Professional Documents
Culture Documents
READING COMPREHENSION
1. You are going to read magazine article. For questions 1 – 8, choose the answer A, B, C or D which you
think fits best according to the text.
Want to write a best‐seller?
It’s the sort of thing that usually only happens in hopefuls, says: “The Mr Ridpaths of this world are a
fiction. A young bank worker buys a home bad example. People read about them and think
computer and to fill his spare time writes a first they can do it. But there is a mystery at the heart of
novel. A few months later the book has been sold writing. The more you see, the more you realize
here and abroad in deals worth £750,000; a this is the sad truth. Pick up a page and you can tell
Hollywood film is under consideration. That, whether someone can write or not. Some
though, has been the experience of Michael publishers who shall be nameless have a 10‐page
Ridapth, who before tapping out Free to Trade, a test. If the story hasn’t gripped them by then, they
fast‐moving thriller about international financial don’t read any more.”
crime, had never written anything more
imaginative than a financial report. Pierre Reylan, one of the readers employed to go
through the vast number of unsolicited
For those of who still haven’t found a legal, decent manuscripts at one publisher, says that the only
and honest way of getting rich, such stories get us manuscript sent in unrequested he can remember
excited. But the trouble with trying to pen a small being published was a non‐fiction book ‐ on how to
literary masterpiece is that everyone else is too. improve your eyesight. “What impresses me is the
Writing unsaleable bestsellers is one of the most huge amount of work and effort going into the
popular hobbies in Britain. According to one manuscripts. It feels sad always trying to send them
estimate, 20,000‐30,000 manuscripts of proposed back.” Sometimes a letter will accompany a no‐
books are lying in British publishers’ in‐trays at any hope manuscript, announcing that the author has
one time. That suggests there must be several given up a perfectly respectable job to spend their
hundred thousand people out there nightly peering whole time writing.
into word processor screens and seeking
inspiration. Blake Friedmann, Mr Ridpath’s literary Darley Anderson, a London agent who receives 100
agent, receives 20 to 30 manuscripts a day sent in manuscripts a week (he might get up to four
by hopeful writers, but the company has only seen writers a year published) insists the talent is out
two writers published from this so‐called “slush there. “It’s just that some publishers are too lazy,
pile” in the last decade. Any other London literary too busy or don’t have the imagination to find
agent or publisher will tell you the chances are the them.” Two years ago he sold a novel by a nurse,
same. The sad truth is that for 99.9 per cent of Martina Cole, for £150,000. “If in that year I had
authors, all their masterworks will ever earn is a not taken on anybody else I would have felt it was a
string of rejection letters, and some praise from very successful year.”
Auntie Doris if she can be persuaded to read the The odds against success, then, are enormous. But
thing. for some writers the urge to write a book is too
David O’Leary, a literary agent who is currently great to be resisted, whether it is because of the
wading through a huge pile of manuscripts from need for money, the desire to be famous or the
wish to be creative.
1) What is unusual about Michael Ridpath?
A. He has succeeded with his first attempt at writing.
B. He has written a book set in the financial world.
C. He had great success with a non‐fiction book.
D. He has had success as a writer at an early age.
2) What is the “slush pile”, mentioned in the second paragraph?
A. Manuscripts that have been rejected.
B. Manuscripts not requested by publishers.
C. Manuscripts sent to publishers on one day.
D. Manuscripts that are unlikely to be read.
3) What is emphasized in the second paragraph?
A. The low quality of most manuscripts sent to publishers.
B. The effort that is required in order to write a book.
C. The unwillingness of publishers to read manuscripts.
D. The number of people trying to be published authors.
4) According to David O´Leary, Michael Ridpath’s success has
A. led other writers to copy the style of his book.
B. encouraged people who are not good writers.
C. suggested that publishers’ methods do not work.
D. affected publisher’s reactions to manuscripts they receive.
5) What does Pierre Reylan say about the manuscripts he receives?
A. The people who send them deserve sympathy.
B. They are usually longer than they should be.
C. Non‐fiction ones have a good chance of success.
D. He has difficulty deciding which ones to reject.
6) What do some letters accompanying manuscripts indicate?
