aid
the developing world have changed out of all recognition, along with the gravity of the
problems (56) _____ , and the increasing awareness among the population that something
must be done. At the beginning of this period, it would have been common to put money in a
collecting box, perhaps on the street or at church. The 1960s saw the (57) _______ of shops
which sold second-hand goods, donated by the public, and which also began to sell articles
manufactured in the developing world in charitable projects set up to guarantee a fair income
to local people. The next development was probably the charity „event‟, in which participants
were (58) ________ to run, cycle, swim or what have you, and collected money from friends
and relatives (59) _______ how far or long they managed to keep going. The first hint of what

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was to become the most successful means of (60) _______ money was the charity record,
where the artists donated their time and talent, and the (61) _______ from the sales went to a
good cause. This was perhaps a (62) _______ of the fact that young people felt increasingly
concerned about the obvious differences between life in Europe and the United States, and that
in most of Africa, for example. A feeling of frustration was building up. Why was so little
being done? The huge success of Band Aid, and (63) ______ televised concerts, showed the
power of the media, and of music in particular, to inspire and shock. It differed significantly in
style from other events. People phoned up in their thousands on the day and pledged money by
(64) _______ their credit card numbers. (65) ________, if you have enough money to buy an
MP3 player, you can afford something for the world‟s starving children.
56. A. faced B. covered C. opposed D. approached
57. A. occurrence B. entrance C. happening D. advent
58. A. supported B. funded C. sponsored D. promoted
59. A. in as much as B. according to C. with reference to D. as regard
60. A. increasing B. lifting C. boosting D. raising
61. A. produce B. proceeds C. receipts D. returns
62. A. consideration B. reflection C. view D. display
63. A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant
64. A. mentioning B. quoting C. affirming D. recalling
65. A. Anyway B. After all C. Although D. At any rate

Part 2. For questions 66 - 75, complete the following article by writing each missing word
in the correct blank. Use only ONE word for each space.
In the age before the motor car, what was travelling in London like? Photographs taken 100
years ago showing packed streets indicate that it was much the same as it is now. Commuters
who choose the car to get to work probably travel at an average speed of 17 kph from their
homes in the suburbs to offices in the centre. It is virtually the same
(66)___________ that they would have travelled at in a horse and carriage a century ago. As
towns and cities grow, (67)___________ does traffic, whether in the form of the horse and
carriage (68) ___________ the modern motor car. It would seem that, wherever
(69)___________ are people who need to go somewhere, they would (70)___________ be
carried than walk or pedal. The photographs show that, in (71)___________ of congestion and
speed, traffic in London hasn‟t changed over the past 100 years. London has had traffic jams
ever (72)___________ it became a huge city. It is only the vehicles that have changed.

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However, although London had traffic congestion long (73)___________ the car came along,
the age of the horse produced little unpleasantness apart (74)___________ the congestion.
Today, exhaust fumes create dangerous smogs that cause (75)___________ problems for a
great many people. Such problems could be reduced if many of us avoided jams by using
bicycles or taking a brisk walk to school or work.

Part 3: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to the questions 76 - 85.
THE PANAMA CANAL
While the Panama Canal continues to stand as one of the greatest human achievements in
history, its locks and canals were not built overnight. Its ultimate completion in 1914 was the
result of decades of planning, preparation, and construction, not to mention loss of human life.
Two countries, France and the United States, were the main players in its construction, and
both faced numerous hardships during the project, so many hardships that France, the
instigator of the project, eventually had to sell out to the US., the country that finally
completed the canal. Still, the United States faced a trio of major hurdles that threatened its
completion. These obstacles were political, environmental, and geographical. Yet, through
perseverance and will, the United States was ultimately able to create the canal, a vital link
between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
One of the major reasons France had to abandon the Panama Canal project was that it
underestimated the environs of the local area. The region of Panama within which the French
worked was a dense, tropical jungle. Intense heat and humidity did not help their situation
either. Before long, many workers began to succumb to diseases like yellow fever and malaria.
Proper measures were not taken to reduce their exposure and vulnerability, and many died as
the workforce and the project as a whole suffered greatly. However, once the Americans took
over the canal project, they immediately implemented better living conditions and
infrastructure for the workforce, including better healthcare facilities. With a stronger
workforce and more extensive healthcare system in place, the Americans stood a better chance
of completing the project than the French ever did.
But, before The United States could continue with the canal project the French had begun, it
had to receive permission from Colombia. At the time, Panama was within the borders of the
country of Colombia. President Theodore Roosevelt offered the Colombian government ten

