Progress Test
Name:
Date:
Mark: / 80 marks
Reading
1 Read the article about a new type of yoga.
Laughter yoga
When last summer arrived, I was feeling a little under the
weather. The combination of not enough exercise and too
many hours at my desk meant my body and mind weren’t at
their best. I wanted to focus on getting healthier and
happier. Not being able financially to give up work
completely, I decided to combine my work with my other
goals. I began some research into the most popular activity
around these days, yoga.
Yoga has been around for a long time. Some historians say
it is more than 5,000 years old. In recent years, yoga has
become increasingly fashionable in western countries and
many new types are being developed. There’s Hot Yoga,
which is done in a room heated to between 30° and 40°
Celsius and there’s Power Yoga, which is a very challenging
workout. Those sounded a bit too energetic for someone
who had been sitting at a desk all year, and I looked around
for something a bit different. I knew I had found it when I
heard the name Laughter Yoga.
Laughter Yoga is one of the most unusual forms of yoga and
one of the newest. It was introduced by Dr Madan Kataria
and his wife Madhuri, who are both yoga teachers, in
Mumbai, India, in 1995. Madan had become interested in
scientific evidence that laughter has beneficial physical
effects on the body. He started a laughter group for just a
few people in a local park. The group started by telling
jokes and funny stories to each other, but soon they ran out
of ideas. After that, they tried pretending to laugh, and
found that real laughter soon followed. This was a big
discovery – our bodies and brains can’t tell the difference
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1 Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.
2 Units 3 & 4
between real laughter and fake laughter. That was the
beginning of Laughter Yoga.
‘Laughing is my mission,’ said Madan Kataria, ‘I want to
spread it all over the world’. Since Laughter Yoga began, it
has become very popular. There are about 70 laughter clubs
just in Mumbai and over 450 in India. Furthermore,
approximately 6,000 laughter clubs have appeared in more
than 65 countries around the world. The founders have now
moved their yoga classes to California where they have
opened a Laughter University.
I decided to try it and registered for a five-day class. I had a
lot of questions. Would I need to wear workout clothes?
Would I be doing any physical exercise? I found out that
actually, the class started like a normal workout. Then about
ten minutes in, somebody let out a big laugh and then the
whole class joined in. They started saying ‘ho, ho, ha, ha’.
which felt a little uncomfortable to me at first, until I tried it
and realised within ten seconds that I was really laughing.
People who practise Laughter Yoga claim that it makes
them feel happier. Scientists claim that laughter reduces the
risk of many serious illnesses. So, it does seem like Laughter
Yoga is the perfect workout for me. Now I just need to find
time for it in my day.
New Close-up B1+
Progress Test 2
2 Complete the Exam Task.
Exam TASK
For questions 1–6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
1 Why did the writer want to find out about yoga? 4  ow many laughter groups are there in the city
H
A She wouldn’t need to leave her desk to do it. where Laughter Yoga started?
B She wanted to stop writing and become a A over 450
yoga teacher. B about 70
C She wanted to improve her health and work at C less than 65
the same time. D more than 6,000
D She couldn’t afford to do any other type of
5  hat did the writer find strange in her first Laughter
W
exercise.
Yoga class?
2  hy did the writer choose to research Laughter
W A when someone started laughing
Yoga? B when she tried to laugh
A It sounded easier than Power Yoga and Hot C not wearing workout clothes
Yoga. D not doing any yoga moves
B It’s a traditional kind of yoga.
6 What does the writer say in the final paragraph?
C It’s more common than newer forms of yoga.
D It’s the most fashionable kind of yoga. A Her life is too busy for Laughter Yoga.
B Laughter Yoga has already made her happier.
3 Laughter Yoga started because C Another kind of yoga would suit her lifestyle
A some people thought that laughter was good better.
for you. D Laughter Yoga could protect against health
B somebody started telling jokes and funny problems.
stories in a yoga class.
C some scientists were trying to prove that
laughter is good for the body.
D a yoga teacher did not have any ideas for their
class one day. ( / 6 marks)

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2 Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Progress Test 2
Vocabulary and Use your English
1 Circle the odd one out.
1 screen monitor speakers
2 headphones keyboard mouse
3 record upload podcast
4 smart wireless device
5 treat health recover
6 emergency illness injury
( / 6 marks)

