Test 1
Reading: multiple matching
Vocabulary: jobs skills and qualities, forms of money, confused words
Grammar: forming negative adjectives, used to, infinitive or –ing form
Writing: a letter of application
Reading
1. Read the text and answer questions 1-14.
There is one example (0).
Great BRITISH Jobs
We talked to some people who are still managing to make a living doing traditional jobs in today's hi-tech Britain
A SHAUN HARRISON - BUTLER
Modern butlers combine the roles of cook, cleaner, waiter, gardener, driver and household manager and they have to be polite, respectful, and well-organised. "We do everything from paying the bills to picking up the children, organising parties and getting the washing machine repaired." says Shaun Harrison, 32, who works for a family in the Oxfordshire countryside. "During the week I'm in jeans and a shirt, busy looking after the household and the gardens. At weekends, when the family arrives, I put on a suit and take on the role of a traditional butler. I get four weeks holiday a year and I have to take it when it suits my employer."
B MARK THOMPSON - STEEPLEJACK
Mark Thompson is self-employed and carries out a range of building, repair and maintenance jobs to the outside of tall structures such as church spires, monuments, industrial chimneys and high rise buildings. It takes from 2-6 years to train as a professional steeplejack and Mark has been doing it for the last 15 years. "The one thing you must have for this job is a head for heights," he says. "I like working outdoors, but it can be very dangerous carrying equipment and trying to keep your balance when the weather's bad. It gets really windy up there, so you've got be quite fearless!" Also make sure you take plenty of exercise so as to be strong enough. Mark travels all over the country and often works away from home for extended periods. "I often have to work a lot of unsociable hours such as weekends and evenings to get the job done, but I get a great feeling when I finish and I know that because of me beautiful buildings will continue to grace the skyline for a good few years."
C PETER MOORE - TOWN CRIER
The job of Town Crier can be traced back as far as the Battle of Hastings in 1066 when the news was passed on to the general public by individuals employed by the king. "Basically, a Town Crier was a kind of talking newspaper, but today a lot of my work is ceremonial or promotional," says Peter. "I wear a traditional costume and carry a bell and shout the familiar call of Oyez Oyez1 to get people's attention. I work for the British Tourist Authority and I preside at festivals, shows and parades as well as at London's tourist attractions. I also get to travel all over the world doing different promotions at department stores and hotels." Peter has been doing this job for more than 25 years and to him it is more than a job; it is a way of life. "I'm keeping a much-loved tradition alive. If you ever need to find me, just follow the sound of my booming voice." In his job he has met lots of celebrities including MPs and members of the Royal Family, but his proudest boast is that he has never lost his voice.
D RICK BOOTH - MILKMAN
Rick Booth, 36, is one of a decreasing number of milkmen still working in Britain.
He arrives at the dairy around 11.00pm to load up his milk float and it takes him about five hours to complete his round. He leaves the milk on the doorstep and collects the empty bottles left there by the householders. By the morning, Rick's hands are sore and blistered. "Picking up and carrying crates all night is really hard on your hands," he admits. It also strains his knees and back. "I'm always bending down and lifting so you have to be in good shape to do this job." Sore knees and backs aren't the only pains milkmen have to suffer. Angry pets are another problem "Some dogs get you when your back is turned," Rick laughs. The other problem is the unsociable hours. "When the moon is up and everybody is asleep, your body tells you it's bedtime. But you have to go against nature and stay awake. Also, I hardly ever see any of my customers, so I do feel rather isolated."
E TED COX - CHIMNEY SWEEP
"Central heating and gas fires haven't done away with us sweeps yet," says Ted Cox, 64, who was just seven years old when his father, also a sweep, first put him up a chimney where he had to climb up and sweep out the soot. "In fact," he says, "increasing concerns over carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty electric and gas fires has increased the demand for chimney sweeps lately. Sweeps don't just, clean chimneys, you know. They also keep them free from obstructions, like cobwebs, birds' nests and leaves to ensure proper ventilation." Ted says to be a good sweep; you also need to be a good listener. "When I make house calls, I usually end up staying for a cup of tea and a chat, which I really enjoy. It's no use being a sweep if you don't like tea!" he says laughing.
F MILES REED - YEOMAN OF THE GUARD
"You have to be on your guard at all times for bomb scares or robbery attempts", says Miles Reed, 58, a Yeoman of the Guard at the Tower of London otherwise known as a 'Beefeater'. "We're not just a tourist attraction, you know!" he adds proudly. Miles' day starts around 9 o'clock in the morning when the first visitors arrive. He spends most of the day giving guided tours of the Tower of London, answering questions on its history and posing for photographs with tourists in his traditional red and gold uniform. His shift usually ends at around 5.45 when the Tower closes to visitors. Miles doesn't have far to go after work because all 'Beefeaters' and their families have accommodation in the Tower grounds. "What I enjoy most about the job is meeting and talking to the tourists," admits Miles. "There must be pictures of me in photo albums all over the world."
