Cultural Inglesa de Buenos Aires – Sede Belgrano

Departamento de Alumnos Libres

5TH YEAR (B)

1. READING COMPREHENSION (.../5)

HOUSE RULES
Lara’s parents have lost count of the number of times she has stormed out of the house without permission
when she is angry. At school it’s a similar story and the argumentative teenager has been expelled from three
schools. Image-obsessed Dean, 17, spends more time on his hair than on his schoolwork. He is disrespectful
of rules and boundaries and argues with his brothers and sisters. Used to getting her own way all the time,
Abi, 16, is completely spoilt. But despite being given everything she wants, she is impossible to live with.
However, rebellious teenagers in New Zealand had better watch out! Parents who believe it’s time their
children stopped behaving so badly are turning to the reality TV show House Rules for help. Desperate
parents hand over their troublesome children to new families on other parts of the world such as the USA,
Ireland or South Africa for a week in an attempt to improve their behavior. The series explores the way out-of-
control teens handle a completely different environment with parents who think that teenagers ought to be
disciplined and respectful at all times. Lara, Dean and Abi are filmed as they learn to live by completely new
rules. And if you thought your parents were strict, think again; the rules are tough for everyone in the new
houses, and the punishments are tougher.
As well as helping around the house, the teens are not allowed to be rude or stay out late. They must tell their
“new parents” where they are at all times and had better not break any of the rules. If they do, they are
grounded or have other privileges taken away. Some of the new parents even believe they should control the
music their children listen to or which sites they visit online, and know all their computer passwords.
Abi goes to live with the Roberts family in South Carolina, USA, who believe in strict discipline and hard work.
Mum Annette, admits her rules are tough and that she can be very strict. However, she talks to her children so
that they understand why she wants them to do things. During her stay with the new family, Abi changes. The
trip opens her eyes to how other people live and shows her that life at home isn’t really so bad. The shock
treatment appears to work and she is extremely enthusiastic about her old life when she returns home to New
Zealand. It seems that the rude, spoilt teenager people once knew is long gone. Her parents hope that the
new Abi is here to stay. But can Lara and Dean manage to turn their lives around too?

Read the statements 1-5 and mark them True (T) or False (F).

1. Lara’s bad behavior has affected her life at home and at school.
2. Abi behaves well when she is given what she wants.
3. Parents choose the family their teenage children stay with.
4. The teenagers follow the same rules as the children of the families they are living with.
5. The teens can only listen to music or use the internet if their new parents are in the same room.

2. CLOZE PASSAGE (…/10)

Fill in the blanks with ONE suitable word ONLY.

as can on (x2) other so should usually without wouldn’t

Dear Andy, my sister really gets 1. ……………...……. my nerves! She’s always going into my room
and taking my things 2. ......................………....…………. asking.
I really wish she 3. ....………………............... My room should be private! I’ve asked my parents to
put a lock 4. …………………….. my door, but they said no. They 5. ………………… be really
stubborn sometimes! When I try talking to my sister she ignores me 6. ………………. I lose my
temper and then we have a huge argument and she 7. ………………… storms off. My parents say
we’re as bad 8. ...............……………each other and should stop winding each 9. ………………….
up. I wish they’d see my point of view. What 10. …………………………. I do? (Elaine, 17).

3. MULTIPLE CHOICE (…/5)

Dear Elaine, the first thing you ought 1. (do / to do) is talk calmly to your parents on your own about
the situation. You could suggest that they talk to your sister 2. (if / unless) you can’t keep your cool
when you talk to her. 3. (Although / However), it sounds as though it’s time you and your sister 4.
(was / were) a bit more respectful of each other and tried harder to keep the peace. She shouldn’t
have taken your things without permission, but you shouldn’t lose your temper every time you talk to
her. When she 5. (makes / will make) you feel angry, try counting to ten in your head or leave the
room calmly. Andy.

4. PUT THE VERBS IN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE (…/10)

My mother and father 1. (get divorced) ……………………………….. ten years ago. Six years later,
my mother 2. (meet) ……………………. a kind, considerate man called Tom and she remarried. He
had two sons from his previous marriage, Michael and Harry, who are now my stepbrothers. They 3.
(use / live) ………………………….. with their mother, but now we live together in an enormous
house that Tom bought and we are quite a big family.
It’s nice 4. (have) …..........................………………… brothers to play with because if not, I 5. (be)
…………………………. an only child. My father 6. (live) ……………………….. with a woman called
Sarah. She is a very generous and friendly person and I really like her. They 7. (be)
………………………. together for four years. She and my father 8. (now / plan) ………………….. to
adopt a child. The problem is that Sarah works for an airline so she 9. (all the time /
fly)………………………………… around the world and sometimes is away from home for a whole
week. She says that is not very ambitious and that she might 10. (stop / work)
……………………………. to look after a baby.
5. PARAPHRASE (…/10)

1. Abi started learning French two years ago.

FOR
Abi ....…........................………….......................... two years.

2. Travelling by bus is cheaper than travelling by train.

MORE
Travelling by train ……...........................…………..... travelling by bus.

3. I am not tall enough to reach the top of this cupboard.

TALLER
If I ……...........................………….............................. reach the top of this cupboard.

4. Although it was raining yesterday, we went to the interview.

SPITE
We went to the interview yesterday …………………….……………………...…… rain.

5. Does travelling interest you?

IN
Are …………………………..………………………………………………………… travelling?

6. ‘Did you eat the chocolates?’ Maria said to Peter.

ASKED
Maria ……...........................…………...........................…… eaten the chocolates.

7. The strong winds blew down the two ancient trees during the storm.
BLOWN
The two ancient trees ........................................................... the storm.

8. I once tried a similar programme. It was for family problems.

WHICH
I once tried a …………………………………………………. for family problems.
9. He doesn't have enough money to buy the computer.
TOO
The computer ...................................................................... to buy.

10. Abi will fail her exams if she doesn’t change her attitude.
UNLESS
Abi will fail her exams .......................................................... her attitude.

6. LISTENING COMPREHENSION (…../10)

You will hear five people talking about a family member. For questions 1-5, choose from the
list (A-F) the family member they are talking about. Use the letters only once. There is one
extra letter which you do not need to use.

A Brother B Father C Sister D Grandmother E Cousin F Aunt

Speaker 1 ……………… Speaker 2 ………………

Speaker 3 ……………… Speaker 4 ………………
Speaker 5 ………………