C1 READING TEST 2 (Total: 48 Qs – 70 mins)

I. You should spend about 18 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on the Reading Passage below.
1. America is abuzz with talk of replacing imported oil with 'biofuels' produced from homegrown materials. The US
Environmental Protection Agency recently honoured famous country and western singer Willie Nelson for his efforts to
promote the use of biodiesel through his own 'BioWillie' brand, a vegetable oil-based fuel which is now being distributed
at filling stations nationally. Clearly, many hurdles stand in the way of making such biofuels commercially viable with
traditional sources. Indeed, it remains very difficult to forecast whether powering our vehicles with crop derivatives will
ever be a truly economic proposition. Nevertheless, it is not too early to ponder what impact the widespread adoption of
biofuels would have on our environment.
2. Michael S. Briggs, a biodiesel advocate at the University of New Hampshire, has estimated that the United States would
need about 140 billion gallons of biodiesel each year to replace all the petroleum-based transportation fuels currently
being used. This calculation is premised on the idea that Americans could, over time, switch to using diesel vehicles, as
European drivers are clearly doing - half of the new cars sold there now run on standard diesel. Although one could make
a similar appraisal for the amount of sugar-derived ethanol needed to meet our needs, it is unlikely that drivers would ever
want to fill up their tanks entirely with ethanol, which contains only two-thirds of the energy of gasoline, whereas biodiesel
is only 2 per cent less fuel-efficient than petroleum-based diesel. Hence a switch to biofuels would demand no new
technology and would not significantly reduce the driving range of a car or truck.
3. The main source of biodiesel is plant oil derived from crops such as rapeseed. An acre of rapeseed could provide about
100 gallons of biodiesel per year. To fuel America in this way would thus require 1.4 billion acres of rapeseed fields. This
number is a sizeable fraction of the total US land area (2.4 billion acres) and considerably more than the 400 million acres
currently under cultivation. Consequently, the burden on freshwater supplies and the general disruption that would
accompany such a switch in fuel sources would be immense.
4. Such calculations are sobering. They suggest that weaning ourselves off petroleum fuels and growing rapeseed instead
would be an environmental catastrophe. Are more productive oil crops the answer? Oil palms currently top the list because
they can provide enough oil to produce about 500 gallons of biodiesel per acre per year, which reduces the land
requirement fivefold. Yet its cultivation demands a tropical climate, and its large-scale production, which currently comes
from such countries as Malaysia and Indonesia, is a significant factor in the ongoing destruction of what rainforest remains
there. Conservationists have been warning that palm oil production poses a dire threat to the dwindling population of
orang-utans, for example, which exist only in the wild in Borneo and Sumatra. So here again, the prospect of dedicating
sufficient land to growing feedstock for the world's transportation needs promises to be an environmental nightmare.
5. There is, however, a 'crop' that is widely recognised as having the potential to meet the demands of a biodiesel-based
transportation fleet without devastating the natural landscape: algae. Algae is a single-celled plant, some varieties of which
can contain 50 per cent or more oil. They also grow much more rapidly than ordinary plants and can double in quantity
within several hours.
6. The US Department of Energy funded considerable research on biofuel production using algae after the oil problems of
the 1970s, an effort known as the Aquatic Species Program. Although this programme was terminated in the 1990s, a lot
of experience was gained through research and various demonstration projects. The results suggested that algae can be
grown in sufficient density to produce several thousand gallons of biodiesel per acre per year - a full order of magnitude
better than can be expected using palm oil and two orders of magnitude better than soybeans.
7. It is not surprising then that many scientists and entrepreneurs are once again looking hard at the prospects for using
algae to produce transportation fuels and sizeable amounts of money are being invested in various schemes for doing so.
David Bayless, a professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio University, has been working with scientists to engineer a
device that can grow cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). It uses carbon dioxide from the gases emitted from power-plant
chimneys and sunlight that is distributed to the growing surfaces through optical fibres. Bayless uses an enclosed
bioreactor and claims to be able to produce as much as 60 grams of biomass per square metre of growing surface per
day.
8. Another recent effort is being carried out in San Diego by KentSeaTech Corporation. This company gained experience
growing algae as a part of its aquaculture operations so was quick to respond when the California state government
started looking for ways to treat the huge quantities of nutrient-laden water which runs off from adjacent farm lands. 'It's
no real difficult feat to turn nutrients into algae,' says director of research Jon Van 01st, 'but how do you get it out of the
water?' This is what Van 01st and his co-workers have been trying to achieve.
9. The people working on these ventures are clearly eager to make growing algae a commercial success. Yet it is not hard
to find experts who view such prospects as dim indeed. John Benemann, a private consultant in California, has decades
of experience in this area. He is particularly sceptical about attempts to make algae production more economical by using
enclosed bioreactors rather than open ponds. He points out that Japan spent hundreds of millions of dollars on such
research, which never went anywhere. Even Van Olst has serious reservations. 'It may work,' he says, 'but it is going to
take a while and a lot of research before we get anywhere.'