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million dollars, which it immediately rejected. Ever patient, Roosevelt did not press the issue,
and before long, the Panamanians revolted against Colombia for independence. This gave
Roosevelt the opportunity he had been waiting for. He immediately sent in a substantial
military presence to the area to guarantee Panama's independence and to ensure the future
construction of the Panama Canal. With Panama free, the door was open for the Americans to
continue building a canal, which would save 18,000 miles on a trip from San Francisco to New
York and open trade in the Pacific realm.
Once the U.S. was able to get its hands on the area, the next immediate obstacle became a
geological one. While the verdant hills of Panama looked benign enough, the diversity and
makeup of the underlying sediment made it an engineering nightmare. Initially, landslides
regularly destroyed weeks or even months of digging and construction as they did to the
French. Yet, in a stroke or two of engineering brilliance, through the implementation of a
system of dams, this issue was reduced and all but alleviated. Also, as the tidal levels of the
Pacific and Atlantic were vastly different, a new canal system, unlike the sea-level canal
attempted by the French, had to be erected. The American engineers decided to install a
system of locks to raise and lower ships to the designated sea level. This way in which they
were able to manipulate water helped the Americans overcome the tough geological conditions
which had thwarted the French.
Once completed, the Panama Canal stretched for fifty-one miles across Central America,
connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans by sheer human ingenuity and patience. The canal
opened endless new possibilities for trade and commerce between Asia and the Americans,
which still exist today. But the canal did not come about without severe difficulties and
tragedy. It took two countries two separate attempts and over twenty years of backbreaking
labor to achieve. One of these countries, France, had to pack up and go home in failure. The
other, the United States, could relish the milestone it had achieved. Still, in the end, over thirty
thousand men lost their lives directly or indirectly in the building of the Panama Canal, which
proves once and for all what a monumental task it truly was, especially for the age in which it
was attempted.

76. The word perseverance in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. determination

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 B. procrastination
C. cooperation
D. precision
77. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the Panama Canal?
A. It was finally completed in the first decade of the twentieth century.
B. The United States and France worked in unison on its construction.
C. The original construction of the canal faced few difficult issues.
D. The United States eventually purchased the project from France.
78. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about the Americans?
A. They tried to prevent the laborers from deserting the construction sites.
B. They destroyed the dense jungle first to eliminate any form of disease.
C. They were able to learn from the shortcomings that had affected France.
D. They were not prepared for the punishing climate in Central America.
79. According to paragraph 3, politics became a problem because
A. Roosevelt was not aggressive enough when dealing with the canal
B. the presence of the U.S. military frightened many of the workers
C. Panama wished to remain a territory of the country of Colombia
D. Colombia did not wish to give up the right to the land for the canal
80. In stating that Roosevelt did not press the issue, the author means that Roosevelt did not
A. care about the canal
B. want to force the project
C. resort to the media
D. wish to abandon his goal
81. The author discusses the geological obstacle in paragraph 4 in order to
A. note the natural beauty of Panama, which was destroyed by the canal's construction
B. suggest that the workers had to spend a lot of time and effort on reconstruction
C. contrast the geological issues with the oceanic ones the engineers of the project faced
D. show how landslides were more of a problem for the French than they were for the
Americans.
82. The word thwarted in the passage is closest in meaning to

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 A. defeated
B. protected
C. frustrated
D. destroyed
83. According to paragraph 5, the completion of the Panama Canal
A. created a forty-one-mile link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
B. helped allow for greater economic benefit between the East and West
C. took much longer than original planned by the first French engineers
D. resulted from the United States having better funding than the French
84. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in the passage?
A. Tens of thousands of men died during the construction of the Panama Canal.
B. Though the project caused many fatalities, it stands as a lofty achievement.
C. The Panama Canal could have been completed later with less loss of life.
D. Men were killed on the job and by residual effects such as disease and injury
85. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true of the construction of the
Panama Canal?
A. It helped shave thousands and thousands of miles from trips between the eastern and
western United States.
B. it incorporated dams to accelerate the construction process, which helped to make it
successful.
C. It was able to proceed when Panama decided to fight for freedom against Colombia.
D. It was easier to achieve because of the similar tidal levels of the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans.

