EXAM PRACTICE TEST 1

READING TASK

Task7. (1 point per item). You are goittg lo read a newspaperarticle. Fi\,e sentenceshave
been rcm.)yeclfrom the text- For questions 1-5 chooseJi'a the sentencesA-F the one
which bestfts eachgap. mere is one extra sentenceyou do not need.

ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL FOR PAPERPRODUCTION

A Peopiecareolly aboutprofit andareindifferentto environlnentalproblen,s.

B Theyalsopointout thatmarijuanais lesstoxicthanalcobolandtobacco.
C This alaming rateofdestructionhasseriousconsequences for the environment.
D;: However,therois a problem:hempis illegalin manycountriesofthe world
E If thesepaperproductscouldbe prcducedin someotherl!ay, Canadianforestscouldbe
presen'ed.
F Accordingto its proponents,four timesasnuch papercanbe producedfrom lard using
hempratherthan trees-

Everysecond,t hectareof the world's rainforestis destroyed. That'seqdivalentto

two foolballfields.An areathe sizeofNew York City is lost everyday.In a year,thatadds
up to 31 million hectares more than the land arca of Poland.1. Scientists
estimate, for example,that 137speciesofplant, insector animalbecomeextincteveryday
due to logging.In British Columbia,where,sincc 1990,thirteenminforestvalleys.have
beenclearcut,142 speciesof salmonhave alreadybecomeextinct, and the habitats01'
grizzlybear-s, wolvesandmanyothercreatuesarelhrcatened. Logging,however,provides
jobs, profits, taxesfor the govemmentand cheapproductsof all kinds for consumers,sothe
govemmentis reluctantto restdct or controi it.
I Much of Canada'sforestryproductiongoes towards making pulp and paper'
Accordingto the CanadianPulp and PaperAssociation,Canadasupplies34% of the
rvorld's wood pulp and 49% of its newsprintpaper.2. -. Recently,a possible
altemativc way of producing paper has been suggestedby agriculturalistsand
environmentalisls: a plantcalledhemp
Hemphasbeencultivatedby manyculturesfor thousands of years lt prodrcesfibre
which can be madeinto paper,fuel, oils, textilcs,food, a1ldrcpe For centunes,1t llas
essential to the economiesof many countnesbecauseit rvasusedto makethe ropesand
cablesusedon sailing ships;colonialexpansionand the establishment of a world-wjde
tradingnef\&orkwould not havcbeenleasiblewithouthemp.Nowadays,ships' cablesare
usuallymade fiom wire or slnthetic fibres,but scientistsare no\\' suggestin-q dral the
cultivationof hemp shouldbe revivedfor the productionof paper ard pu1p. 3. -
Many environmentalists cuhi\ a:ionoa h3:x. .orid reducethe
beliere that the large-scale
aqnqdr'c fnrF<t<

4. This plant,so usefu1for llbre. rope.oli. luel andiertiles,is a speciesof

cannabis.relatedto rhe plant from *hich nariiua,'rais produced-ln the late 1930s,a
moYementto ban lhe drug marijuana began to gather force, resulting in the eventual
bannilg of the culti\ arionnot onll of ihe plam usedto producethe dmg, but alsoof the
commercialfibre-producing hempplant \lrhou,shboth GeorgeWashingtonand Thomas
Jeffersongrervhempil largequantirieson theiro*'n land,anyAmedcangrowingtheph:
today would soon find himself in prison - despite ihe fact that mariiuana cannot be
p_roduced from the hempplant, shce it containsalnost no THC (the activiingedient in the
arug).
ln recentyears,two major movementsfor legalizationhave beengatheringstrength.
One gioup of activists believesthat ALL cannabisshould be legal - both the henp plant
and the maxijuanaplant * and that the use of the drug marijuanashould not b€ ar offense.
They argue that maxijusna is not dangerousor addictive, ard that it is used by large
numben ofpeople who arenot criminalsbut prcductivemembelsof society.
5, _. The other legalizationmovementis concemedonly rMiththe hempplart
usedto producefibre; this group wants to make it legal to cultivate the plant and sell the
fibre for paperandpulp production.This secondgoup hashad a major triumph recently:in
1997, Canadalegalized the farming of hemp for fibre. For the first time since 1938,
hundredsof farmers are planting this crop, and soon we can expectto seepulp and paper
producedftom this new source.
(Adapted&om BBC NEWS)

5 ooi

Task2, (15points, I point per item).For questiotxs1-5 chooseftom headingsA-F the one
which bestsumtfiarizeseachparagraph. Thele is oneextra headingyou do not needto use.

