File Test 3

Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

GRAMMAR

1 Is the sentence right or wrong? Write C (correct) or I (incorrect). Correct the

incorrect sentences by writing them below.
Example: What time does sun rise tomorrow morning? I
What time does the sun rise tomorrow morning?

1 Young people are better at learning languages than the adults. ______

_________________________________________________________________

2 What Lukas suggested was that we meet on Wednesday to compare our findings.
______

______________________________________________________________

3 With only improved strength, will I be able to beat my toughest opponent. ______

_________________________________________________________________

4 A There’s the Martha Grenville-Jones on the phone for you? ______

B Not the Martha Grenville-Jones? The company director?!
_________________________________________________________________

5 Much as I enjoy Natalie’s company, I wouldn’t want to share a flat with her. ______

_________________________________________________________________

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Example: I bit into the chocolate bar, and out came (come) my tooth!
1 Only by________ (practise) tirelessly do ballet dancers reach their full potential.
2 ________ (be) alone made me realize how much I enjoyed his company.
3 ________ (attach) to this email is an application form which you should complete and
return.
4 No sooner had we ________ (start) eating than the doorbell rang.
5 At the end of the road was an old farm building. In it ________ (live) an owl.
6 What ________ (happen) was she fell off her skateboard and sprained her ankle.
7 Not until they had left ________ (can) we get on with painting the kitchen.
8 Little________ (do) he realize he was about to be awarded the prize for best
songwriter!

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 File Test 3
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B
3 Underline the correct word(s).
Example: Did you have much / many on over the summer holidays?
1 Did you know foot / the foot contains 25 percent of the bones in the human body?
2 Building academic ability / the academic ability in children should be less important in
education than building their self-esteem.
3 Look at that – the cat’s watching your every / any move! She must be wanting her food!
4 We met Celina for lunch. She had much / lots of interesting gossip!
5 It seems that the media / media are following her relentlessly these days.
6 You can use your membership in any / many branch of the health club.
7 I looked at the theatre listings but unfortunately there are no / not comedians on this
month.
7

Grammar total 20
VOCABULARY

4 Complete the words in the sentences.

Example: You shouldn’t have said that about Steve – he’s your own flesh and blood!
1 I just can’t find my smartphone anywhere. It seems to have v________ into thin air!
2 The study’s latest results are currently being a________ by experts.
3 Kathy tried to apologize to Max again but he sent her p_______!
4 Interest rates rose steadily, reaching a p______ around mid-May before gradually
decreasing.
5 The study has r ________ it isn’t just the elderly that are suffering loneliness.
6 There was barely any e ______ room when we got to the bar so we decided to leave
and try somewhere else.
7 Governments will need to p________ the environment at the summit meeting in order
to tackle climate change effectively.
8 We got caught in that heavy downpour on the way here – we must be a sorry
s________!
9 We’ll always support your decisions, come what m________.
10 The variation in results led the researchers to c________ that some of the testing
equipment may have been faulty.

10

5 Complete the idioms using one or two words.

Example: I’ve just heard that the boss has resigned. It’s good riddance as far as I’m
concerned!
1 That new comedy you recommended is brilliant – it had us in_________ from start to
finish!
2 I’m exhausted! I don’t think I slept _________ last night!
3 A Is Chloe taking her exams over two years?
B No, she decided to do them all this year. And she got them all in _________ swoop!
4 Could you give me some advice, please? I’m in a _________ of a _________.
5 I don’t think we’re ever going to find it –it’s just a _________ chase!

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 File Test 3
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

6 Choose the correct words for the definitions.

claim extract perceive prove rank rise

Example: to increase in amount or number rise

1 to notice or become aware of something ________
2 to give somebody/something a position on a scale according to quality, importance,
success, etc. ________
3 to use facts, evidence, etc. to show that something is true__________
4 to say that something is true although it has not been proven and others may not
believe it ________
5 to choose information, i.e. from a book, a computer, etc. to be used for a particular
purpose______ 5

Vocabulary total 20

PRONUNCIATION

7 Underline the stressed syllable.

Example: ad|dress
1 treach|er|ous
2 ac|cel|er|ate
3 en|gin|eer|ing
4 re|veal 5
5 tra|ge|dy

8 Match the words with the same sound.

contract decline increase protest state

survey

Example: contract examine

1 wild ________
2 research ________
3 sleeve ________
4 show ________
5 break ________

5
Pronunciation total 10
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation total 50

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 File Test 3
Reading and Writing B
READING

Read the article. Five paragraphs have been removed. Choose from the
paragraphs A – F which fits each gap. There is one extra paragraph that you
do not need to use.