Part 4. Reading the following passage and answer questions 86 – 105.

Moles happy as homes go underground
A. The first anybody knew about Dutchman Frank Siegmund and his family was when
workmen tramping through a field found a narrow steel chimney protruding through the grass.
Closer inspection revealed a chink of sky-light window among the thistles, and when amazed

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investigators moved down the side of the hill they came across a pine door complete with
leaded diamond glass and a brass knocker set into an underground building. The Siegmunds
had managed to live undetected for six years outside the border town of Breda, in Holland.
They are the latest in a clutch of individualistic homemakers who have burrowed underground
in search of tranquility.

B. Most, falling foul of strict building regulations, has been forced to dismantle their
individualistic homes and return to more conventional lifestyles. But subterranean suburbia,
Dutch-style, is about to become respectable and chic. Seven luxury homes cosseted away
inside a high earth-covered noise embankment next to the main Tilburg city road recently
went on the market for $296,500 each. The foundations had yet to be dug, but customers
queued up to buy the unusual part-submerged houses, whose back wall consists of a grassy
mound and whose front is a long glass gallery.

C. The Dutch are not the only would - be moles. Growing numbers of Europeans are
burrowing below ground to create houses, offices, discos and shopping malls. It is already
proving a way of life in extreme climates; in winter months in Montreal, Canada, for instance,
citizens can escape the cold in an underground complex complete with shops and even health
clinics. In Tokyo builders are planning a massive underground city to be begun in the next
decade, and underground shopping malls are already common in Japan, where 90 percent of
the population is squeezed into 20 percent of the land space.

D. Building big commercial buildings underground can be a way to avoid disfiguring or

threatening a beautiful or “environmentally sensitive” landscape. Indeed many of the buildings
which consume most land - such as cinemas, supermarkets, theatres, warehouses or libraries -
have no need to be on the surface since they do not need windows.

E. There are big advantages, too, when it comes to private homes. A development of 194
houses which would take up 14 hectares of land above ground would occupy 2.7 hectares
below it, while the number of roads would be halved. Under several metres of earth, noise is
minimal and insulation is excellent. “We get 40 to 50 enquiries a week,” says Peter Carpenter,
secretary of the British Earth Sheltering Association, which builds 65 similar homes in Britain.

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“People see this as a way of building for the future.” An underground dweller himself,
Carpenter has never paid a heating bill, thanks to solar panels and natural insulation.

F. In Europe, the obstacle has been conservative local authorities and developers who
prefer to ensure quick sales with conventional mass produced housing. But the Dutch
development was greeted with undisguised relief by South Limburg planners because of
Holland‟s chronic shortage of land. It was the Tilburg architect Jo Hurkmans who hit on the
idea of making use of noise embankments on main roads. His two - floored, four - bedroomed,
two - bathroomed detached homes are now taking shape. “They are not so much below the
earth as in it,” he says. “All the light will come through the glass front, which runs from the
second floor ceiling to the ground. Areas which do not need much natural lighting are at the
back. The living accommodation is to the front so nobody notices that the back is dark.”

G. In the US, where energy-efficient homes became popular after the oil crisis of 1973,
10,000 underground houses have been built. A terrace of five homes, Britain‟s first
subterranean development, is under way in Nottinghamshire. Italy‟s outstanding example of
subterranean architecture is the Olivetti residential centre in Ivrea. Commissioned by Roberto
Olivetti in 1969, it comprises 82 one-bedroomed apartments and 12 marionettes and forms a
house/ hotel for Olivetti employees. It is built into a hill and little can be seen from outside
except a glass facade. Patnzia Vallecchi, a resident since 1992, says it is little different from
living in a conventional apartment.

H. Not everyone adapts so well, and in Japan scientists at the Shimizu Corporation have
developed “space creation” systems which mix light, sounds, breezes and scents to stimulate
people who spend long periods below ground. Underground offices in Japan are being
equipped with “virtual” windows and mirrors, while underground departments in the
University of Minnesota have periscopes to reflect views and light.