(1Oyez Oyez, roughly translated, means listen listen.)
Which person/people … (A-F)
• dresses more formally at weekends?
• wear special clothes in their jobs? 0 A_
1¬¬¬¬___ 2___
• works at night? 3___
• needed to undergo formal training? 4___
• particularly like the sociable part of their jobs? 5___ 6___
• has been doing his job since he was a child? 7___
• rarely has contact with people? 8___
• travel because of their job? 9___ 10___
• live and work in the same place? 11___ 12___
• say you have to be fit to do their jobs? 13___ 14___
Vocabulary &Grammar
2. Choose a word from the list to complete the sentences below.
● wage ● salary ● pay ● savings ● pension ● interest ● cash ● pocket-money
1 He earns a lot of . . . . . . . . . on the money he has invested.
2 How much . . . . . . . . . . does she give the children?
3 Both parents need to be . . . . . . . . earners nowadays.
4 What I really want to know is what will be in my . . . . . . . . . packet every month.
5 Will you pay in . . . . . . . . or by credit card?
6 Most of my monthly . . . . . . . . goes on paying the bills.
7 In my country both men and women get their . . . . . . . . . . at 60.
8 Paying for the car to be repaired has really eaten into his . . . . . . . . .
3. Choose the correct item.
1 It should be easy to find ………. as a waiter.
A work C occupation
B trade D professional
2 After three years as a(n) ………. he became a fully-qualified electrician.
A employee C trainee
B employer D worker
3 This car park is for the use of members of …….. only.
A crew B staff C personnel D team
4 Mr Brown was an employee here for ten years before becoming one of the …….in the firm.
A colleagues C customers
B candidates D partners
5 He recently applied for the ……… of Product Manager at Roundtree.
A post C niche
B vacancy D situation
6 There have been no ……… in our department for over a year.
A pensions C perks
B promotions D permits
7 It was very ……… of you to ask for a pay-rise.
A courageous C patient
B intelligent D hardworking
8 When he retires at sixty, he’ll get a very good ……
A wage B salary C pension D pay
9 Ann doesn’t work ……. time; she works only 5 hours a day.
A part B full C whole D guide
10 He had to ……. Because of the poor working conditions.
A resign C sack
B fire D dismiss
4. Make negative adjectives using the prefixes: dis-; -il; im-; ir-; un-.
1 …….satisfied; 2 ……..convenient; 3 …….personal; 4 …….legal; 5 ……..agreeable;
6 …….direct; 7 ……..mature; 8 ………polite; 9 ……..honest; 10 ………logical;
11 …….regular; 12 …….relevant; 13 …….sure; 14 ……reliable
5. Make sentences with used to and didn't use to about how people lived hundreds of years ago.
1 travel / horse
2 cook / wood fires
3 live so long
4 fight / spears
5 hunt / bows and arrows
6 believe / ghosts and devils
7 be able / vote
8 think / earth was flat
9 bigger families
10 children / work
Example: People used to travel by horse.
6. Put in the correct forms of the verbs. Use an infinitive or –ing form.
1 You can't help (like) him.
2 We decided (stay) at home.
3 We expect (hear) from Ann soon.
4 Do you fancy (go) out tonight?
5 I don't feel like (cook).
6 When do you finish (study)?
7 I've given up (smoke).
8 Imagine (be) married to her!
9 I managed (find) a taxi.
10 Would you mind (pass) the bread?
7. Complete each sentence with an infinitive or –ing form.
10 a I’d like ………. (work) as a secretary.
b I like ………(work) as a secretary.
11 a He didn’t remember ……… (call) for a technician so the computer was still broken.
b That’s strange I don’t remember ……… (call) for a technician.
12 a I’ll get it done even if it means ………… (stay up) late.
b I’m sure she didn’t mean you ………….. (stay up) late to get it done.
13 a He stopped ……….. (buy) a newspaper on his way home.
b He stopped ……….. (buy) a newspaper.
14 a Could you try ………. (send) this fax before two o’clock? It’s urgent.
b Why don’t you try ………… (send) her an e-mail at home? She’ll get it quickly.
Writing
8. Choose any job advertisement and write your letter of application. Study the instructions in the book Ястребова Е. Б. и др. Курс английского языка для студентов языковых вузов. - М., 2003, с. 252-254, 606.
Test 2
Reading: matching headings to paragraphs
Vocabulary: job skills and qualities, prepositions
Grammar: participles
Writing: a resume
Reading
1. Choose from the list (A-1) the heading which best fits each paragraph. There is one heading you do not need to use. There is one example (0).