2 Complete the sentences with these expressions.

  a new lease of life   fit as a fiddle   on his last legs   on the mend  
  recharge your batteries   under the weather

1 I think I have a fever. I’m really today.

2 You should have a good rest. You need to .
3 The doctors say he’s and he’ll be home in a week.
4 Since Grandad’s knee operation he’s been running around town. It’s given him a .
5 Fabio isn’t sick! I saw him in the supermarket and he looked .
6 Raul had been cycling in the hills with no water and when he got back he was .
( / 6 marks)

3 Complete the sentences with these prepositions.

 against  down  in  of  on (x2)  to  up

1 I depend my devices to organise my life.

2 Fruit and vegetables contribute a healthy diet.
3 If you smoke, you are at risk many serious illnesses.
4 My battery is low. Where can I plug my charger cable?
5 I can focus my work better after I turn off my smartphone.
6 I have software on my computer which protects it viruses and hackers.
7 If your computer breaks and you haven’t backed your files, you could lose them.
8 You need to shut your computer and start it again before you can use the new software.
( / 8 marks)

4 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words.

1 The accident caused a huge _________________ .    EXPLODE
2 Everyone was being very _______________ because they all wanted to be on the team.    COMPETE
3 I didn’t have a ________________ to the internet, so I couldn’t upload any pictures.    CONNECT
4 I watched a horror film to get some ________________ for my scary story.    INSPIRE
5 I’m not very __________________ in art and music, but I’m good at inventing new dishes.    CREATE
6 Your desk is very _________________ , but mine is a mess!    ORGANISE
7 Beatriz was wearing an ________________ scarf with a long dress. She looked so grown up!    ATTRACT
8 The next important ________________ will probably be an intelligent machine.    INVENT
( / 8 marks)

© Cengage Learning, Inc. New Close-up B1+

3 Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Progress Test 2
Grammar
1 Complete the sentences with the present perfect simple or present perfect continuous form of the verbs.

1 (you / make) an appointment with the instructor yet?

2 I (see) my doctor three times this year.
3 Sue (take) vitamins every day for many years.
4 Lee is tired because she (exercise) all morning.
5 (you / wait) to see the doctor for long?
6 We (visit) the science museum twice this month.
( / 6 marks)

2 Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

1 I need some / many information about next week’s schedule.

2 Don’t forget to buy a cup / carton of milk on your way home.
3 Bruce has a glass / bowl of orange juice for breakfast.
4 Mike drinks a few / lots of coffee at work.
5 We don’t have many / any cheese in the fridge.
6 I need many / a little more time to complete this exercise.
( / 6 marks)

3 Choose the correct option (a–c) to complete the sentences.

1 the TV now?
a Will I have turned off b Shall I turn off c Will I be turning off
2 at home tomorrow and have a rest.
a I’m going to stay b I’ll be staying c I’ll have stayed
3 By noon tomorrow, I all the files.
a will have downloaded b shall download c am going to download
4 Mum, Dan me his drone!
a won’t have lent b shall not lend c won’t lend
5 
This time next week, we down the Swiss Alps.
a will be skiing b shall ski c are going to ski
6 the software by the end of the day?
a Are you installing b Shall you install c Will you have installed
7 I expect we on holiday in this country in the summer.
a are going to go b will go c will have gone
8 This computer is too expensive. I it!
a won’t have bought b won’t buy c shall not buy
( / 8 marks)

4 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.

1 I will have downloaded the file by the time you (need) to access it.
2 You will be able to buy your own laptop when you (save) enough money.
3 I (reply) to his email after I speak to the manager.
4 I (not leave) the exhibition before you arrive.
5 Once we (finish) this unit, we will start the next one.
6 After Francis has printed the report, she (check) it.
( / 6 marks)

© Cengage Learning, Inc. New Close-up B1+

4 Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Progress Test 2
Writing
Complete the Exam Task. Write your answer in 140–190 words in an appropriate style.
Exam TASK
You have seen this announcement on an English-language website.

Articles wanted!

Technology is a big part of our lives – but do we rely too much on it?

What do you think? Write and tell us!!

We will publish the best article next month.

Write your article.

( / 20 marks)

© Cengage Learning, Inc. New Close-up B1+

5 Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Progress Test 2