Straightforward Intermediate Progress test 3

Name: Michell Fabiana Liendo Peralta Score _____________

Language section
Vocabulary
A Complete the conversation with words from the box. There are five extra words.

adolescent article circulation elderly embarks headline

idiot limit move on one-way prison relief
sentenced shame toddler took off zone

Man: Wow! Look at this (1) article, ‘Man, 80, (2) embarks on epic journey across Canada.’
Woman: What does the (3) headline say?
Man: Apparently this man has just decided to walk from one side of Canada to the other.
It says he had a heart attack last year so he’s decided he wants to do something
different.
Woman: What an (4) idiot!
Man: Why?
Woman: Well he should have done something like this when he was younger. It’s not the kind
of thing for an (5) elderly person to do.
Man: Yeah! Well, he couldn’t do it before because he spent 25 years
in (6) prison!
Woman: What for?
Man: I’m not sure. It says here that he broke the speed (7) limit, but you don’t go to prison
for 25 years just for that! … Oh, that’s why.
Woman: What? What did he do?
Man: First of all he robbed a bank, then he drove the wrong way down
a (8) one-way street and he hit a mother and her (9) toddler.
At his trial the judge said he was a danger to society and (10) sentenced him to life in
prison. Now it turns out he wasn’t driving but nobody believed him.
Woman: What a (11) shame!
Man: Yes, but he says he’s not angry. He just wants to (12) move on and make the most of
the years he’s got left.

Straightforward Intermediate Second edition © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012 p1

B Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.

(13) Can you get me a bottle / jar of milk, please?

(14) People who love shopping and shop all the time are called shoplifters / shopaholics.
(15) You really should take advantage / advice of our special offers.
(16) Sorry, I bought it by / in mistake.
(17) It’s really difficult to live on / off less than £100 per week.

Grammar
C Choose the correct word(s) to complete the sentences.

(18) I’ve been working here for / since ages.

(19) Don’t do it! You had / would regret it!
(20) I eat a / the very healthy diet.
(21) I’ve liked / been liking shopping for as long as I can remember.
(22) She gave me lots of / much good advice
(23) I really like Ø / the Spanish food.

D Choose the correct phrase, a or b, to complete 24–29.

(24) If you hadn’t met me, __________?

a) what would you do b) what would you have done

(25) If you weren’t a photographer, __________?

a) what would you want to be b) what would you have wanted to be

(26) What would you say, __________?

a) if you met the president of your country b) if you had met the president of your country

(27) If they had planned the robbery properly, __________.

a) I think they would escape b) I think they would have escaped

(28) If you could change one thing in your life, __________?

a) what would it be b) what would it have been

(29) I wouldn’t have done anything differently, __________.

a) even if I knew b) even if I had known

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Functional language
E Read 30–34. Is the speaker giving advice, making an offer, or complaining?

(30) I’m sorry, but I think there’s something wrong with this. advice / offer / complaint
(31) Shall I look at it for you? advice / offer / complaint
(32) What you need to do is take it back and complain. advice / offer / complaint
(33) Shall I phone the shop for you? advice / offer / complaint
(34) Have you thought about asking for your money back? advice / offer / complaint

F Complete the conversation with the expressions in the box. There are three
extra expressions.

What seems to There’s no harm That’s really kind of you

No, I’ll manage, thanks If you like If I were you I’d
I don’t think there’s Have you tried Do you want me to

A: Not again! I can’t believe it, that’s the second time it’s stopped working.
B: (35) What seems to be the problem?
A: I don’t know. Every time I try to start it I get this horrible sound.
B: (36) Do you want me to try and start it?
A: Would you? (37) That’s really kind of you.
B: Mmmm.
A: What is it?
B: (38) I don’t think there’s a problem with the engine.
A: Then why won’t it work?
B: Ah! (39) Have you tried checking the petrol?
A: What do you mean?
B: Well, when was the last time you put any petrol in the tank?
A: Er, I’m not sure.
B: (40) No, I’ll manage, thanks check that. I think you’ll find that you’ve run out.
A: Oh! How embarrassing.