Questions 1-5. Classify the following characteristics as belonging to
A biodiesel B ethanol C ordinary diesel
Write the correct answers A-C next to questions 1-5.
1. __________ Produced by a popular American entertainer.
2. __________ 50% of new cars in Europe use this fuel.
3. __________ Provides two thirds of the power of standard petrol.
4. __________ Your car's performance will be almost unchanged if you change to this fuel.
5. __________ Production can have a negative impact on water resources .
Questions 6-12. Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the reading passage? Next to
questions 6-12 write
Yes if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
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No if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
Not given if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
6. __________ 2% of Americans already use biodiesel.
7. __________ At present in America, 400 million acres of land are used for agriculture.
8. __________ The use of palm oil as a fuel source will require more land than using rapeseed oil.
9. __________ Growing biodiesel crops has had a positive effect on local wildlife in some areas.
10. __________ One advantage of algae is the speed with which it grows.
11. __________ David Bayless believes that algae can produce more energy than solar power.
12. __________ It is easy to grow algae using agricultural waste water.
Question 13: Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.
13. What is the main purpose of this article?
A. To prove that biofuels could totally replace petrol in America.
B. To examine the environmental impact of standard fuel sources.
C. To assess the advantages and disadvantages of different types of fuel.
D. To show that an international effort is required to solve the fuel crisis.
II. You should spend about 18 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on the Reading Passage below.
The first groups of people to discover New Zealand came from Polynesia. Exactly when these explorers arrived has often
been a matter of debate, but today the general understanding is that it was during the 13th century that their canoes eventually
landed on New Zealand's shores. In some ways the new country must have seemed like an ideal place to settle: the land was
fertile, and thick forests provided firewood, shelter and building materials. Still, life would have been challenging for the different
Polynesian tribes, who had to adapt to a new environment. The tribes only began to refer to themselves as Maori, meaning
'ordinary people', when Europeans in search of new opportunities began arriving in the 18th century. To the Maori, of course,
the European settlers and sailors were not 'ordinary', but very strange.
It was not only a knowledge of canoe-building and navigation that the Polynesians brought to New Zealand. They were
also skilled craftsmen. There is archaeological evidence that the tools they produced were of high quality and would have
enabled tribes to plant and harvest crops. Craftsmen were also occupied with making weapons such as knives and axes,
which were used for both construction and fighting. Interestingly, some crafts that had once been popular in Polynesian islands
were no longer done in New Zealand, although researchers are unsure why. Pottery is an example of this, despite the fact
that the clay needed to make pots and bowls could easily be found in the new country.
The Maori word whakairo can be translated as 'decorative work' - this can refer to bone, wood and greenstone carving.
Although Maori carvers were influenced by their Polynesian heritage, they developed their own style, including the curved
patterns and spirals inspired by New Zealand plants. The same term can also apply to weaving; the crafting of, for example,
woven baskets and mats all required knowledge and skill. Carving greenstone, or pounamu as it is called in Maori, was a long
process, requiring great patience. Further, because of this mineral's rarity, any greenstone object, such as a piece of jewellery
or cutting blade, was a prized possession. For that reason, it was the few people of high status rather than low-ranking
members of a tribe who would possess such objects.
As New Zealand had no native mammals except for bats, dolphins and whales, Maori largely had to depend on plants to
provide material for their clothing, including their cloaks. Weavers experimented with the inner bark of the houhere, the
lacebark tree, but found it unsuitable. But the dried-out leaves and fibres of the flax plant provided a solution. Once a cloak
had been woven from flax, it could be decorated. Borders might be dyed black or red, for example. In the case of superior
ones made for chiefs or the more important members of a tribe, feathers from kiwi, pigeons or other native birds might be
attached. All flax cloaks were rectangular in shape, so had no sleeves, and neither was a hood a feature of this garment. Short
cloaks were fastened around a person's neck, and came only to the waist. Pins made of bone, wood or greenstone allowed
longer cloaks to be secured at the shoulder; these were a type that were often used for ceremonial occasions. Of course, the
construction of the cloaks was influenced by the plant material available to Maori weavers. This meant that cloaks were loose-
fitting, and while they protected wearers from New Zealand's strong sunshine, they were not useful during the winter months.
A cloak made from fur or wool could provide insulation from the cold, but not so a cloak made of flax.