I. But Frank Siegmund and his family love their hobbit lifestyle. Their home evolved
when he dug a cool room for his bakery business in a hill he had created. During a heatwave
they took to sleeping there. “We felt at peace and so close to nature,” he says. “Gradually I
began adding to the rooms. It sounds strange but we are so close to the earth we draw strength

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from its vibrations. Our children love it; not every child can boast of being watched through
their playroom windows by rabbits.

Questions 86 - 93. Reading Passage has nine paragraphs (A-I). Choose the most suitable
heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Paragraph A has been done
for you as an example.
There are more headings than paragraphs so you will not use all of them.

List of Headings
i. A designer describes his houses
ii. Most people prefer conventional housing
iii. Simulating a natural environment
iv. How an underground family home developed
v. Demands on space and energy are reduced
vi. The plans for future homes
vii. Worldwide examples of underground living accommodation
viii. Some buildings do not require natural light
ix. Developing underground services around the world
x. Underground living improves health
xi. Homes sold before completion
xii. An underground home is discovered

Example Answer: Paragraph A Answer xii

86. Paragraph B ….
87. Paragraph C ….
88. Paragraph D ….
89. Paragraph E ….
90. Paragraph F ….
91. Paragraph G ….
92. Paragraph H ….
93. Paragraph I ….
Questions 94 – 95.

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Complete the sentences below with words taken from the reading passage. Use NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

94. Many developers prefer mass-produced houses because they _____________________.

95. The Dutch development was welcomed by ______________________.

Part 5. You are going to read the transcript of a series of interviews with ordinary people
conducted for the Have you say feature of a daily newspaper. For questions 96 - 105,
choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.
Which person gives each of these opinions about the education system?

- The testing of very young people to determine their academic 96. ______
pedigree is unethical.
- The education system is designed in such a way as to unfairly 97. ______
favour people who have the money to invest in education.
- Students in countries where extra evening classes have to be 98. ______
attended are more prone to feeling the effects of extremely tiredness.
- The policy of giving out higher grades is making a mockery of 99. ______
the entire testing system.
- The degree of difficulty of modern examinations is a lot lower 100. ______
than was the case for students sitting the same exams in the past.
- Children are more likely to engage with what they are learning 101. ______
if technology is incorporated into the teaching methods used
- While our third level education system is well funded and very 102. ______
modern, we have neglected the primary level, where more investment is
required.
- Students should not have to overly exert themselves study-wise 103. ______
in the evenings as they must also have the opportunity to enjoy their youth

- While we are often quick to criticize the education system, most 104. ______
of us appreciate how to fortunate we are in this country to have such a good
one.

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- Many capable people are prevented from pursuing a third level 105. ______
education due to the financial constraints they are under.

Have you say…on Education

Four ordinary people give their views on the country’s educationsystem

Edward - A
The British Education system is fundamentally flawed in numerous ways. For a start, I
believe the 11-Plus exam is morally reprehensive. Children develop at different speeds, so to
promote a situation where we divide up our young so early based on their performance in one
stupid test seems to me ridiculous. Those who pass the 11-Plus are classed as success stories
and they are expected to go on to do great things academically speaking in what essentially
becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Meanwhile at such a young age, those who don‟t manage
to pass are already been labeled as failure and are not told to set their sights low. This, sadly,
also becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy- of the worst kind; if you expect to perform poorly and
are of the mindset to do so, you will effectively underperform- it is as good as guaranteed. I
see no reason why we have to set children up for a fall like this so early in life and divide them
up into a two-tier education system which provides the upper tier with a massive advantage
over the lower one. I mean, our society has enough class-based problems without
manufacturing more. And that brings me to my next criticism. I believe the education system
in this country is biased towards the privileged. Let‟s face it, the best education is the one
which money can buy. Fee-paying schools consistently outperform schools in the state system,
and only the wealthy can exploit the unfair advantage enjoyed by students who attend these
exclusive institutions. And if that wasn‟t bad enough- as if ordinary working class people
didn‟t face an uphill struggle already, if they do manage to make it through to university, they
are then expected to pay astronomical fee. In many cases, they are simply priced out of a third-
level education system or are forced to take on a massive burden of debt to finance their