A Rethinking the way we teach them
B What young people don’t want
C See the world through their eyes
D A secure future
E Tomorrow’s working person
F The role of the modern careers advisor
G Need to support
H The old attitude
I Positive outlook, unclear plans
Why don’t you get a proper job?
She wants to be a singer; you think she should go for a long-term career with job security and eventually retire with a good pension. But a new report suggests that in fact she's the practical one. Why do parents make terrible careers advisers?
0 I
Today's 14 and 15-year-olds are ambitious. They are optimistic about their prospects, but their career ideas are rather vague. Although 80% of them have no intention of following in their parents' footsteps, 69% still turn to their parents for advice. They look at their working future in a different way to their parents.
1
A job for life is not in their vocabulary; neither is a dead-end but secure job that is boring but pays the bills. Almost half the boys surveyed expected that their hobbies would lead them into the right sort of job while most girls seemed determined to avoid traditionally female careers such as nursing.
2
In the past, this might have counted as bad news. Certainly when I was 15, my guidance counsellors were horrified at my plans to become a writer. I'm glad I didn't change my plans to suit them. Even so, their faith in rigid career paths was well-founded. In those days, that was the way to get ahead.
3
But the world has changed. The global economy is not kind to yesterday's diligent and dependable worker. The future belongs to quick-thinking people who are resourceful, ambitious and can take the initiative. This means that a 14-year-old who sees her working future as a kind of adventure, to be made up as she goes along, is not necessarily being unrealistic.
4
However, she has to have the training and guidance to help her develop the right skills for today's market; not the rigid preparation for a workplace that disappeared twenty years ago. Many young people are very aware of
the pitfalls of the flexible workplace; they understand that redundancy, downsizing and freelancing are all part of modern working life, but no one is telling them how they might be able to turn the new rules of the employment game to their advantage. This is what they need to know if they are to make a life for themselves.
5
So what is to be done? A good first step would be to change the way in which schools prepare young people for adult life. The education system is becoming less flexible and more obsessed with traditional skills at just the time that the employment market is going in the opposite direction.
6
Accurate, up-to-date information on new jobs and qualifications can help guidance counsellors to help" their students. Young people need solid information on the sort of training they need to pursue the career of their dreams. Also, a little bit of encouragement can go a long way. If nothing else, a bit of optimism from an adult can serve as an antidote to the constant criticism of teenagers in the press.
7
What, then, can we as parents do to help them? The best thing is to forget all the advice that your parents gave you, and step into your teenager's shoes. Once you've done that, it's easier to see how important it is that they learn how to be independent, resourceful and resilient. Give them the courage to follow their dreams -however odd they might sound right now. In a world that offers economic security to almost no one, imagination is a terrible thing to waste.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Vocabulary& Grammar
3. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Interview Techniques
Finally, you have made it! You have
0) overcome the first stage. There were more than
one hundred 1).......................for the job and you
were among the final ten. However, there's still a
long way to go. 2)....................... is essential to
performing well in an interview.
Firstly, you should think about your strengths
and 3)........................ What areas might need
4)........................? Is there anything on the form
that you think they need to know more about?
Read the job 5)................. carefully and talk to
people doing the same type of job. List the skills
and 6).......................... needed and think about
what 7).....................you can give to show that
you have these skills. Check the time, the date and
the 8)........................... of the interview before
you set off. Make sure you are 9)..................
dressed and arrive on time. Try not to look
10)..............................; smile, look at the person
interviewing you and focus throughout.
COME
APPLY
PREPARE
WEAK
EXPLAIN
DESCRIBE
QUALIFY
PROVE
LOCATE
SUITABLE
COMFORT
4. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition. Then, make 10 sentences related to work.
● of ● from ● to ● for ● by ● in ● at ● on ● with
1 to congratulate sb on sth; 2 to retire …… a job; 3 to apply …… a position; 4 specialise …..sth; 5 deal …… sth; 6 to have experience …….. ; 7 to be impressed …… sb/sth; 8 to be interested …….sth; 9 to be experienced …… sth; 10 to be qualified …… noun/-ing; 11 to be suitable …...; 12 to be responsible …… sth; 13 skilled …… noun/-ing; 14 good …… sth; 15 to fill ……an application
My colleagues congratulated me on my promotion.
5. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some lines are correct and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct put a tick (v) by it. If it has a word which should not be there, write the word at the end of the line. There are two examples (0) and (00).
E-mail has totally revolutionised the way I work, as I imagine it 0 v
has for millions of the other people in busy offices all around 00 the
the world. I can still remember back having to type and print 1…..
faxes and constantly being behind with all my correspondence. 2…..
We wasted of so much time then making sure that someone had 3…..
received something and people knew something was happening us. 4…..