The warriors of a tribe required a different kind of cloak to help protect them. To create these special cloaks, the tough
fibres of the mountain cabbage tree were used instead. It is not clear to researchers what the entire process involved, but they
believe the fibres were left to soak in water over a period of time in order to soften them and make them easier to weave
together. Later, once the whole cloak had been constructed, it would be dyed black. To do this, Maori weavers covered it in a
special kind of mud they had collected from riverbeds. This was rich in iron due to New Zealand's volcanic landscape. The
particular advantage of these cloaks was that the tough cabbage tree fibres they were woven from could reduce the impact of
spear tips during a fight with enemy tribes. It is fortunate that some cloaks from the 1800s still survive and can provide us with
further insight into the materials and construction techniques that Maori craftsmen used.
Questions 1-6: Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1. __________ It is now widely thought that humans reached New Zealand in the 13th century.
2. __________ The first Europeans to come to New Zealand were keen to trade with Maori.
3. __________ Members of Maori tribes were responsible for either tool- or weapon-making.
4. __________ A craft that the Maori once practised in New Zealand was making pottery.
5. __________ Weaving baskets and mats was seen as a form of decorative work by the Maori.
6. __________ It used to be common for everyone in a Maori tribe to wear greenstone jewellery.
Questions 7-13: Complete the table. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
MAORI CLOAKS
flax cloaks warrior cloaks
methods of construction Maori made flax cloaks by Weavers had to use (11) ____________ to
- weaving leaves and fibres make cabbage tree fibres less stiff

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 - sometimes adding (7) ______________ to
the better cloaks
appearance Flax cloaks were Mud containing (12) ______________ was
- rectangular in shape used to make the cloaks look black.
- designed without a (8) ______________
- tied at either the wearer's neck or their (9)
________________
good/bad points Flax cloaks offered no (10) _____________ (13) ______________ could not easily go
during winter. through the cloak’s tough fibres.

III. For questions 1 - 12, choose from paragraphs (A - F). The paragraphs may be chosen more than once.
In which paragraph are the following mentioned?
1. _________ a predicted change that soon became a thing of the past
2. _________ a forecast that Edison got completely correct
3. _________ one of Edison's own developments that updated a whole sector
4. _________ a prediction the writer regrets hasn't come true
5. _________ a change that has brought benefits as well as drawbacks
6. _________ alterations to the workforce
7. _________ knowledge that Edison acquired by looking at the environment closely
8. _________ the role Edison felt technology plays in making us advance as people
9. _________ a substitute for a more traditional material that could bend easily
10. _________ the world's first successful aviators
11. _________ a material future generations will not be accustomed to
12. _________ speeding up a lengthy process
Thomas Edison – Predictions that came true… or didn’t
In 1911, inventor Thomas Edison made a series of predictions as to how technology would transform the world. If only he
were alive today to see which ones he got right and which ones he got wrong. Let's take a look at a few of his prophecies.
A. Edison was positive that in the years to come, machinery would take over manual labour. He even realised that when' this
revolution in industry took place, certain jobs would disappear. 'The day of the seamstress, wearily running her seam, is
almost ended,' he predicted. There may well be times when seamstresses wish robots could do their jobs for them, but
for the time being sewing machines are still operated by human hands.
In other industries this is not the case, however. The car industry wouldn't be able to produce cars at the rate it does today
if it wasn't for technological developments. The mundane jobs on production lines for cars these days are performed by
robots rather than humans. But it's not all good news as we've now reached the stage where our economies no longer
fully employ people as the use of automated machinery has proved more cost effective.
B. Among Edison's misses was the prediction that books of the future would be made of nickel. According to the inventor, if
paper was replaced by nickel, books would be made of a cheaper, stronger and more flexible material. Never could he
have imagined that, thanks to the digital revolution, books as he knew them would give way to e-books. In today's world,
reading is still a popular activity. However, readers are more likely to curl up with their state-of-the-art iReader or Kindle
than with their favourite hardback.
C. One of Edison's own inventions was the long kiln, which revolutionised the cement industry. If his kiln hadn't been invented,
modern construction would be very different to what it is today. Way back in 1911, he claimed that 'men are lunatics' to
keep building with bricks and steel, rather than concrete and steel bars. To his mind, reinforced concrete would allow
buildings to practically stand forever and would be widely used in constructing all types of buildings from mansions to
skyscrapers. His prediction came true - but was short-lived. Skyscrapers built in the 1920s were largely steel-reinforced
concrete. But since the end of WWII, architects have preferred to construct tall buildings with steel frames and glass.
D. If Edison's prediction about household furniture had come true, then today we'd all furnish our homes using steel because
it is lighter and cheaper than wood. Edison felt that wooden furniture would be completely replaced with steel furniture.
'The babies of the next generation will sit in steel high-chairs and eat from steel tables,' Edison said. 'They will not know
what wooden furniture is.' Although wood is not as widely used today as it was in the past, glass, MDF and plastic have
become more popular alternatives than steel in furniture making.