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studies. Meanwhile, mummy‟s little Elton boy can have his pick of universities and cost is no
barrier. It is sad really how unfair the whole system is.
Eleanor - B
People often groan about the faults of our education system, but I think we just like to
complain; my gut feeling is that most people are actually only too aware of how lucky they are
to have such a high quality of formal education open to them for free all the way up to the end
of secondary school. What we take for granted- free education- is not something students from
other parts of the world necessarily enjoy. The standard of teaching in our schools is only
second-to-none. Another thing which can‟t be said anywhere. I mean, in Greece, for example,
state school teachers are often so indifferent that students are forced to attend extra study class
at night- the cost of which has to be borne by their parents. Not alone is this a waste of money,
it also eats into students‟ free time. The situation is similar in South Korea- students have
private lessons in the evenings to help them improve their state school grades, and sometimes,
between state school classes, private lessons and homework, there are literally not enough
hours in the day, leading to exhaustion and burnout in a worst- case scenario, and even in the
best one, a significant reduction in the amount of leisure time available to pursue healthy
activities and partake in the kind of fun and games that should characterize youth. In Britain,
we go to school from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; we have the evening to enjoy being young and that is
how it should be; to quote a well-known proverb, “you are only young one”.
Michelle - C
I think our education system still commands a lot of respect and I think many other
countries are still envious of the kinds of programmes we have in place, but I also worry that
we are not investing enough money into schools to enable them to keep up with the latest
classroom innovations. I mean, sure, our universities are state-of-the-art, but the formative
years are the most important of all, and as far as education is concerned, this means that it
would be wise to invest more in the facilities and resources of primary schools where young
children will reap the benefits. Technologically speaking, I would say a lot of our schools are
behind the rest of the developed world. In Japan, for example, every classroom has at least one
computer, as well as a projector screen and a number of other technology-driven interactive
tools. It is vital, in this, the information age, that we introduce kids to technology as early as

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possible, and that‟s why I strongly feel that there is now a greater need than ever to kit our
primary schools with the latest gadgets. Besides, the children of the information age are
becoming so accustomed to using technology in the other areas of their lives that they will be
more likely respond well to technology-based lessons than the traditional kind, which will
ultimately see them learning more effectively, engaging more genuinely and developing more
speedily.
Alan - D
I have a problem with the testing mechanisms used today. I mean, if you look at the statistics
for the exams every year, there is one striking pattern; more and more people are getting As;
the nation‟s results on average are getting better and better year-on-year. So, that means one of
two things: either students today are smarter than ever before, or their examinations are
watered down and do not represent a fair test. I personally believe the latter is true and I am
incensed that this is being allowed to happen. In ten or fifteen year‟s time, it will have
forgotten to the stage where an A is meaningless if this continue. In order for the education
system to be taken serious, it is vital, therefore, that a complete overhaul of the examination
system takes place and that we return to a situation where examination offer a meaningful
challenge and a true test of ability. That way, when a child receives an A, his or her
achievement will feel genuine; it will have been earned and the child concerned will have the
right to feel very proud of themselves. The problem is, in this country, we have forgotten that
there is absolutely no shame in getting a B, or a C or D grade for that matter. Provided we do
our best, which is always good enough. But, in this politically correct world-gone-mad of ours,
assessors seem to think the only way forward is to give more and more of us the best grades,
devaluing the grading system completely. It is as though they don‟t think we could take it if
we got anything less than an A; as though we should all somehow be perfect students. The
problem with that is that it is just not realistic, and, when you set unrealistic objectives, the
only way to achieve them is to “play” with the figures to manufacture the right results.

IV. WRITING
Part 1. For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in
meaning to the original sentence, using the word given. This word must not be altered
in any way.

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106. Not many people attended the meeting. turnout
____________________________________________________________________________
107. Whatever difficulties Mary had, she still attended university. shine
____________________________________________________________________________
108. I am fed up with his behaviour. enough
____________________________________________________________________________
He speaks German extremely well. command
____________________________________________________________________________
109. They disapprove of smoking in this restaurant. frowned
___________________________________________________________________________
Part 2. The chart below shows the amount of leisure time enjoyed by men and women of
different employment status.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
You should write at least 150 words.

leisure time in a typical week: by sex and

employment status: 1998- 1999
100
Hours of leisure time

80

60

Males
40
Females
20

0
Employed full Employed part Unemployed Retired Housewives
time time

Part 3. Write about the following topic:

Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most people’s lives.
Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of greater responsibilities.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.

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Write at least 300 words.
The end

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