ANTARCTICA LOSING ICE TO OCEANS

A Alarming data
B Scienristshavesomehopes
C Ambiguouscalculalions
D A theat to markind
E Pionggringmethodofresearch
F A nevrmethodis welcome

t.
Researchersused satellitesto plot changesin the Earth's gravity in the Antarctic
during the pedod 2002-2005. Writing in the joumal Science, they conclude that the
continentis losing 152 cubic kn of ice in the w€st. In recent years scieltists have found
evidencethat West Antarctic ice is melting, which could conlribute to sealevel rise. They
descdbethe WestAntarctic ice sheetas"a giant awakened".
2,_
The new study, conduct€dby scientistsat the University of Colorado at Boulder,
usesa tecbniquewhich has not beentried before: measuringgravity over Antarctica. Data
come from a pair of satellitestogetherknown as Gracewhich orbits the Eaxthin tandem,
measuringchangesin its gravitational field. "Their orbits have a very large inclination, of
89 d€greesin fact, so you get very good coverageover the Antarctic," said Isabella
Velicogna,oneofthe Coloradoteam.

O"*"tt, Dt. %lt"ogna's group found an annualdeqeasein ice sheetmassof 152

cubic hn. There is a clear loss in the west, whereasthe mass of the East Antarctic sheet
appeaxsto be constant.This loss of iae equalesto ar annualrise in the global avemgesea
level of 0.4 mm; by contrast,the total rise, due mainly to themal expansionof seawater,is
estimatedat about1.8 mru Dervear.
 But there is anotherissuewhich needsrgsolving. Grace is unable to discriminate
betweenice androck. And the rock surfaceofAntarctica, below the ice sheetis rising. The
new researchpaper attemptsto correct for this by estimatingthe rate of the dse through
computers models of the Earth's interior. But uncertainties in the models produce
uncertaintiesin the team's estimatesof cha4gesto the ice: the aDnualloss could be as low
as72 cubic km, or ashigh as232 cubiclon.

"The bestway would be to go to rock outcropson Antarctica"put GPSreceiverson

them and measwehow rapidly they're rising", D. Vaughm told the BBC News website.
"That is done at the moment in a few places,but not enougb,and a new program is being
lamched."
(Adaptedfiom BBC NEWS)

(1 point per item). For questions6-15 usethe ihfomatiorr given in the ta.t to colrlpletethe
se tences.Find in the text wolds which mean the same as the wderlined wods below.
Ihere is an erample(00).

00 Scientistsusediffercnt devicesto mark chaneeson the m@s-

Scientistsusedifferent deviceslgpbjllkgLggt
The bad weatheronly 4llgd to our diffrculties.
The bad weatheronly to ourdifrotlties-
7. Theyrun business astheywork t9p!bq-
r ery successfully
Theyrun businessvery successfullyasthey work
8. The extentto which the newswasp!9!9!l!9d shockedweqfuody-
The news shockedeverytody.
9. The situationin the comoaavhasremainedunchaneedsirce h Cfuismas-
The situationin the comoanvhasremained siEcelast Christrnas.
10.The Presidertrnakesa speechin theparljament qq993-1q.
.r The Presidentmakesa(n) Aeech in the pati@st
11.Peoplecalculated thathis incomewasabout$15,000a year.
People_ his incometo be about$ 15,000a yea.
12. This plgblgE r€quiresa prompt solution.
This _ requiresa prompt solution.
13. The authoritieshaveto settlethe problemsimmediately-
The authorities have the problems immedial€ly.
14. He couldn't recoafze a distinction betwe€n the accid€dal md intaatioDrl crime-
He couldn't betweenthe eidf&l ad intentional crime.
15. A new campaignagainstpoachinghasbeensrdted rccatly-
A newcampaign poaching
against hasbeen recady-

15Doi

Task3. (l point per iterfi). You are going to read an article, For questions7-5 choosethe
a swe8 (A, B, C or D) which bestcompletethe sentencesgiver according to the text.
 SHUTTLE HOPESFOR MORE FLIGHTS

1. The successof Shuttledependson

A. astronauts pilotiDgthe spaceship
B, a new constructiol of Shuttle.
C. the fuel to be filled in the tan}.
D. imprcving insulation.

