I.

READING COMPREHENSION
You are going to read a magazine article. For questions 1 – 7, choose the answer that you think
fits best according to the text (21 p)

The basic story is very old indeed and familiar to most of us. The Heroine, Cinderella, is treated
cruelly by her stepmother and mocked by her two ugly stepsisters, but, eventually, despite several
setbacks, she marries the handsome prince amid general rejoicing.

Just a sweet, pretty tale? Not in the view of Ellen MacIntosh, who has written extensively about fairy
tale. “This story features the stock, two-dimensional characters of most fairy tales, and little character
development is attempted”, she says. Indeed, although her comment does make one wonder why
simplicity of this sort should be out of place in a story for children. Be that as it may, Ellen’s main
problem is with what the story implies. “Instead of standing up to her cruel stepmother and absurd
stepsisters, Cinderella just waits for a fairy godmother to appear and solve her problems. But wouldn’t
you want a daughter of yours to show more spirit?”

The story is enduring, whatever its shortcomings, and it doesn’t take much in the way of analytical
skills to see its influence on a number of recent Hollywood productions, all aimed at girls aged five to
fifteen. In these versions for the silver screen, the Cinderella character no longer has to clean the house
and has no siblings to make her life a misery, though she persists in not showing much backbone. The
character of the rich and handsome stranger, however, is retained, and in some cases really is a prince.
The role of the fairy godmother is often played by coincidence or sheer luck; we live in an enlightened
age when even very young children might reject the notion of fairies. The wicked stepmother may be
transformed into a villain of some sort. In the majority of film versions, the heroine has a profession
and is even permitted to continue working after marrying her prince – this is the 21 st century, after all.

Doesn’t the success of these films indicate that the story has relevance to children even today? “Yes”,
admits Ellen, who sees its message as being rooted in a fundamental childhood desire for love and
attention. ”Most children experience a sense of inner loneliness as they are growing up and empathize
with the protagonist who faces some sort of test or challenge. This can be seen in the original story of
Cinderella, where the fairy grandmother tells the heroine that she must learn to be gracious and
confident if she is to go to the ball. She has to grow spiritually, and by maturing, she becomes
attractive to the prince, thus ensuring that the ending of the story will be happy. “In the later versions,
this element is missing”, says Ellen, “and the theme of the story is simply that a girl’s role in life is to
be more beautiful than other girls so that she can carry off the prize: the handsome prince. Is this really
what we want girls to grow up believing?

1. What does the writer imply about fairy tales?

a) Fully developed characters would improve them
b) The stories are very basic X
c) It is unrealistic to expect character development
d) It is a mistake to consider them sweet and pretty
2. What is Ellen’s main objection to the Cinderella story?
a) The heroine is treated cruelly
b) The heroine is not assertive enough X
c) The ugly stepsisters are figures of ridicule
d) The stepmother is a stereotypical character
3. In film versions of the Cinderella story:

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 a) The prince is invariably replaced by a rich stranger
b) Two characters from the original story are omitted X
c) There is no longer a wicked stepmother
d) The Cinderella character no longer has to work

4. Modern film adaptations of the story tend to present a Cinderella

a) Whose character remains basically unchanged X
b) Who is luckier than she is in the original story
c) Whose circumstances are unusual
d) That many children would find unconvincing

5. Modern variants of the story generally:

a) Portray Cinderella as a successful professional X
b) Imply that Cinderella will become a real princess
c) Reflect children’s beliefs
d) Make concessions to modern women’s lives

6. In Ellen’s view, what makes the Cinderella story so appealing?

a) Children can identify with the heroine X
b) Little girls enjoy being challenged
c) It has an element of magic
d) Cinderella is more beautiful than other girls

7. Unlike the original tale, modern versions of the Cinderella story

a) Suggest that girls do not need strength of character X
b) Do not require the heroine to develop
c) Underestimate the power of love
d) Are aimed solely at young children

II. READING COMPREHENSION (10 x 3p = 30p)

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12th grade
You are going to read a magazine article in which four people describe their shopping experience.
For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person
1 __D___goes to the supermarket every two or three days?
2__D___ avoids buying the most popular brands of products?
3 __B___doesn't like to spend a lot of time in the supermarket?
4 __A___is pleased with a new service that has been provided?
5 __C___uses public transport when they go shopping?
6___B__ doesn't like company when they go to the supermarket?
7 __D___looks out for bargain prices?
8 __C___criticises the behaviour of some other shoppers?
9 ___B__appreciates the opening hours of supermarkets?
10 __A___is sometimes in an uncomfortable situation while shopping?