Great adaptations
For almost half a millennium, the works of Shakespeare have been performed to audiences
the world over, and despite the fact that the bard has been dead for over 400 years, he is still
inspiring writers and film makers to produce creative works based on his narratives.
However, while Shakespeare’s plays offer abundant material for adaptation, making them
interesting and accessible in the modern context, comes with considerable challenges.
1
When read aloud, the iambic pentameter is like a heartbeat – sometimes slow, sometimes
fast – keeping the rhythm of the emotions running through the narrative. Though sadly this is
often lost in classrooms where translating meaning is often prioritized over emotional
content. Something that was painfully obvious during a school performance of Twelfth Night
in which I reluctantly read the part of Sebastian. Despite that, I love Shakespeare. But it
wasn’t until I explored some of the adaptations of his literature myself, that I became a fan.
Here are some of my favourites.
Screen adaptations of Shakespeare have proven effective in increasing the bard’s popularity,
allowing viewers of all ages to engage with the universal themes of his narratives. Some of
the earlier versions were epic, colourful, and now considered classic, recreations. Examples
include, Laurence Olivier’s Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948) and Richard III (1955); and
Kenneth Branagh’s later version of Hamlet (1996) which was faithful to Shakespeare’s full
original text.
2
Of course, I couldn’t write a piece on Shakespeare without including what is arguably his
most popular play – Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps the most romantic tragedy ever written, it
has been performed countless times on stage and screen. Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and
Juliet (1968) received favourable reviews. The fact that it broke with the tradition of using
older actors, replacing them instead with relatively inexperienced teenage actors of an age
closer to Shakespeare’s original characters was a novelty which helped to earn it a place on
many school curriculums. But at well over two hours long it still did little to excite the majority
of teens tasked with studying it.

3
But the film version that I rank highest is Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet
(1996). I hesitate to say ‘version’ as it really did push the boundaries at the time of its
release. Although the actors predominantly use Shakespearean language and speak in the
iambic pentameter, the film was distinctly modern at the time, resonating better with teen
audiences than any version that had gone before. Set in the Californian suburb of Verona
Beach, the feuding Montague and Capulet families are gangs involved in a territorial turf war.
The bold fusion of parts of Shakespeare’s original dialogue with energetic and often in-your-
face cinematography and an up-to-date soundtrack, featuring an eclectic mix of pop, punk,
rap, and traditional choral music, added a dynamism which attracted big cinema audiences.

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Reading and Writing B
Little did teen actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes know then how famous they were
to become in the years following their performances as the world’s most famous ‘star-
crossed’ lovers.
4
In terms of making Shakespeare’s text accessible to a wider audience, another notably
inventive film is Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet (2000). Set in modern-day New York, it stars
highly-regarded actor Ethan Hawke as a young man set on avenging the death of his father.
When I first saw it, I was particularly impressed by the scene when Hamlet delivers his
famous ‘To be or not to be …’ speech while wandering the aisles of a video shop. The
contrast of archaic Shakespearean dialogue, and the 20th-century everyday life, works
perfectly, making this is a thoroughly enjoyable modern tale of corruption and revenge.
5

Filmed in a darkly atmospheric Scottish landscape, Justin Kurzel’s 2015 film features
powerful performances by lead actors Michael Fassbender, as Macbeth, and Marion
Cotillard as Lady Macbeth. I was on the edge of my seat watching this as the devastating
narrative played out and in what I believe to be one of the purest and most exhilarating
versions of the tale to date. Certainly, not for the faint-hearted … but then, Shakespeare
should push you a little out of your comfort zone. I’m sure that was his intention back then …

A An earlier, and better interpretation of the classic romance, for me, is the Broadway
musical West Side Story (1957). Set in a working-class neighbourhood of New York, it
sees familiar scenes from Shakespeare’s original play translated into a contemporary
setting. Tony, a Jet, falls in love with Maria, whose brother, Bernardo, is the leader of rival
gang The Sharks. The famous balcony scene is played out on the fire escape steps of an
apartment building. The ending differs in that only Tony dies, but his tragic loss results in
an end to the gang feud. Not only was it a compelling adaptation, the high-quality music,
composed by the late Leonard Bernstein, made it into an extremely popular musical. An
award-winning film version followed in 1961.West Side Story has remained popular, the
latest version being a film by the legendary film maker Steven Spielberg in 2020.

B Having described these modern takes on Shakespeare though, I’d like to finish with a
more traditional version of a Shakespeare classic. It’s my favourite of his plays, and one
which I find phenomenally powerful. You couldn’t get much darker and more tragic than
Macbeth, a murderous tale of power, violence, and witchcraft which sees its characters
slowly and painfully destroy themselves with ambition, deceit, and guilt.