2, A deadlyhazardhappen€dbecause
A, the fuel tank didn't wolk.
B, the insulationwas not checked.
C. ice broke off anddamagedthe spaceship.
D. a pieceftom insulation split.

3, The testswill be madeto check

A. the capacityofthe spaceship.
B. the pressurein Shuttle.
C. the possibledangercwhile takitrg off
D. th€ stength ofpr€ssurizationlines aodcabl9trays.

4. NASA soientistsand engitee$ areworking to

A. designa newspaceship.
B. reducethe sizeof possiblechwrks.
C. crcatethe smallestpiece of foan.
D, useatrothert)?e ofenergy.

5. The main idea ofthe article is to

A- increase rhenumberof flighls.
B. designmorespaceships.
C. enswesecurelaunchesof Shuttle.
D. build the IntemationalSpaceStation.

The US spaceagencyis growing optimistic ofresumiag spaceshuttleflights in May

and perhapssqueezingin three missions this year. Hope rests on a new fuel tank due to
arive at the launch site irl a couple of da]s. The key to the program's futllfe is how well
enginee$have fixed the foam-sheddingproblemthat led to the loss of ShuttleColumbiain
2003.
Foam loss also reoccured in July 2005 on NASA'S fust, ard so far only, shuttle
launchsincethe accident."I remain optimistic that if we fly tlds surruner,we'll be ableto
get tbree flights off this calendaryear.But time will tell," shuttleprogrammanagerWalare
Halesaidal a pressconference.
The primary safetyupgradehascenteredon the shuttle's 154ft (47 m) loug extemal
fuei tank, which holds the liquid oxygenand liquid hydrogenconsumedby the ship's three
main enginesduring climb to olbit. Insulatitrg foam on th€ tant, intendedto preventth€
fomation of ice which could break off ard damagethe orbiter, becamea deadly debris
hazardwhen a briefcasesizedchunk btoke off during Columbia's launch and smashedinto
its wing. The damagetriggeredthe shutde'sbreak-upover Texas 16 dayslater asColumbia
flew through the atrnoE)herein preparationfor landing. Sevencrew membersaboardthe
shuttledied.
 Managersput shuttle flights on hold and set aboutredesigningthe tant again.The
tests,whlch will involveprecisesubscale modelsof the shuttle,as well asfulI-sizepieces
of someta.nkcomponents, are designedto assesshow well the tank can withstandthe
aercdlmamicstressesof launchwithout the protectivefoam rampsshieldingpressudzation
iinesandtrays.In additionto clearingthe tant for flight, engioeersare lookingat several
otherteclDicalissuesthatcoulddelaythelaunch.
NASA'S goal is to eliminatela.rgepieces of foam flying off the tant. Hale
acknowledged that smallpiecesof foam,hopefullynonebiggerthan a matchbox,will still
shed during launch."I wanted to make sure everyoneunde$tandswe are trfng to
elin'linatecritical foam loss,but x'e expectto seefoam comingoff this next tank,,'Hale
said."Our taskaheadofus is to guarantee that all ofthesevery smallpiecesof foam,most
of themlessthan an ounce,will be of a sizethat they cannothave enoughenergyto do
damageifthey strikethe orbitet,"Hale added."We'11continueto makeitnprcvements so
we caneliminateevensmallerpiecesoffoam loss."
Exceptfor a possibleservicingmissiollto the Hubble SpaceTelescope, NASA is
devotingail remainingshuttleflightsto buildingtheIntemationalSpaceStation.
(AdapredftomBBC NEWS)

5 Doints

USEOF ENGLISH

Trsk 1, (1poifit per item).Useonlyone\Norclwhichbestfts eachgap.

