INSTITUTO POLITECNICO NACIONAL

ESCUELA SUPERIOR DE COMPUTO

CELEX-ESCOM

MIDTERM EXAM INTERMEDIATE 2

PIONEER INTERMEDIATE UNITS 1-2

READING
HEROES!

a) SUPER MUM SAVES CHILD

In one incredible story, Amy Clemens saved her four-year-old child after he got stuck under the
fridge. ‘When the earthquake began’. Ms. Clemens told reporters, ‘the fridge started shaking. The
tremors quickly increased, and the fridge shook more and more violently. Suddenly, it fell over and
Tommy got stuck under it. I could see that he couldn’t breathe! The fridge was so heavy I don’t
know how I did it. I wasn’t thinking, I just lifted it’. Her child was her strength.

b) LONE MAN SURVIVES CRASH UNHARMED

‘Like a cat with nine lives’ is what people say about Harold Adams who survived a terrible train
crash and walked away the only survivor. What’s more surprising than that is the fact that he got
off the train completely unharmed. ‘I never bruised very easily,’ he said when he was asked about
how he survived. ‘At first, the train wasn’t moving very fast, but then it started going faster. When
it reached top speed, it was the fastest I have ever been on. The crash came without warning.’ His
wife was as astonished as everyone else. ‘Harold is like a cat with nine lives,’ she said with a smile.
‘He has eight more lives left to live!’ Was Harold Adams a super hero? In this case, he was just very
lucky.

c) CLIMBERS SURVIVE THE WORST

In a recent report, one climber rescued his friend after the worst avalanche in history. ‘At first we
were climbing, and then suddenly we were buried under ten feet of thick show,’ said climber
Marvin Bailey. ‘It was as dark as night. My legs were so numb from the cold that I couldn’t feel
them. But I kept calm and I began to dig myself out of the snow. When I finally reached the top, I
searched for and found John. He was unconscious when I pulled him out. He was as white as a
sheet, but, fortunately, he was still alive. That was the most frightening moment of my entire life.’
Was it his courage and determination that made Marvin Bailey a hero? Perhaps it was just his
desire to live and to help a friend which freed him from the snow.
 A) Read the paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, and the article that follows. Which of the three
paragraphs is most suitable as an introductory paragraph to the article? (3 POINTS)

1. Heroes are people who have done something so brave or good that it has made many
people admire them for it. Who do you think of when you hear the word ‘hero’? Do you
think of mythical heroes like Hercules, or heroic people in history?
2. When most people think of ‘heroes’ they imagine super beings with amazing powers. The
truth is real heroes are just normal people who live ordinary lives, but they have to face
extraordinary situations. What follows are a few examples of such everyday heroes.
3. If you had to describe a hero you admire, who would you choose? What kind of people are
heroes and what makes people admire them? Great courage, unusual strength, impressive
intelligence are just a few characteristics that can be sued to describe heroic people.

B) Read attain and answer the questions. Write the correct a, b, or c. (1X6=6 MARKS)

Which person…

1. Survived a natural disaster?

2. actually did nothing heroic?
3. can’t explain how they managed to do what they did?
4. was in an accident in which no one else survived?
5. pulled someone to safety?

LISTENING

A) You will hear people talking in four different situations. Choose the best answer a, b
or c. (4X1=4MARKS)

1. You overhear two people talking. Why will the man not go on the trip?
a. He's afraid of the water.
b. He can't afford it.
c. It's too extreme.

2. You overhear two people talking. What does the woman think about flying in a plane?
a. It's too dangerous.
b. It's too expensive.
c. It's too boring.

3. You hear a man on the telephone. What day will he return from his trip?
a. the 20th
b. the 23rd
c. the 25th

4. You overhear two people talking. Why doesn't the woman like the idea of the fingerprint scanner?
a. She thinks it's inconvenient.
b. She thinks it's too risky.
c. She thinks it's too old-fashioned.
 B) Listen again and write T for true of F for false. (1X6= 6 MARKS)
5. Jane went to South America with three of her friends.
6. They started their trip up the mountain when the sun rose.
7. The weather got worse and worse as they drove up the mountains.
8. The group had to leave their car because the engine would not start.
9. John carried Jan down the mountain because she wasn’t able to walk.
10. Jane injured her leg badly and had to return home.

ENGLISH IN USE

A) Complete the sentences with the words in the box. There are two extra words
which you do not need to use. (1X8=8 MARKS)

frustrated involved native cramped boiling fog measures

breeze

1. If everyone gets in the project, I’m sure it will be a success.

2. This room is too to fit a table and some chairs.

3. She speaks so fluently that it’s difficult to tell she isn’t a(n) ____________________

speaker.

4. When things go wrong, I feel disappointed and .

5. A pleasant blew as we were sitting on the bench.

6. Turn on the air conditioner. It’s in here.

7. The got worse as we drove up the mountain.
8. They need to take more security if they want participants to
feel safe.

B) Choose the best option. (1X6=6MARKS)

9. Do you think you will ever get of cycling to work?
a. tired b. used c. over
10. Let’s go for a coffee so we can get know each other a little better.
a. to b. for c. on
11. Just make sure you keep me with your latest news.
a. posted b. filled c. aware
12. Jack to set his alarm clock and woke up late.
a. didn’t remember b. didn’t use to remember c. wasn’t remembering
13. The child in shock when the police officers found him.
a. was b. used to be c. was being
14. we reached the park, it started to rain.
a. As soon b. While c. As soon as

C) Complete with the Present Simple or the Present Progressive of the verbs in
parentheses. (6x1=6 MARKS)

A: 15 (you / regret) moving to the countryside?

B: No, I 16 (love) it here. I 17 (go)

for a walk in the forest every day. In fact, I 18 (want) to buy a

camera so I can start taking photos of nature.

A: So, 19 (you / think) of staying here forever?

B: I 20 (not know), probably not.

D) Complete the sentences with the Past Simple or the Past Progressive of the
verbs in parentheses. (1X9= 9 MARKS)

- While I 21 (walk) down the street, I

(slip) on the icy sidewalk and 22 (fall) down.

- As soon as Betty 23 (see) the snake, she

24 (cry) for help. Luckily, some hikers

(camp) nearby and 25 (hear) her. They immediately

26 (run) to help. Betty

(shake) with fear but 27 (be) relieved.

The driver 28 (speed) when he suddenly

29 (lose) control of the vehicle. The vehicle

30 (skid) across the road and

(crash) into a grocery store.

E) Rewrite the questions starting with the words given. (3X2= 6 MARKS)

31. What did you study?

Can you tell me ?

32. Where can I buy furniture?

Do you know ?

33. Is the apartment in good condition?

I would like to know .

F) Complete with the correct form of the words in capitals. (3X2=6 MARKS)

34. The interviewed the winner of the race. JOURNAL

35. The plane crashed in the ocean. Unfortunately, there were no

. SURVIVE

36. The museum showed the students around. ATTEND