Nowadays, all that has changed and at the click of a button you can 5…..
send to hundreds of colleagues the same message. The cost savings 6…..
are enormous too: we used to spend in a fortune on stamps and 7…..
paying for courier and phone bills. Now we can send documents 8…..
of a hundred pages to the other side of the world in seconds. The 9…..
only downside of this is that you can't avoid from getting back to 10….
people because they now expect for) an immediate answer. You 11….
cannot, for example, apologise them for being out of the office 12….
because they know that you can read to your messages anywhere. 13….
We are no longer able to blame a delay on the postman and so I find 14….
that I have to deal with things and manage of my correspondence a
lot more efficiently. 15…..
6. Complete the words with -ing or -ed endings.
1 I was surpris____to see Ann there. 9 We were shock____to hear about your
2 It was surpris____to see her. brother.
3 I find this work very tir____ . 10 The news was really shock____
4 It makes me tir____. 11 His explanations are confus____
5 Her exam results were disappoint____. 12 Listening to him, I got confus____
6 She was pretty disappoint____ 13 I get annoy____when people break
7 She was excit____about her new job. promises.
8 It was an excit____new challenge. 14 It's annoy____when that happens.
7. Make sentences using have + object + the past participles in the box.
changed cleaned cut put in redecorated repaired reproofed
re-strung serviced sharpened valued
1 When did you last (your hair)?
When did you last have your hair cut?
2 We (our knives) once a year.
3 We’re going to (the roof) next summer.
4 I must (my jacket). And I’d better (my raincoat).
5 “Do we need to (the car)?” “Well, we ought to (the oil).”
6 When she (her jewellery), she found it wasn’t actually worth much.
7 You need to (your tennis racket).
8 Shall we (the kitchen), or shall we do it ourselves?
9 It would be nice to (some more electric sockets).
Writing
8. Write your resume. Study the instructions in the book Ястребова Е. Б. И др. Курс английского языка для студентов языковых вузов.- М., 2003, с. 277-278, 609-610.
Test 3
Reading: gapped text
Vocabulary: modern trends, lifestyles
Grammar: double comparison, conditionals, mixed conditionals
Reading
1. Read the article and choose from the list A-l the paragraph which best fits each gap (1-7) in the article. There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Happy?
Our desire for happiness has helped develop a multi-million pound industry focused on pleasure. Despite this, many of us still seem to be unhappy! Psychologist Janet Wells seems to know exactly why. Here we uncover her secrets of how to actually achieve that missing happiness.
0 G
These days, it is that particular group that feel quite comfortable talking openly about happiness or a lack of it. They generally believe that a state of happiness equals success and that without success we are nothing.
1
She actually began to slowly achieve contentment when she realised her attitude was changing. She began to understand that she herself had made life difficult as she tended to think in a particular way, for example, never admitting that she was wrong because that would undoubtedly make her seem weak and vulnerable. At the same time «he criticised herself endlessly, certain that she did not deserve success and happiness.
2
The turning point in her life was when the knowledge she gained through her studies allowed her to face up to the fact that it was, in fact, possible to actually get rid of doubts and learn to be more contented with yourself and your life. This helped her to change many aspects of her life including her outlook, her relations with others and the choices she made.
3
If we do decide to change things, however, we then begin a journey that only we can map out. We can, however, according to Janet, learn from other people. What she understood from her research was that although people can have similar upbringings, they often have very different ideas and responses to events in life.
4
So, we create our own individual translations of things that happen in life and those same translations will make us decide how we feel about an event and what we need to do about it. It is not always possible to change what happens to us, but we can always change how we translate what happens to us.
5
She admits that she would like to be able to bring that same level of contentment to others. Although it is something we each need to do for ourselves, as long as we really want to succeed, she believes we will be able to bring about change.
6
In giving further advice, she says that if you always criticise yourself and demand too much of yourself, then simply stop doing it and be more of a friend to yourself! Focus on the present and what is going on around you right now.
7
Generally speaking, she recommends living for now, giving yourself a little reward, not because you deserve it, but because it is a pleasant, positive thing to do to encourage positive thinking.
A Change, of course, brings uncertainty and uncertainty can create fear. Most of us have a tendency to stay with what we know rather than choosing any form of change and so, as a result, we continue to be unhappy.
В She was, at one point, a definite pessimist She believed that if you expected little in life then you would be able to avoid disappointment. Fortunately, in the 1970s she came to the realisation that if she continued thinking in that way, then how could she ever be happy?
С Janet herself has had to deal with those moments of both happiness and unhappiness in her own personal life. She admits to not being able to actually help people to be happy, but stresses that if you can prevent unhappiness then you have a good chance of being a contented individual.