E. One of Edison's most interesting forecasts concerned poverty. In 1911, he proclaimed, 'there will be no poverty in the
world a hundred years from now.' He supported this view by saying that 'Poverty was for a world that used only its hands.'
As a firm believer in the power of the brain and technological progress to transform the human condition, he was certain
that poverty would be done away with in the near future. If only this were the case!
F. When it came to flying, Edison was spot on. Although his understanding of artificial flight was limited, he informed himself
by observing nature - in particular, the agility of the bumblebee. Eight years after the Wright brothers' triumphant first flight
in a flying machine, Edison guessed that in the future such machines would carry passengers at more than 160 km an
hour. Today, aviation and fast travel has become second nature to us.

IV. You are going to read four book reviews. For questions 1-10, choose from the sections (A-D).
Of which book are the following stated?
1. _________ It presents complicated material in manageable chunks of data.
2. _________ The book failed to sustain the reviewer's interest throughout.
3. _________ Readers are left to draw their own conclusions about some of the book's material.
4. _________ Its author sought expert advice on certain aspects of the book.
5. _________ The book is both instructive and visually appealing.
6. _________ It looks both backwards and forwards in time.
7. _________ Its author effectively brings together different fields of study.
8. _________ It offers a selective, rather than comprehensive, coverage of its topic.

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9. _________ It is possible to feel a sense of involvement with the subject matter.
10. _________ The text is a skilful mixture of data and personal comment.
NATURE BOOK
A WHY ELEPHANTS HAVE BIG EARS by Chris Lavers
Chris Lavers has set out to produce a book that sits neatly between serious scholarship (he is a senior lecturer in animal
ecology) and the need to satisfy the inquisitive pesterings of children. Why are ants so small? Why can a bat fly and a shrew
not? And of course, why do elephants have big ears? The answer is no shocker - creatures have interacted with their habitats
to evolve into the extraordinary forms they possess today. But once this principle is established, the book loses some of its
charm. The book's most successful sections are where we travel through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of prehistory
to look at how nature made its primal decisions: which species would fly and which would swim, which creatures would be
warm or cold-blooded? Lavers argues that it is here we find the true answers to our questions today and the principles to
safely predict our future.
B ORIGINS: The Evolution of Continents,
Oceans and Life by Ron Redfern Shortlisted for the BP Natural World Book Prize, Origins comprises panoramas and a wide-
ranging, accessible scientific insight to make this work a fresh interpretation of the Earth's fascinating evolution. The landscape
photographs were shot specifically for the book, albeit by the author himself, after consultation with leading scientists to find
the location of the best-known examples of various forms and processes. The writer manages to reduce the most complex
theories to digestible nuggets of information. The text is an entertaining narrative that successfully weaves recent and ancient
history with science. Origins is a heavyweight work in more ways than one: as a test for the legs of any coffee table and as a
definitive guide to our planet's evolution. It is ideal for regular dipping into as much as for in-depth reference.
C EARTH ODYSSEY by Mark Hertsgaard
Worried about the effects of our expanding population on the world's resources, Mark Hertsgaard took a world tour to see for
himself how bad things really were. Earth Odyssey is the culmination of seven years' work, during which time he visited 19
countries. To read it is to shadow him on his tour and to observe the condition of the planet through the eyes of the people he
met along the way: their living conditions, their personal struggles and triumphs. He does not try to offer his own opinions;
rather he lets us make our own minds up. Hertsgaard cleverly interweaves his observations with carefully gathered evidence
as he seeks to answer questions about our environment. He takes us through the industrial and agricultural revolutions, then
back to the origins of the human species, to see if the past can provide any answers. Although the answers we want to hear
sit uneasily with the facts, Hertsgaard presents an elegant portrait of the human species, full of character, dignity, perseverance
and strength. He leaves you with a strong conviction that it is ultimately a race worth saving.
D THE VIKING ATLAS OF EVOLUTION by Roger Osbourne
Why are there no penguins in the Arctic, or polar bears in Antarctica? How is it that camels and llamas are so closely related,
yet they live so far apart? The answers come down to the fact that evolution takes place according to geographical location
as well as time. Using photographs, superb illustrations and more than 100 maps showing distributions of organisms,
migrations, territories and biogeographic regions, the atlas graphically highlights the impact geography has had on the
development of life on Earth. It charts the origins, evolution and spread of plants, reptiles, birds and mammals worldwide. It
also investigates the way people have altered the world they live in, from the introduction of exotic species into fragile
ecosystems to the destruction of habitats and the domestication of wild species. The accompanying text is highly informative.
The atlas does not review the evolution of every 'important' life form on the planet. Rather, it chooses several case studies to
highlight the evolutionary process in differing geographical settings.

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