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Reading
Part 1

Read the text and match the events in the box to the five people. Be careful! There are
three extra events.

Leaving school Leaving home Graduating Starting a new job

Getting married Having children Moving to a new town Retiring

(1) Maria Getting married

(2) Bob Retiring
(3) Jay Leaving home
(4) Sanita Having children
(5) Phil Starting a new job

Life can be full of surprises, but most of us know that there are some moments when we are faced with
decisions that can change everything. This is what five people said about the times where their lives took
completely new directions.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, we’d known each other for five years, but once we finally made
things permanent everything changed. Now I wake up every morning knowing I’ll be with him for the rest of my
life and it just makes me so happy. (Maria, 28)

I thought I’d love having lots of free time, but I guess after 45 years of knowing what I was going to do each day
suddenly having so much time just came as a shock. Unfortunately I’m bored a lot nowadays! (Bob, 67)

I was really looking forward to it, but in the end I missed my parents so much. I never realised just how much my
mum did for me! (Jay, 18)

Everyone told me it would change my life forever, but I never really thought it would. I guess having twins made it
even harder, but I never thought I’d be this tired. Some days I just want to go to sleep as soon as I get up in the
morning! (Sanita, 25)

It’s great. I really hated my old one and I’d been looking for more than a year, but I never thought I’d get this one.
When I went for the interview I got so nervous so I was really surprised when they phoned me up and asked me
when I could start. (Phil, 35)

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Part 2

Read the story about Martin Roberts, a journalist. Are these sentences true (T), false
(F) or not given (NG)?

(6) Martin graduated as a sports journalist. T F NG

(7) Oxfam and other charities have the ability to help everyone. T F NG
(8) Martin trained as a journalist in London. T F NG
(9) Thomas and Martin worked for the same newspaper. T F NG
(10) Martin was asked to work for the BBC covering stories in East Africa. T F NG

I’ve worked as a journalist for over ten years and I wouldn’t do anything else. I love my job. It’s a bit dangerous at
times, but it’s really interesting and I just feel so lucky to be able to do something that I enjoy so much.
When people ask me why I became a journalist, they are often surprised by the answer. When I was at school, I
was never really interested in the news and certainly didn’t plan on making a career reporting it. In fact, I wanted
to be a sports teacher and I even went to university to study for it. Then, in my summer holidays at the end of my
first year I went on holiday to Kenya.
While I was there, I met a man called Thomas who worked for a local newspaper. A few days before I left,
Thomas asked me to come with him to a small town in the east of the country. He was going there to cover a
story about war and famine in a neighbouring country. Well, I went along and immediately got hooked. It was just
so exciting and it felt as though we were doing something important as well. Sure there were aid workers from
charity organisations like Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières, but they could only help the people they saw.
Thomas was telling the whole world so he could help everyone.
When I got back to England, I changed courses at university. Every holiday I’d go back to Kenya and work with
Thomas – it was great experience. Anyway, when I graduated I was offered a job in Nairobi working for the same
newspaper as Thomas. At first I only covered small stories in and around the city, but after a few years I was
given the chance to work on stories that would interest people around the world. Finally, four years ago the BBC
asked me to work for them as their East Africa correspondent. So now I travel all around the region reporting on
events like wars, famine and anything else that I feel is important.

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Writing
You bought an expensive digital camera from a shop to take on holiday with you.
Unfortunately the camera didn’t work. You could switch it on, but it wouldn’t save any
pictures. The zoom lens didn’t work and neither did the flash. Write a letter of
complaint to the manager of the shop. Remember to include what you expect to
happen. Write about 100–150 words.

Dear Manager,
I am writing to express my disappointment with a digital camera I recently purchased from
your shop. I bought the camera to take on holiday, but unfortunately, it did not work properly
from the beginning.
Although I was able to switch it on, it would not save any pictures. Additionally, the zoom
lens and flash were both completely non-functional. This caused a great deal of inconvenience
during my trip, as I was unable to capture any memories.
I would appreciate it if you could offer a full refund or replace the faulty camera with a
working one as soon as possible. I have attached the receipt and would be happy to return the
item at your earliest convenience.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Michell

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