D In thinking and worrying about what has happened in the past and anxiously planning the future, we can shut ourselves off from the possible happiness of what is ahead. As a result, the aspect of surprise and pleasure can be lost
E In support of these findings she quotes the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus who said, "It is not things in themselves that trouble us, but our opinion of those things." It is not what happens to us in life but the way we view it that actually leads to happiness or unhappiness.
F It seems that people nowadays are more willing to try to react differently to life's events. Janet is a fine example of this and has slowly found that changing her outlook has brought her a certain amount of happiness.
G In the past, people rarely discussed whether they were happy or not and kept their feelings to themselves. Back then, there was absolutely no advice to be had anywhere, whereas nowadays magazine articles giving advice on how to spend our time in the pursuit of total contentment bombard us from all sides. It would appear that unhappiness is now generally unacceptable, especially where the younger generation is concerned.
H She would, however, like to advise people that happiness is not a goal but rather an emotional response to whatever happens and that it is perfectly natural to feel sad at times In order to help happiness develop and grow, there is a need to see ourselves as being acceptable to those around us and that we are indeed valuable members of society.
I What is more, fearing unhappiness, many people fail to recognise that there are losses that we can never get over completely, even though the pain might get less with time. Unhappiness is a completely rational response to certain losses.
2. Translate the sentences with the words in bold into Russian.
Vocabulary & Grammar
3. Read the text below and decide which answer А, В, С or D best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
In the 0) future people could live in "smart homes" that will tell them when to wake up or remind them to 1)...... the front door. These homes will be equipped with electronic sensors connected to a computer that will 2)..... people to take their medicine or 3)...... off the oven. This computerised system, with about thirty sensors will be 4)...... to talk and negotiate with the tenant. It will also have the ability to 5)...... out if it is doing something that might be harmful.
The 6)…… of the "smart home" is to allow the elderly to live independently in their own homes for as 7)...... as possible, instead of moving into nursing homes. The number of people living into their 80s is expected to increase dramatically in the 8)..... few decades. As a result, there will probably be a 9)...... demand for these homes, which will enable the elderly to 10)...... their independence and privacy. In addition to reminding them about things they may have forgotten to do, the system would contact a volunteer in 11)...... of illness or danger. At the 12)...... a bioengineer at Brunei University near London is working with several housing associations, communication companies and charities in order to make this 13)….. home a reality. Although he is planning to 14)...... up new homes and apartments with the system, he says that it would also be 15)...... to change existing homes, too.
0 A distance В future С beginning D end
1 A fasten В seal С bolt D lock
2 A make В request С remember D remind
3 A shut В close С turn D cut
4 A potential В able С probable D capable
5 A think В sort С work D try
6 A plan В wish С aim D target
7 A long В far С soon D much
8 A further В later С next D near
9 A grand В tall С great D wide
10 A keep В assert C claim D win
11 A time В need С case D fact
12 A moment В present С time D instant
13 A imaginary В unreal С dream D wishful
14 A set В build С make D put
15 A likely В suitable С possible D hopeful
4. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Computer Generation
Computers are 0) reshaping children's lives, at home and at
school, in totally 1)...............ways. Common sense suggests
that we consider both the 2).................., as well as the
beneficial aspects of these changes. Computers can
3).................. damage children's health. The health hazards
include obesity, 4)................stress injuries, eyestrain, social
5).................., and, for some, long-term damage to physical,
emotional, or intellectual 6)...................What is suitable for
adults and older students is often 7)................. for
youngsters. Too often, what computers actually connect
children to is 8)..................advertising and silly games. This
can cut children off, 9)..................and physically, from the
world of 10)................... .
SHAPE
EXPECT
HARM
SERIOUS
REPEAT
ISOLATE
DEVELOP
APROPRIATE
AGGRESSION
EMOTION
REAL
5. Circular situations: make sentences like the one in the example.
He drives fast; he gets nervous.
The faster he drives, the more nervous he gets; and the more nervous he gets, the faster he drives.
1 He eats ice cream; he gets fat. (The more ice cream ...)
2 He reads; he forgets.
3 She ignores him; he loves her.
4 She buys shoes; she wants shoes. (Mind the word order.)
5 We spend money; we have friends.
6 1 sleep; I’m tired.
7 (Make your own sentence.)
8 (Make your own sentence.)
6. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets according to conditional 1 or 2.
1 If I (be) you, I (apply) for a job as soon as possible.
2 If I (speak) perfect English, I (not need) to take the exam.
3 If he (be) taller, he (be able) to join the police.
4 You (be) rich if you (win) the pools.
5 You (not be able) to travel next week unless you (get) a visa.
6 If the weather (be) nice next weekend, they (go) to the country.
7 Unless you (hear) otherwise, I (come) at 8.15.
8 If I (be) the Prime Minister, I (change) a lot of things.
9 If the bus (leave) by the time I arrive, I (get) a taxi.
10 If my headache (not go away) soon, I (take) an aspirin.
7. Rephrase the following sentences using if and conditional 3.
Example: I didn’t go out yesterday because the weather was so bad.
