I.

READING COMPREHENSION SECTION

A. Before reading the text, list three situations that can lead to conflicts between parents and teenagers. Now
read the text carefully:

3 points

Trust Teenagers to Make Their Choices

We live in a careless age. Only this week, a survey has revealed that childhood has been lost.David
Cameron has made a speech arguing that adults have lost authority over the young. In his newbook Tokens
of Trust , the Archbishop of Canterbury had identified a loss of trust in public institutionsand the political
system. We have also apparently mislaid the ability to be decent parents, according to areport from
Educational Select Committee.
But there is one area of private life, at least, where there is no sign of decline. The teenage yearsare
growing fast and awkwardly1. They tend to start well before 13 and often are only beginning to peterout at
25, or beyond. Just as childhood (playing conkers, climbing trees, riding bikes) is disappearing2,
soadolescence (snogging3, fighting, sulking4, getting drunk) is expanding. For beleaguered5 adults, it is
allrather worrying; not since the nine days of Teddy-boys has the word “teenager” been freighted withsuch
alarm and disapproval.
A sensible-sounding paediatrician, Dr Russel Viner, has suggested that there is now a dangerousmismatch
between the legal view of teenagers and the way they are in reality. “We need to rethink agelimits for
young people,” Dr Viner writes in The Lancet. “The age of 18 is enshrined6 as the traditionalage at which
you become an adult but there is no biological basis for this.” It is contradictory, he argues,to expect a
brain to understand calculus at the age of 16 and yet be too immature to vote. The time hasarrived when
adolescents should begin to assume roles and responsibilities appropriate to their true biological age.
It is right that this argument should come from the medical profession. The symptoms
ofdysfunctional years (anorexia, pregnancy, depression, drug dependence, …) are evident in hospitals.
Forthe same reason, it is understandable that Dr Viner is not entirely consistent in his case, arguing
that,while teenagers should take on adult roles, the age limit for buying alcohol and tobacco should
actuallybe raised. But the broader case he makes is important. Treating teenagers like children when their
bodies and their brains are telling them they are adult is a recipe for social and personal trouble at time
whenthe world offers an unrivalled playground for misbehaviour.
Politicians and commentators are often unaware of the frustration and crushing boredom of thosewho feel
they have outgrown the classroom and lecture hall and who want to be allowed to grow up.The adult
world’s pressures and temptations, which bear upon those in their teens, need to
beaccompanied by a new trust in the young to make responsible choices on their own behalf
In: The Independent, 28 March, 2007 (adapted and abridged)

1. Awkwardly- in a worried or embarrassed

2. Disappearing- desaparecer
3. Snogging– kissing each other, especially for a long
4. Timesulking– to look angry and refuse to speak or smile because you want people to know that you are upset about
something.
5. Enshrined– official or respected
6. Beleaguered- pertencer

Dr. Mário Sacramento – Marta Cruz

 B. The text has six paragraphs. Identify the paragraphs where the ideas below are expressed: (6x3)

1. New ideas about teenagers;

2. Consequences of treating teenagers like children;
3. The traditional age limits for childhood and adolescence are changing;
4. Challenges that today’s adults face;
5. Adults should believe in teenagers’ ability to grow up responsibly;
6. Worrying signs of immaturity.
C. Complete the following sentences according to the information in the text. (3x7)

1. According to David Cameron, authority over young people…

2. Dr Viner believes…
3. If teenagers are treated like children…
D. Answer the following questions using your own words as far as possible: (24 points)

1. Why does the author tell us that we live in a careless age? 10

2. What do you think are the causes of the wrong choices some teenagers make? Explain your
answer in about 40 words. 14

II. Use of English

A. Read the following text carefully and fill in the gaps with the words below:

adulthood thirteen childhood juvenile teenager nineteen adult adolescence teen human

1.______ is the period of psychological and social transition between 2._______and 3.______.
Adolescence is the transitional stage of 4.______development in which a 5._______ matures into an
6._______. A 7._______or 8.________is a person whose age isa number ending in “teen” in the English
language: that is to say, someone from the age of 9._______to the age of 10.________.

B. Choose the present perfect or past simple.

1. I _____ (see) three police cars this morning (it's still morning).
2. After he ______ (arrive) home, he ______ (unpack) and _______ (go) to bed early.
3. A: What's wrong? B: I ____ (break) a glass!
4. My grandparents only ________ (know) each other for a few months before they ______ (get) married.
5. I _________ (be) in London for three years. I love it here.
6. We _____ (see) Julie last night.
7. He ______ (be) a teacher before he ______ (become) amusician.
8. When the boss _________ (walk) into the room, we _________ (know) someone was going to get fired.
9. The children _______ (break) a window in the school last week.
10. He ______ (see) that film last year.

C. Complete the sentences with the present perfect continuous.

1. My cat _____________ (sleep) _____________ all day.

2. A: _____________ Jim _____________ (do) _____________ exercise? B: Yes, he _____________. He needs
a rest.
3. It _____________ _____________ (rain) _____________ for several days.
4. I failed the test because I _____________ not _____________ (study) _____________ hard.

Dr. Mário Sacramento – Marta Cruz

 5. We _________ (drive) _____________ for two hours.
6. Tracy and Tom ____ (play) _______ tennis for an hour.
7. A: I’m sorry I’m late. _____ you ______ (wait) _______ a long time? B: No, I ______
8. Where _______ you _______ (spend) _______ your summer holidays?
9. Who ______ (eat) _______ my cookies?
10. A: You look tired. ______ you ____ (work) ____ hard? B: Yes, I ______.
11. I _____ (think) ______ about quitting my job.
12. Why ______ you ____ (get) ____ up so early recently?

D. Complete the sentences with a superlative:

1. This building is very old. It’s the oldest building in the town.
2. b. It was a very happy day. It was ______ of my life.
3. c. It’s a very good film. It’s ________ I’ve seen.
4. It was a very bad mistake. It was ________ in my life.
5. It was a very cold day. It was ________ of the year.
6. She’s a popular singer. She’s ________ in the country.
7. He’s a very boring person. He’s ________ I know.
8. This house is very big. It is ________ I’ve lived in.
9. My cousin is very tall. He is ________ I have.
10. Laura is a very pretty girl. She is _________ I know.

E. Choose the correct answer:

1. Tom’s car is as big as / the biggest his friend’s.

2. Who is shorter than / the shortest person in your family?
3. Who is more independent than / the most independent person you know?
4. These sofas are more comfortable than / the most comfortable ours.
5. My brother is taller than / the tallest in the class.
6. Is Jason’s dog older than / the oldest yours?
7. Who is the best / better than singer in the world

III. Writing
A. Writing a email about the subjects related to teenagers.
B. Writing a opinion text about the subjects related to teenagers.

80-120 words

Dr. Mário Sacramento – Marta Cruz