SUPERMARKET SHOPPERS
A. MELANIE ROGERS
For a mother of two young children, supermarket shopping can be an absolute nightmare. They get bored
and restless and start to play up. It can be really embarrassing when everyone stares at you because both
your kids are sobbing their hearts out! And if you're not watching them, they can take goods off the
shelves without you noticing. Once I even managed to briefly lose my two-year-old son. He'd wandered
off down another aisle while I was comparing the prices on some items. I was frantic when I realised he
wasn't by my side. Luckily one of the assistants saw him and picked him up, but it was a scary five
minutes until I got him back. I'm glad to say that things have improved in my shopping centre recently, as
they've opened a supervised play area where I can drop the kids off while I shop, and pick them up when
I've finished. It really makes life much easier.
B. JULIAN KENT
I'm not keen on shopping with other people, because it always seems to take much longer, so I usually go
on my own. Nowadays big British supermarkets are open all night, which is very convenient for me. I
prefer to go as late as possible, when there are no queues at the checkout and I can get all my shopping
done very quickly. I usually only go once a month and make sure I stock up on everything I'm likely to
need. It means you have to plan all your meals, and you need to have a big freezer, but at least I don't
waste my all-too-precious time going to the shops every couple of days. If I do run out of something, or
realise I've forgotten something I need, then I'll grab it from the local mini-market. I try to make sure I
don't have to do this too often, as small local shops are much more expensive.
C. BOB CARTER
My wife and I retired ten years ago and we recently gave up the car as it was too expensive to run on our
pensions. We get the bus into town once a week to do our shopping. We're not as fast on our feet as we
once were, and some young people can be very inconsiderate, pushing you out of the way at the counters
or losing their patience when you are not moving down the aisles as fast as they'd like. Others, of course,
are very helpful and will give you a hand when they see you need it. Even though it can wear you out
carrying all the bags, we try to make a nice outing of it. We'll treat ourselves to a bit of lunch at one of the
cafes, or we'll go for tea and sandwiches at one of the nice tea rooms in the centre. We actually look
forward to our shopping trips!
D. SALLY WALKER
I suppose I'm a bit of a scatterbrain, as I never seem to have what I need when I need it. This means that I
end up popping out to the super- market at least three times a week to get in more supplies. I don't mind,
though, because unlike most people, I find supermarkets to be quite relaxing places, I enjoy wandering
slowly down all the aisles, checking out any new products or searching for special offers. I always take a
calculator with me, as I like to know how much I'm spending, and I prefer to buy the shop's own-brand
products, because they cost a lot less than the big name brands. My kids complain that we never have the
"proper" breakfast cereal or the "really nice" baked beans, but I just point out that it leaves us with more
money to do the really fun things. I'm sure they know I'm right.

III. READING COMPREHENSION (20p)

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12th grade
You are going to read an article about detecting crime. Five sentences have been
removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-F the one which fits each gap (1-
5). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
The professionals
When it comes to fighting crime, it is science which is king. Sherlock Holmes was right to spend his
time examining every footprint and strand of hair in his search for the criminal. Today, though, things
have moved on and scientists have a wider range of techniques they can use.
Modern scientists believe that it is impossible for someone to commit a crime without leaving
something behind or taking something away with them. 1…D They may take the form of
fingerprints, hairs, fibres from clothing, tiny traces of chemicals, documents, bullets or fragments of
glass. This evidence is collected and studied by forensic scientists.
Science is applied to crime-fighting now more than ever before. 2…E In addition, old techniques
are constantly being improved so thatthey can be applied to smaller and smaller traces of materials.Not
all evidence is equal in law. A fingerprint offers definite identification of a person’s presence at the
scene of crime. 3…C But even if an item does not offer enough proof to be used in a court of law, it
can still assist the police in focusing their enquiries in a certain direction.
Fingerprints have been used to help identify criminals for almost 100 years. 4…A In most cases it
works very well, but sometimes different methods are needed.Forensic scientists can now use a small
portable laser, a kind of light beam, to look for fingerprints. The scientist ‘paints’ the scene of the
crime with the laser beam. As it sweeps across doors, walls and furniture, any fingerprints present
glow because they are fluorescent.
An even more recent technique is called DNA profiling. 5…B. Each contains a unique code, the
genetic code that determines what we look like and how we develop. The code takes the form of long
strings of molecules called DNA, and no two people have identical DNA unless they are identical
twins. A technique for reading genetic codes was developed in the 1980s. DNA profiling, or genetic
fingerprinting, was seen by the police and forensic scientists as an excellent way of linking suspected
criminals with their crimes. The process of making a DNA profile may begin with a piece of stained
clothing found at the scene of the crime. A tuft of hair or spots of blood or saliva can be used too. With
a good sample that is rich in DNA, the chance of two people producing the same genetic fingerprint is
only one in 2.7 million, which is good enough for court of law.
A. In that time, many new scientific research methods have been developed, although the
traditional way of dusting surfaces of fingerprints is still used most of the time.
B. The human body is composed of millions of microscopic cells.
C. However, a footprint may only suggest that someone was there.
D. On the other hand, certain scientists specialise in gathering evidence from the scene of crime.
E. As people find new ways to cover their tracks, scientists develop new techniques for linking
suspects with their crimes and proving if they are guilty or innocent.
F. If these traces of evidence can be found, they may provide the proof needed to bring the
criminal to justice – that is, to take them to court.

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12th grade