8th Grade Name:

Test Paper – Unit 1

Part 1: Reading Comprehension

Anyone can be an inventor

In the middle of the 19th century, the people of Paris were shocked to see a young aristocrat
riding around the streets on top of a noisy wooden machine, called draisine, which he propelled by
pushing with his feet against the ground.
At the same time, in a different part of town, the young son of a carriage maker, Ernest
Michaux, was falling in love with trains and locomotives, recently invented by an Englishman.
The story goes that one day, the viscount of Roseraie had an accident while riding
his draisine and young Ernest, who was walking back home from school, happened to see
everything and offered the viscount to take the machine to his father’s shop for repairs. The
nobleman accepted and took the draisine to Michaux’s workshop. The repairs took less time than
expected, so young Ernest used the opportunity to learn how to ride the machine around his father’s
yard. And while doing so, he thought it needed some improvement to make it easier to ride. And,
one day when he was watching a new locomotive at the station, a genius idea sprang into his mind.
He ran home, asked his father for help and together they invented and installed the first pedal on the
viscount’s machine.
When viscount Roseraie came to pick his draisine, he was so impressed by Ernest’s idea,
that he let the boy keep it and later helped Michaux senior obtain a patent for his invention.
Many other people around the world then contributed to the improvement and development of this
machine until it became what we know today as the bicycle. But it took the passion
and ingenuity of a 14-year-old boy to think of the essential component that makes the bicycle a fast,
fun and clean means of transport.

1. Read the article and choose the correct option A, B or C.

Ernest Michaux was a carriage maker.

A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say

It was very expensive to repair the viscount’s draisine.

A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say

Ernest loved locomotives and trains.

A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say

Ernest got the idea to install a pedal on the draisine when he was driving a locomotive.
A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say

Michaux Senior obtained a patent for his son’s invention in 1860.

A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say
The bicycle is an environmentally-friendly means of transport.
A Right  B Wrong C Doesn’t say
Part 2: Grammar

1. Complete the text with the correct present tense forms of the verbs. Sometimes more
than one tense is possible.

It’s 2 am and I 1  ………………..(lie) in bed. I 2 ………………………(try) to get to sleep, but I

can’t. I 3  …………………..(have) trouble sleeping for about a month now.
I   ……………………….(try)
4 
different things to help me sleep, but
nothing 5  …………………………..(work). My mind 6  ……………………………(not want) to
stop. A lot 7  …………………………(happen) in my life right now. It’s exam time, so
I 8  …………………….(study) a lot. There’s also the question of next year.
I 9  …………………………….(think) about it for ages. Mum and
Dad 10  ………………………………..(want) me to go to university, but I’m just not sure what to do.

2. Match the phrases with the definitions. Write sentences with each phrase:

make a resolution do things differently (usually for the better)

give something up be successful
do well start doing something that is good for you
struggle with something decide to make a positive change
take something up stop doing something that isn’t good for you
break a bad habit stop doing something
form a good habit find something difficult
change your ways start a new hobby or interest

1……………………………………………………………………………….
2……………………………………………………………………………….
3………………………………………………………………………………..
4……………………………………………………………………………….
5……………………………………………………………………………….
6……………………………………………………………………………….
7………………………………………………………………………………
8………………………………………………………………………………
3. Complete the sentences using should / shouldn’t or may / might. Then complete the rule
with the correct modal verbs.
  You can speak several foreign languages, so you ………….…..definitely work as a
translator.
 He’s a very good football player and he trains a lot but he ……………. give up because of
his health issues.
 Kate had no sleep last night. She ………………  be tired.
 You  ……………………walk away from people you can trust.
 He  ……………………….want to start a family if he likes travelling so much.
 I’m travelling the world, so I ……………………….. join you on New Year’s Eve.
 You look terrible! You …………………………. see a doctor as soon as possible.

Part 3: Writing

Write an email to an English-speaking friend in another country. Describe your resolutions

for the coming school year. Write about:

 bad habits you’re changing

 new classes you’re taking
 activities you plan to take up
 why you’re doing all of this