ESCUELAS TECNICAS ORT
Sede Belgrano
set 2
PRE-CAE
READING COMPREHENSION
You are going to read a newspaper article. For questions 1-7, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to
the text.
A TALE OF TWO EVERESTS
I gazed up at the peak as I unpacked my picnic. The sun shone
and there was not a cloud in the sky. I told my companions that
I would climb to the summit of the Everest immediately after
lunch. They smiled indulgently and began cracking open hard-
boiled eggs. I could hardly believe that, after all the
preparation, I was here at last. Nor could I believe my luck – to
have found a Mount Everest could scramble up without ice pick
or oxygen, while looking at the house of my ancestor, after
whom the other, real Mount Everest is named. Not many
people know about this gentler peak, five miles from the hill
station of Mussoorie in the foothills of the Himalayas – and
roughly 500 miles from Mount Everest proper. I must admit that
until we reached this idyllic base camp, neither did I. But there
it was, an attractive grassy peak, wafted by the scent of
wildflowers and grazed on by a herd of cattle.
Everest was my maiden name, and I was told as a child that
Sir George Everest was my distant ancestor. He had been in
charge of map-making in India at the time Mount Everest was
first measured. I was also told that he was a brilliant
mathematician and surveyor, whose calculations were so
accurate that they named Mount Everest after him as a reward.
For many years, whenever I gave my name people would say,
“Did you get your name from the mountain” and I would be
unable to conceal my sense of pride as I replied, “No, it was
the other way round actually. The mountain got its name from
us.”
As a young adult, however, I was taken aback to discover that
when Mount Everest was named in 1856, not only had Sir
George been back in England for more than a decade, the
mountain already had several ancient local names including
the beautiful Tibetan “Chomolungma”, meaning “mother
goddess”. It was actually an Indian pundit who had calculated
the height and established that this was the world’s highest
peak. Renaming it to honour a British mapmaker caused
controversy even then. The issue was hotly debated in the
newspapers, and it was only the outbreak of the political crisis
known as the Indian Mutiny that quelled the row. By the time
the mutiny was over, the debate had fizzled out and Sir
George’s name was firmly affixed to the mountain. When I
discovered this, I felt ashamed of the way in which the British
had gone round the world imposing names on places that had
perfectly good ones already. I half considered changing my
name to Charlotte Chomolungma as some kind of a gesture.
It is only recently, after several trips to India, that I have again
become interested in my ancestor’s activities and come to
appreciate the sheer scale of what he achieved. He had
successfully mapped the vast and varied terrain that is the
Indian subcontinent, probably braving flood and fever,
traversing hill and jungle, and surviving tiger, snake and
scorpion along the way. Most of what is known about Everest
the man, however, is somewhat sparse and mundane. After 25
years of map-making, he left India and settled down to married
life in England. But when I read about that Park Estate, his
home in India still existed, albeit in ruins, I felt compelled to
visit.
What I found was a long, low, ruined mansion offering
spectacular views over the plains in one direction and a
breathtaking panorama of snow capped Himalayas in the other.
That’s when my guide had pointed out what he called “Everest
Peak” – just nearby. I stared at the hill overlooking Sir George’s
garden. “Does it have another name?” I asked cautiously.
“Maybe,” he replied, “but here everyone calls it Everest Peak.”
After lunch, I climbed to the top of the hill. I stood at the top
thinking about Sir George at his old age, treading the
pavements of London beneath chilly grey skies, but dreaming
of this wonderful spot.
When I turned and began to descend, I could scarcely believe
my eyes. All across the plateau below me, soldiers in light
khaki were spreading out drawing boards and setting up
theodolites. It was as if I had conjured up ghosts. I went over to
greet them and learnt that the survey branch of the Indian army
had chosen that afternoon to arrive and update their maps of
the area. They were friendly, but could cast no further light on
my ancestor. I couldn’t help but notice, however, that Everest
Peak was marked “Hathipaon” on their maps.
PÁG 1
Nº1
1 From the first paragraph, we learn that the writer
a had brought various pieces of climbing equipment with her.
b had been preparing to climb this peak for a long time.
c had always wanted to climb a peak such as this one.
d had previously had no idea that there was a peak here to climb.

2 As a child, how did the writer feel about her name?

a embarrassed that it attracted so much attention.
b keen to explain her connection with a famous mountain.
c proud to be named after such a prestigious place.
d disappointed when people didn’t recognise its significance.

3 The verb “fizzled out” suggests that

a people realised they had been wrong to oppose the name.
b the debate about the name had settled amicably.
c open debate about the name was no longer permitted.
d people had lost interest in the issue of the name.

4 Why did the writer’s attitude towards her ancestor change as she got older?
a She realised that he’d lied about measuring the mountain.
b She disapproved of his changing the name of a mountain.
c She found out about his involvement in a political event.
d She discovered that stories that she’d been told were untrue.

5 What impresses the writer now about Sir George Everest?

a the size of the task he managed to complete.
b the romantic nature of his life story.
c the long-term significance of his work.
d the fund of stories circulating about him.

6 On top of Everest Peak, the writer felt

a renewed pride in her family’s achievements.
b surprised that Sir George never returned there.
c relieved that her family is still remembered there.
d glad that her ancestor had lived to an old age.