C Perhaps the most uninspiring of Shakespeare’s works for me is Timon of Athens. In fact, I
doubt most of you will have heard of it, unless you’re specializing in his works for a post-
doctorate diploma. There isn’t anything at all uplifting about this story. Basically, a man
who has a habit of giving away his money, but soon finds that once he runs out of funds,
his friends steadily decline in numbers too. Becoming bitter and despondent, he hides
himself away in a cave, eventually dying lonely and miserable. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t
make it to stage that often, nor has it been the subject of much adaptation.

D Of these more traditional conventional film versions of Shakespeare, a particular favourite

is Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s iconic film version of Julius Caesar (1953). This black and white
classic starring emergent Hollywood star Marlon Brando gives a powerful performance as
Mark Antony. Although the film lacks the fast-paced action of a modern thriller, the
brooding intensity with which the main characters negotiate their way through political
interactions with murderous intent is still as gripping to watch as it was when it was made
back in the 50s.

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Reading and Writing B

E Continuing on from the success of Romeo + Juliet in encouraging young people’s interest
in Shakespeare, O (2001) by director Tim Blake Nelson transforms Shakespeare’s Othello
from Moorish general to Odin, a top high school basketball player. Tragedy unfolds as
Odin’s main rival attempts to undermine his trust in his girlfriend, Desi. The original play’s
themes of jealousy and revenge work well in the modern setting, and are exaggerated by
the emotional torture and rivalry of adolescent youth in the highly-competitive American
high school environment.

F No playwright is more read, nor more despised than Shakespeare, mainly due to his
works being an integral part of school curriculums and exam papers. While many of his
plays contain all the key ingredients of a compelling page-turner: passion, murder and
treachery, revenge and remorse, he is, unfortunately, remembered by many people of the
older generations as an ancient relic, responsible for tedious afternoons of reading aloud
in class. And then there’s always going to be the question of how to engage younger
audiences with such complex and archaic-sounding texts. Love, jealousy, revenge, and
redemption are all easily translatable to the modern context. However, the language at the
time when Shakespeare was writing, and the rhythm of his writing style, known as the
iambic pentameter, are less accessible.

Reading total 10

WRITING

Write a review of either a classic piece of literature you have read/film you have
seen or an adaptation (book, play or film) of a classic. Write approximately 250
words:

Include the following information:

• the name of the classic, and who wrote, directed or starred in it
• describe what you liked or didn’t like about it and why, include details of any
particular criticisms or highlights
• explain whether you would recommend it to others
Writing total 10
Reading and Writing total 20

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 File Test 3
Listening and Speaking B
LISTENING

1 Listen to five people talking about a situation. Match the speakers (1–5) to
the Shakespearean idiom that best matches the situation they describe (A–
H).
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
Speaker 4
Speaker 5

A to be in a bit of a pickle
B to do something come what may
C to have too much of a good thing
D to break the ice
E to know something in your heart of hearts
F to say good riddance to something
G to eat someone out of house and home
H to wear your heart on your sleeve
5

2 Listen to a presentation about research into ageing. Tick () A, B,

or C.
1 Chen explains that the most recent studies into ageing ________.
A have not come up with much to inform future research
B reveal that chronological and biological age are not equal
C prove a correlation between ageing and lifestyle

2 What did Chen say about the ‘older’ participants?

A They didn’t necessarily look any older than the other participants.
B They had a higher chronological age.
C They found some physical tasks more challenging.

3 According to Chen, what will happen as the population ages?

A The retirement age will rise.
B Society will suffer financially.
C People will gain greater respect for the elderly.

4 In terms of future age-related research, Chen hopes ________.

A there will be an increase in public awareness of the effect lifestyle can have on
ageing
B that governments will prioritize age-related research.
C that greater investment will be made into it.

5 What suggestion does Chen make?

A That the concept of estimating biological age could cause controversy.
B That society isn’t supportive enough of its ageing population.
C In order to extend their lifespan, people should review their lifestyle choices.
5

Listening total 10

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 File Test 3
Listening and Speaking B

SPEAKING

1 Answer your partner’s questions.

2 Now ask your partner these questions.

1 Do you agree with the expression, ‘you have to be cruel to be kind’? Why / Why not?
2 Do you know anyone who looks young for their age or is really old? What’s their
secret?
3 What is your opinion about how classical literature is taught in schools? How could it be
improved?
4 How do you feel about the idea of growing old? What advantages or disadvantages are
there?
5 Is there anything that you would like to have done by a certain age? What? Why?

3 Listen to your partner. Do you agree with him / her?

4 Now talk about one of these statements, saying if you agree or disagree.
Give reasons.
1 ‘Adaptations of classical literature should always be faithful to the original text.’
2 ‘Scientists should try to discover how to prevent ageing.’
3 ‘You can’t have too much of a good thing.’

Speaking total 20
Listening and Speaking total 30

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