THE GOLDEN IIAWK

Eachmonthwe askone of our expefisto tell us what rrildliG book - novel,guide

or textbooh (1) mosl influencedhim or her. Here, \{artha Holmes,manne
biologist,TV presenter
andIiLn producer',
revealsall.
r I'm a very kecn reader,(2) _ selectingthe book uith a natural-history
themewhich has influencedme most was some challenge,until I thou_qhr(3) to
my childhood.
\I4rere the book came fiom is a mystery, and I hare ne\ er nei ({) *.ho
hasheardof it. lt is R:ttaRichie's The GoldenHawks o;fGenghisKh a;;- I read :; * ben I rlas
aborLt10 yearsold and I remenrber{5) __ this day rhe effect ir had on me-
Set in 1218,it is a story of a rich boy (6) par.-n!saje dead.He is sro\rinQ
(|,_ in thc spterdid city ofSanarkand and has a fascinalicr .br ha\'.Lj- Ihere is a
geat (8) _ ofmystery surroundinghis past,but he (9) _ lei io beiie\'ethar
a band of Mongols killed his father to steal the rare (10) _.ribird the golden
hawk. Detemined to get these birds back, he runs (11) ion Samarkandand
Joins a group ofpeople taveiling to the country cenrered on rhe cir] ofKarakorum, where
GenghisKhan (12) then based.
The book combinesadventure,mystery',hooour. frieddship.suft-ering all seen(13)
'lhe
___ the eycs ofthe boy. book gives the readetan idea ofthe vast open spacesof
centrul Asia where (I4) are huge skies, aEd tro boundaries,The book gave me
(15)._ than hax,ks,horsesand a desirefor \\ild places.Two years ago I fulfilled a
life-long ambition and went riding in Mongolia's mountains.I was not disappointed.
( A d a p t e df i o m R e a d e r ' sD j g e s t ,I q o j I
Task 2. (1 poht per item).Readthe text, a d for questiotts1-20 completethegaps with the
aPpropfiate velbfo rnl.

A TROPICAL BROWN WIDOW SPIDER

A tropical"Brown Widow" spidet,new io the Los Angelesarea,(1) - (to

capture)aspart of the NaturalHistoryMuseumof Los AngelesCounty"songoingSpider
SLrrvey. Ttre live, venomousspider,along with its egg sac containingup to 100 baby
spiders, is currentlyon publicdisplayin the Museum'sInsectZoo.
"This spider(2) - (not to lind) pteviouslyin the Los Angelesarca"'said
Bnin Jones,the cumtorof entomology."The Brown Widow probably(3) - (to
originate)in Africa, but hasb€enintroducedinto the hopicsalmostworldwide," he said'
.tcJordingto Jones,one of the manywaysthe spidercould(4) - (to make) it to
theSouthland wasthough commercialimportsofplants,flowers,food or flrniture'
The Brown Widow is sorale to the Los Angelesalealhat this is the fiIst oneout of
3,000spidersso far (5) -- (to coltect)aspafi ofthe Museum'sSpiderSurveyThe
survey(6) - (to begin)lastspringto discoverwhich tlpes of spiders(7) -
we've found
1tot"a) in th" g.*t"r Los Angelqsbasin "This is themostunusualspecimen
throughthe surveyso far," Jonessaid.
Theprogramis desigllcdto introduceelemenlary schoolchildrento biodiveNityand
build environmintalawateness. Tbe children(8) - (to brie0 aboutspidersbefore
the field trip onto the schoolgrounds.One studentrecoglizedthe spideras (9) -
(to be) of particularinterestaLldpointedit out to Beth Nordeen,a Museumoutreach
educator.
The scientificnamefor the Brown Widow is Lacfodectusgeometicus Thereare
about 30 describedwidow species00) - (to include) Black Widous, Red
Widows,andtle BrownWidows theBlackWidowbeingthemostco1nmon of the widow
family(11)- (to live) in theLosAogelesarea.
'. I negooonevs( | z, ''_'^ as
_ \ru ur, thatBrown Widowsarcnot asaggresslve
the lilack Widows,but they are vcry poisonous,"Joncssaid "Brown Widows $'ii1 not
attacltifthey (13)- (not to bother)or madeto feel(14)- (to threaten)"
Uo.i in SootttemCalifomiaareunableto puncturehumanskin andif they
"pii".,
seesomethreat they prefer (15) - (to stay) hidder rather than (16) - (to
attack).Therearetfueg(17)- (to know) species in Los Angelesthatposea ihreat
-
to humans the Black Widorv, Violin spider, and now the Brown Widow The Violin
spider,o{1en(18) - (to misidentify)as the Broun Recluse'is a fast 1ittlespider
measo.ingonly u hutf-i""tt as an adult.In SouthemCalifornia,it (19) - (orly to
fiud) in only a few arcasoflos ArgelesCountyard the InlandEmpire lf(20) -
(to bite) by anyoneofthesespiden,seekm"ut"utu*t.,uoli;uo,"u
ftomw\1,w.engi*h_zone.com)
20 ooints

T^sk 3, (1 poi t per item).Re\)riteeachsentence so that the meaningof yout se tenceis

exactlyihe'sami as the fieantng of the origihal sentenceljse the h)ald gl:')enlrithout
changingitsform. you may write.ftom two toJire word$

1. The flowerswill die ifyou do not waterthem.

unless
The flowers will die
2. Drivers go to the medical examinationto checkthek eyesightonce a yeat'
checked
Drivers so to the medical examinationand orlce a year.