If the weather hadn’t been so bad yesterday, I would have gone out.
1 Mary was shy with boys because her father didn’t let her meet them.
2 She was attracted to Tom because he seemed so pleasant.
3 Tom wanted to marry her because she was rich.
4 Her father liked him because he thought Tom was a prince.
5 Mary believed his story because she had so little experience of men.
6 She married him because she thought he really loved her.
7 She shot him because he was so terrible to her.
8 All this happened because her father was so foolish.
8. Match the beginnings in column A to the endings to each beginning. Pay attention to mixed conditionals. Suggest different endings to each beginning.
Test 4
Reading: multiple choice
Vocabulary: healthy lifestyle, healthy eating, food& drinks
Grammar: indirect speech, wishes
Reading
1. Red the text again and choose the answer you think fits best for each question (1-7).
Living for a Century
The good news is that we can all expect to live both longer and healthier lives than any other generation in history. How well we age, however, is basically up to us!
The 20th century will probably be largely remembered for having the highest increase in life expectancy in recorded history. The average lifespan for men and women has now almost doubled. What's more, this seems to be a continuing trend.
Not only are we living longer, but we are also living a far healthier lifestyle. With record numbers of fit, healthy people reaching the age of 90 and over, it is becoming clear that negative predictions of a greying population, troubled by increasing numbers of diseases as well as huge medical bills, have been exaggerated.
Our view of what old age actually means has changed dramatically. Many of today's pensioners, compared to the elderly in days gone by, tend to enjoy a quality of life without stress, travelling here, there and everywhere, learning new skills, taking up different sports, starting businesses and actively looking forward to each new day. Our actual opinion of what is old and what is not old tends to change with the passing of time as well as higher levels of longevity.
We can see that there are many different aspects affecting the ageing process, including lifestyle, attitude, social circumstances and diet. Studies carried out on mice, for example, have shown that intake of fewer calories allowed mice to live up to 40% longer than those who ate as much as they wanted. In human years this is equal to 30 or 40 more years of life. The mice also stayed energetic longer, had better memories and lower levels of cancer. Japanese people living on the island of Okinawa, in fact, consume 20 percent fewer calories than the rest of the population of Japan and, as a result, have the highest population of centenarians anywhere in the world!
The challenge the rest of us now face is how to delay the ageing process. There are, in fact, two different aspects to ageing that we need to be aware of, the one involving the natural passing of time and the other involving the natural, physical ageing of the body While we have no control over our chronological age, we can, up to a point, do a lot to slow down biological ageing by taking the following advice.
1 Be optimistic.
2 Give up smoking
3 Learn how to relax
4 Have a sense of humour.
5 Do yoga to help posture.
6 Have a 30-minute walk
each day
7 Learn new skills to keep the mind active.
8 Have access to good medical facilities.
9 Avoid stress in order to improve health generally.
10 Mix with a variety of people of different ages. 11 Use suitable creams to protect the skin in summer.
12 Have at least five pieces of fruit and vegetables per day.
13 Improve diet by eating smaller portions, especially at night.
1 According to the writer, life in old age is improving because
A older people are in better health.
В record numbers attend fitness classes.
С the number of diseases is decreasing.
D people pay more for medical treatment.
2 The writer feels the increase in life expectancy
A is something that will continue.
В was completely predictable.
С is a worrying trend.
D has been exaggerated.
3 Nowadays, older people
A tend to be more stressed.
В worry about the quality of life.
С stay active much longer.
D take life as it comes.
4 Research has shown that
A mice live 40% longer if they stay energetic.
В eating fewer calories can help us live longer.
С intake of calories helps older people live longer.
D mice remembered more when they ate what they wanted.
5 Which of the following aspects of ageing can be controlled?
A the passing of time
В our biological age
С our chronological age
D our mental age
6 The writer feels it is wrong
A to go out in the sun.
В for older people to socialize with youngsters.
С for older people to do anything other than walking.
D to finish the day with a heavy meal.
7 Which phrase best sums up the writer's view of growing old?
A It's not age but attitude.
В You're as old as time.
С Act your age at all times.
D Come to terms with it.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Vocabulary & Grammar
3. Cross the odd one out.
1 a well-balanced person curriculum dictionary diet
2 a well-preserved cake castle man monument
3 a well-paid employee company job manager
4 a well-dressed doll baby woman salad
5 a well-to-do family suburb house cousin
4. Read the text below and use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in space on the same line.
Mood Food
With our 0) increasingly hectic pace of life, it is becoming more and more difficult to eat properly. 1)………………
snacks and fast food seem to have become the norm. This
may be having a 2) effect on people's
waistlines, but did you know that it can also cause wild
mood swings and 3) ?