7 What did the writer learn from the Indian mapmakers she met?
a The hill she had climbed has a number of names.
b New names are being given to places in the area.
c Maps of the area are in the process of revision.
d Sir George’s influence is still strongly felt locally.

USE OF ENGLISH

1- Complete the sentences with the correct alternative from the words in the box. There are 2 extra options you do not
need to use.

had better / can / will have / couldn’t have been / forbidden / should
would / might have / will not be able / must / under no obligation / must have

1- The police are doing all they ____________________ to find the missing girl.
2-Smoking is __________________ here.
3- The curtains are drawn. He __________________ be on holiday.
4-Sorry, but I’m afraid the doctor __________________ to see you now – he’s busy.
5- It’s not like Tom to be late. He ____________________ overslept.
6- When we worked in the same office, we __________________ often have coffee together.
7-If you are getting home late, you __________________ call your mother.
8- His English ____________________ improved by the time of the exam but I’m not sure.
9-This is an exhibition; you are ___________________ to buy anything.
10- As you ____________________ realised, the company is not doing very well at the moment.

2- Read and circle the correct alternative

1- I’ve come across many of John’s classmates, … of whom seem to have seen him lately.
a- not b- neither c- none

2- Recently, … of my colleagues and I set up a new marketing company.

a- few b- both c- a few

3- Politics … a subject that most people enjoy studying.

a- aren’t b- haven’t got c- isn’t

4- Writing in a newspaper might help … awareness on topics of public interest.

a- raise b- rise c- race

5- The demonstrators put so much pressure on the government that they had to back … on their words.
a- up b- down c- away

6- We offer talks to schools on a wide … of topics from humane research to horse racing.
a- range b- band c- ratio

7- … sales are very enjoyable events.

a- Junk b- Jungle c- Jumble

8- … the whole, it’s a question of getting involved.

a- In b- On c- At

9- As a matter of …, I’m not really committed to any causes.

a- course b- fact c- faith

3- For questions 1-10 read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

REALITY TV

For many years, the boundary between what is fiction and what is
reality on television has been rather blurred. For example,
(0) ….. DOCUMENTARY….. programmes in which we watch people as they DOCUMENT
go about their (1) …………………………… lives, either at work or at home, have DAY
long been popular. Then, there are the “candid camera” style
programmes in which ordinary people suddenly find themselves
in strange and (2) …………………………… situations and, supposedly EXPECT
(3) …………………………… that they are being filmed, react in an amusing way. AWARE
That these programmes can be an (4) …………………………… for the victims EMBARRASS
goes without saying, yet people seem happy to take part in them,

What was new about the concept of reality TV, as epitomised by

Big Brother, was the idea that a group of (5) …………………………… would VOLUNTARY
imitate the challenges of real life whilst never moving outside the
“house” or TV studio. How (6) …………………………… people can be in this sort SPONTANEITY
of situation is (7) ……………………………, and why people rush to take part is DEBATE
something of a mystery, given that most end up being
(8) …………………………… ridiculed in the media or rejected by the audience. PUBLIC
When asked, these people talk about the challenge or the money,
but they are not very (9) …………………………… . CONVINCE

In truth, what makes them do it seems to be the (10) …………………………… of ATTRACT

achieving what’s known as “celebrity status” – their five minutes of fame.

4- For questions 1-9, read the text below and think of a word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each
gap. There is an example at the beginning.

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known (0) ……….AS……….. Doctors without Borders, is a non-governmental, non-profit
making charity which was set up in 1971 by a small group of French doctors. They believed that all people, whatever (1)
…………………………… race, religion or political beliefs, have a right (2) …………………………… medical care, and that the
needs of the sick go beyond national borders. So, in (3) …………………………… event of an earthquake, a famine or a civil war,
the charity, (4) …………………………… consists mainly in doctors and health workers, aims to get a team into the country promptly
and deliver emergency aid. Getting there quickly enough to (5) …………………………… a difference is the main priority, so medical
kits are prepared (6) …………………………… advance and kept (7) …………………………… standby.

The charity, (8) …………………………… network extends over 18 countries, operates in some of the most remote and unstable
parts of the world, and is determined to remain completely independent (9) …………………………… all political, economic or
religious powers.

5- For questions 1-4, think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences.
1 …………………………………
a You will need a password to … certain applications.
b Only a lucky few in the third world enjoy the … to health care that we in developed countries take for granted.
c The cinema has been fined for not providing adequate … for disabled people.

2 …………………………………
a The plot of the story seems to … around from one period in the character's life to another
b I was afraid that as soon as they saw I was a foreigner, the jury would … to the conclusion that I was guilty.
c You really made me … . Please don't creep up behind me like that again.

3 …………………………………
a I would say you have every … to feel annoyed at the way you've been treated.
b Take two tablets at four-hourly intervals and you should soon be ...
c As well as being the wife of a famous writer, she is also a successful novelist in her own … having published a number of
best-sellers.

4 …………………………………

a John has just taken up the ... of Marketing Manager at a local college.

b He put me in a really difficult ... asking for money when he knows I'm not very well off.

c The yoga teacher told everyone to remain in a standing ... for 30 seconds.