A. How little writers understand the system.
B. The difficult circumstances some writers are in.
C. The previous successes some writers have had.
D. How serious the writers are about writing.
7) What does Darley Anderson say about the manuscripts he receives?
A. Too many people who can’t write well send them in.
B. Any of them may come from a possibly successful writer.
C. It is relatively easy for him to get one published.
D. Most years none of them are good enough to be published.
8) What is the purpose of the article?
A. To discourage people from trying to write bestsellers.
B. To emphasize how difficult it is to write a good book.
C. To describe some of the difficulties that publishers face.
D. To point out how hard it is to get a book published.
USE OF ENGLISH
2. For questions 1‐ 15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only
one word in each space.
The Fish and Chip Shop
Harry Ramsdem’s is a remarkable establishment in Yorkshire, in the North of England. It looks
more like a cinema or fire station than a world‐famous restaurant, and it (1) …………………… a
symbol of a certain attitude (2) ……………………… food in the North of England.
The car park beside (3) ……………………… unique place has up to sixteen coaches in (4)
……………………… at any time. Numerous cars, too, (5) ……………………… every type, size and age, are
also parked there. Outside the building, a queue stretches around the side. Those waiting to be
seated appear rather anxious, (6) ……………………… if they were children waiting to go into a theme
park. (7) …………………… is a sense of excitement. Harry Ramsden’s is (8) ……………………… merely a
restaurant: it is an event.
Inside the vast carpeted dining room, elegant glass lights illuminate tables (9) …………………… are
laid with simple blue‐checked table cloths, ordinary plates, cups and saucers (10) ………………………
bottles of sauce. Everyone is there (11) …………………… enjoy the favourite food of the area – fish
and chips, cooked to perfection (12) ……………………… a unique environment. This simple meal has
been served to film stars, politicians and miners alike.
Harry Ramsden’s is an English celebration of simple, value‐for‐money food, served stylishly and
enjoyed (13) …………………… all. More Harry Ramsden’s restaurants (14) ………………… opened since
the original one, (15) ……………………… in Britain and abroad.
3. For questions 1‐10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to
form word that fits in the space in the same line.
TRANSLATION WORK
Usually, (1) ……………………………………… translators work from a foreign language PROFESSION
into their mother tongue to reduce (2) …………………………………… translation and ACCURATE
for better style. Much translation is of (3) ………………………………… or commercial SCIENCE
material and this kind of work often requires an (4) …………………………………… of UNDERSTAND
technical vocabulary and (5) ………………………………… language. SPECIAL
Not all translators are (6) …………………………………… full‐time but those who are EMPLOY
usually work for large (7) …………………………………… parks or for public organisations INDUSTRY
The main personal characteristic needed to be a (8) ……………………………………… SUCCESS
translator is a (9) ………………………………… to attend to detail. In addition, it is WILLING
(10) ……………………………… for translators to know at least two foreign languages. DESIRE
The wider the variety of languages they can offer, the greater the likelihood
that work will be available.
4. For questions 1‐5, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two to five
words, including the word given.
1) A local mechanic repaired our car.
repaired
We ................................................................................................. by a local mechanic
2) If you don’t mind, I’d prefer not to sit next to the door.
rather
If you don’t mind, ……………………………………………………………………………… next to the door.
3) “It’s not worth worrying about the past,” I told him.
point
I told him that there was …………………………………………………………………… about the past.
4) It’s possible that she didn’t hear what I said.
might
She …………………………………………………………………………………………………… what I said.
5) I haven’t received a reply from Rachel yet.
still
Rachel …………………………………………………………………………………………… a reply.
PART II
WRITING
You must answer this question in ink. You can make a plan or a draft copy on a separate sheet
but the final version of your composition must be handed in on this sheet. Compositions
written on separate sheets will NOT be marked. Please do not write on the margins
You have just spent an enjoyable holiday with your friend and his/her parents.
Write a letter thanking them for your stay: say something about your return
journey, which was quite bad. You have promised to see whether you can buy for
your friend's parents some article which you had with you and they liked, and
which is only available in your own town. Say what you have done to get this
article for them. Use 150 ‐ 180 words.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………