Food is an important part of the body-mind 4)………..
and as researchers point out, it is particularly our
5) of sugary, fatty and carbohydrate-loaded
foods that 6) affect the way we feel. These
foods trigger the body's production of so-called
neurotransmitters, chemicals 7) messages
from one nerve cell to the other, which provides a seemingly
8) improvement of mood. Thus a crunchy
bar of chocolate or piece of sticky pastry may make you feel
better, but 9) this feeling is usually short¬
lived. The reason is simple. Though our blood sugar level
initially peaks, it 10) slumps again, and we
are soon left feeling worse than before. INCREASE
HURRY
NOTICE
DEPRESS
RELATE
TAKE
DRAMA
TRANSFER
MIRACLE
FORTUNATE
RAPID
5. Change these sentences to indirect speech (reported some time later).
1 He's ill. (She thought)
2 I'll be back tomorrow. (He said)
3 I don't like this music. (She said)
4 Where's the bus station? (She asked me)
5 Have you finished? (1 asked him)
6 Nobody loves me. (I felt)
7 Do you want tea or coffee? (He asked her)
8 I'll clean the flat. (She offered)
9 When is the car going to be ready? (I asked)
10 What am I doing here? (I wondered)
11 The earth is not flat. (He proved)
12 These figures can't be right. (I knew)
13 Her cat understands everything she says. (She thought)
14 What does the boss want? (I asked)
15 Did Mary phone back? (I wondered)
16 Did dinosaurs lay eggs? (I wondered)
17 You ought to see the doctor. (He advised me)
18 Would you like a drink? (She asked him)
6. Make wishes, as in the example.
1 Many animal species are becoming extinct.
I wish/ If only people would stop hunting them.
2 Two many trees are being cut down.
3 The ozone layer is badly damaged.
4 Cities are choked with smog.
5 There’s often litter on the beaches.
6 Factories dump their waste into rivers and seas.
7 Animals are treated badly in zoos.
7. Put the beginnings and ends together, using I wish + past perfect.
Example: I wish I’d been nicer to my sister when we were kids.
BEGINNINGS ENDS
(be) nicer to my sister
(choose)
(do) more travelling
(go) to
(go) to bed earlier
(not get married)
(not tell) him
(save) money
(study)
(take better care of)
a better school.
a different career.
harder at university.
last night.
my teeth.
the truth.
when I had the chance.
when I was eighteen.
when I was earning a good salary.
when we were kids.
Test 5
Reading: gapped text
Vocabulary: environmental problems, confused words
Grammar: modal verbs
Reading
1. Read the newspaper article and choose the most suitable sentence from the list (A-H) for each part (1-6) of the article. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
The Antarctic: Key to Planet Earth
The first people to reach the South Pole - in modern times, anyway - were Roald Amundsen and the Norwegian Antarctic expedition, in December I911. [0/G] Explorers had been trying to reach the Antarctic for over a hundred years because it represented the ultimate challenge: the coldest and windiest continent in the world.
Nowadays, scientists from over 27 countries work in the Antarctic all year round and there is even a small amount of tourism in the summer months. The Antarctic still represents a challenge, but a challenge of a different sort. Since the 1960s, people have come to realise that the Antarctic holds the key to the history of our planet: past present and future.
Antarctica has preserved valuable evidence of the natural history of our planet. Evidence from fossils shows how life evolved during geological time. The Antarctic has a crucial role to play in helping us understand global change. Analysing sediment from its different lakes makes it possible to collect information on climate change over the last 10,000 years. [1/ ] The 4 km thick ice sheet is a frozen record of the last 500,000 years. Bubbles in the ice contain atmospheric gases. Frozen into the ice is evidence of levels of global pollution by industry, agriculture and atomic bombs.
The Antarctic provides valuable information about what is currently happening to the ozone layer and about global warming. Scientists are also discovering that the ice sheet may contribute to changes in sea level. What happens in Antarctica affects the world's climate and the world's oceans. [2/ ]
Up until the 1960s, some species of whale and seal were driven almost to extinction by human activities in Antarctica. However, due to greater environmental awareness, all plants and animals in Antarctica are now protected by regulation. There is a special regulation to protect the six species of seal which breed in the Antarctic.
Fishing in the Antarctic regions is also strictly controlled. The control is based on the 'ecosystem approach'. [3/ ] Commercial fishing is strictly limited and severe measures aim to minimise illegal fishing. At the moment, there is international concern over the environmental impact of fishing in the seas of the Antarctic.[4/ ]
There are also strict measures to control marine pollution. It is illegal to dump into the sea any kind of toxic chemicals, oil, plastics, rubbish or sewage. [5/ ]
Antarctica provides information on the past, present and future of our planet, and controls major issues in the rest of the world, like sea level. In this sense, it is a warning because it tells us what we have done wrong as regards the ozone layer and global warming, for instance. [6/ ] It is up to us to listen and act, before it is too late.