3. It's threeyearssinceAlison had a holiday.

for
Alison has tlree years.
to pay the rent in advance.
4. It was not necessa.ry
treed
You the rent in advance.
5, I wish I had taken a map.
having
I a map.

6. "You damagedmy computel', th€ teachertold Albert'

of
The teacher her computer.

7. Becauseit snowedheavily during the night the motorwayis closed'

due
The motorwayis closed lhat therewasheavysnowlhenight before
8. Did you manageto get in contactwith the bosstoday?
getting
Did you in contactwith the bosstoday?
9. I don't carewhatyou do.
collcerned
As you can do what Youlike.

10. That's the garagewhere I left my caxlast rveek'

repaired
That'swhereI went last week.

10 points

Task 4, (l point per item). Fot questions 1-15 tead the te*t below and look ealefully at
eachline'.iome if the lt es dre co/rect, and somehavea woril which should not he there
If a line is coreit, put a tick (v). If a li e has a word which should not be there, ttite the
wotd on the line.

TIIE AMERICAN FLAG

1. Most Americallshave greatrcspectfof their own flag

2, ard every schoolday begins,on with tlle Pledgeof
3. Allegianceto the Staf,sand Stdp€stoo. Written in
4. 1892,this pledgeis b€irg recitedin schoolsbefore
5. classesbegin andit servesasa sign ofunity and
6. id€ntity for the vadous gloupsof somepeoplewho
7. havecomefiom too mally differcnt landsandculhres'

l0
8. The first versionof the flag withjls all starsand
9. stripesappearedin 1777,but hadhad only thirteen
10.slars.As eachnewsl-ate joinedtheunion.a new
11.starwasadded.The laststarto be addedwasin
12. 1960aftertheHawaiibecamethefiftieth state.
13,In the future if other stateswill join the Union,
14,otherstalswill be addedto the field ofthe blue.
15, The numberof stripes,however,neverchanges
andrcmainsconsistent.
(Adapled ft om www.geocities.com)

1 5o o i

WRITING TASK

T^sk1. Writea letter on the topic belo$1.

you ale ple ning a holi.lay with your cousin who has sent you a leafet with a hotel adrett
Read the advertiseme t and the notes regarding the tnfotmation. Then write a lettet to the
hotel manager asbingfor iftformation.

PARADISEHOTEL
Big discountson all sportsfacilities

At Paradisehotel we do every4hingto
provide our guestswith luxury and convenience,with
a rangeof facilities to satisfyyour
everyrequirement.

We offer grcatdiscountson riding, squash

andg),rn.

Get onenight free for a long stay,

We guararleeolher free o fferingsfor lo)al clienrs.

Notes:
How muchare discounts?
How manynights to stay to get onenightfTee?
Othel'sports facilities ?
llhat are loyal clients?

stvle.Do not write anvaddresses.

Writea letterbetween110-130wordsin an appropdate

11
 Pleasecount the number ofwords in your messageand \t rite it down at the bottom
ofthe page.All words, including articl€sandprqositions, shouldbe counted.

T^sk2. Writea lettel' on the topic belorr.

you saw an adverTisemenl Ior compulerrepoirs You took your laprop to the shop. but gol
very displeasedwith the repair quality. Wite a letrer to lhe repair shop referring to the
adve and the notesyou hdvemadq

HIGHLY EXPERIENCED COMPUTER SPECIALISTS & REPAIRS

Wepromise qt ick andp/ofessionalservice!
Delivery straight to your door.
Weprovide a six month\)1flant.
Voucherholderswill rcceivea

Notes:
My rcpeit lostedfor three weel6
No delivery
My warrantisIor J monlh
I got only a voucher,not a gift

Write a letter between110-130words in an approoriatestvle Do not write any addresses.

Pleasecount the numb€r of words in your messageand write it down at the bottom
ofthe page.A1l words, including articlesandprepositions,shouldbe counted.

20 Doi

12