A It is also illegal to leave anything like this on land (or ice) in Antarctica, so all waste must be taken away on board ship and disposed of elsewhere
В This is why the Antarctic is now one of the most controlled regions of the world, in terms of regulations concerning pollution.
С These may include playing football, skiing for recreation and diving beneath the sea.
D It is also possible that future studies of a lake covered by 3,7 km of ice might reveal bacteria over half a million years old.
E An example of this is what is called 'marine litter' which includes hooks and nets left in the ocean and which can cause harm to fish, birds and seals
F It is also a lesson because the regulations in force there show us what can be done for the environment, and what must be done for the environment. G The beat the British by one month
H This is an approach which takes account of the whole of the food chain which means that it assesses the numbers of seals and seabirds as well as fish, squid and krill (a creature like a shrimp).
Vocabulary & Grammar
2. Match the words on the left to the words on the right. Then, choose five phrases to make sentences.
A
all year
come
global
crucial
ozone
ultimate
strictly
marine
major
sea
drive
severe
environmental
В
warming
limited
pollution
level
measures
challenge
role
issues
impact
layer
to extinction
round
to realise
3. Use the words/phrases in the list to complete the sentences.
• laws • ecosystem • aware • reserve
• packaging • warnings • habitat • farming
• bank • energy forms • protection
1 If everyone was environmentally .........................the world would be a better place to live in.
2 A lot of companies have made great effort and now put their products in biodegradable ....................
3 Organic ............................. is becoming more and more popular because people know that the fruit and vegetables are free from chemicals.
4 Many countries are choosing to use alternative ............................................ because they know that fossil fuels are not infinite.
5 If there is not a balanced............................, many plants and animals will eventually die.
6 She believes in recycling: she makes a weekly trip to the bottle................................
7 Animal..............................is an important part of the work of the World Wildlife Fund.
8 The main point of a wildlife .............................is that animals live in their natural ..........................
9 Governments bring in water consumption ...................during a period of drought
10 Unfortunately, people haven't been listening carefully enough to anti-pollution................... .
4. Underline the correct item.
1 An international agreement has been reached to halt the devastation/destruction of the ozone layer.
2 Deforestation is causing great disaster/damage to many of the world's rainforests.
3 If global warming continues, we will suffer the effects/consequences.
4 Overpopulation is posing a threat to the earth's resources/sources.
5 Many charitable organisations contribute towards starvation/famine relief.
6 Most of the rubbish/residue collected from the city is dumped in landfill sites.
7 Toxic waste/sewage is responsible for polluting many rivers.
8 Exhaust fumes continue to pollute/contaminate the air, causing serious breathing problems
9 We were told to deposit/discard our empty bottles in the recycling bin.
10 There has been a decline/lowering in the demand for GM foods.
11 The government is looking at ways of protecting the country's physical/natural resources.
12 The minister for the environment has devised a scheme/schedule to reduce pollution
5. Can you complete the examples with expressions from the box?
be able to to be able to been able to been allowed to
have to to have to had to
1 He'd like____travel abroad more. (NOT He'd like to can ...)
2 I've never____understand maths. (NOT I've never could ...)
3 The child has always____go out alone. (NOT She's always could ...)
4 I'm sorry____tell you this ... (NOT I'm sorry to must...)
5 We've____get new shoes for both the kids. (NOT We've must...)
6 One day, everybody will____travel where they want.
7 I'm afraid you will____work next weekend.
8 I would hate____live in a big city.
9 1 would have enjoyed the holiday more if I had____speak Spanish.
6. Complete the sentences, using must not / mustn't or do not / don't have to.
1 Campers____play music after 10 p.m.
2 Students____ask permission to stay out after midnight.
3 Bicycles____be parked in the front courtyard.
4 Residents____hang washing out of the windows.
5 British subjects____get visas to travel in Western Europe.
6 Passengers____lean out of the windows.
7 You____pay for your tickets now.
8 It's rained a lot, so we____water the garden.
9 You____disturb your sister while she's working.
10 You____knock before you come into my room.
7. Fill in the gaps with needn’t have or didn’t need to and the correct form of the verb in brackets.
1 Rachel, you ……………………. (do) all the work; you should have let me help you!
2 Bertha ……………………… (make) dessert as John had already bought a big cake, so she didn’t.
3 The boys ……………………. (lie) about the broken window; we wouldn’t have punished them anyway.
4 Susan …………………….. (take) a taxi home; Frank offered to give her a lift.