Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program

Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%

Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

PART I: Identifying Main Ideas

Directions: Each paragraph is followed by four statements. Select the statement that best
expresses the main idea. (10%) The Louisiana Purchase proved to be one of the shrewdest
business pacts in the entire history of the United States. The purchase doubled in the area
of the country and provided territory from which fourteen new states were created either
wholly or in part. It also gave us control over the mouth of the Mississippi River and opened
up the way to foreign trade. Prior to the purchase, the Spanish, probably with the approval
of Napoleon, had blocked the waterway. The land that was bought was rich in timber,
minerals, and natural resources of many kinds. Finally, the cost of the transaction was
unbelievably low; the total of $15 million amounted to about four cents an acre.
A. The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.
B. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was rich in minerals.
C. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was very cheap.
D. Most Americans were very pleased with the purchase.
1. In earlier days, those who had overseas business that they believed should be
discussed personally, took ship and set out across the salty deep. Once aboard they
transacted their affairs, engaging in commercial and social matters or conducting
government business. Today ships and passengers continue to sail the seven seas, and
airplanes soar overhead. But above them all, words speed through the sky – telephone
conversations quickly bring together in the most personal fashion people who are
separated by thousands of miles.
A. Overseas telephone service today is ruling out all need for overseas travel.
B. Nothing can take the place of person-to-person conversation in settling business,
social, and government problems.
C. Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted
by telephone.
D. Even with modern overseas telephone service, people continue to travel abroad
by ship or by plane.

2. When tigers hunt, they hunt alone. In contrast, lions hunt in groups; they work
together to drive their prey into an ambush. Cheetahs are known for their speed when
they chase prey. Leopards are able to climb trees when they are prowling for prey.
Surprisingly, jaguars often hunt in water. There is great diversity in the hunting habits
of large cats. There is also great diversity in the places in which they hunt.
A. When tigers hunt, they hunt alone, but in contrast, lions hunt in groups.
B. Cheetahs, leopards, and jaguars have different methods of hunting.

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Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program
Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%
Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

C. There is great diversity in the places in which big cats hunt.

D. There is great diversity in the hunting habits of large cats and in the places they
hunt.
3. Whenever your physician orders a medical test for you, ask why you need it. You
should also inquire about the risks and benefits are. Find out how to prepare for it. For
example, you may need to fast or discontinue medications or herbal remedies you are
taking. Finally, be sure to ask what the test will involve.
A. There are several questions you should ask whenever your doctor orders a
medical test for you.
B. You should also inquire about the risks and benefits are.
C. Find out how to prepare for it.
D. For example, you may need to fast or discontinue medications or herbal
remedies you are taking.
4. When you are with your friends, it is okay to be loud and use slang. They will expect it
and they are not grading you on your grammar. When you are standing in a boardroom
or sitting for an interview, you should use your best English possible, and keep your
tone suitable to the working environment. Try to gauge the personality of the
interviewer and the setting of the workplace before cracking jokes or speaking out of
turn. If you are ever in a position to speak publicly, always ask about your audience,
and modify your language, tone, pitch and topic based on what you think the
audience's preferences would be. You would never give a lecture about atoms to third-
graders!
A. Your friends do not grade you on your grammar.
B. You should always use your best English.
C. Different situations will require a different kind of speech.
D. Never give a lecture about atoms to third-graders!

PART II. READING COMPREHENSION (15 pts)

READING PASSAGE
HARD TRAINING

Welcome to the land of Nike. Here, the great goddess Nike, who wears a Ronaldo shirt,
looks down on the other gods, Reebok and Adidas. This land is a dangerous one for parents.
How can they make their child, who lives for nothing but sport, happy at Christmas? The
trainers kids want to wear these days are so expensive! Take Derek Hill, 15, whose wardrobe
is full of basketball trainers: he will only buy well-known brands like Nike and Reebok. ‘I like
to wear something that’s comfortable and smart,’ he says, ‘the cheaper ones don’t last that
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Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program
Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%
Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

long.’ Derek is not a basketball player, and he doesn’t watch much basketball; he is just
keeping up with the latest fashion. One of the things that he likes doing most on Saturdays
is shopping for new trainers.

Trainers have been around for at least a hundred years. In 1900, Joseph Foster set up a
company in England which produced and sold trainers. This company, which was then
known as Fosters, is now known as Reebok. The name Reebok is African and comes from a
type of animal called a gazelle, which runs very fast.

Today, Reebok Classics, which come with a smart zip, are very popular with teenagers; the
younger ones may prefer Reebok Fruit, which also have a transparent stipe. The Airmax
comes with a bubble in the sole, which gives added bounce to the shoe.

The big names in teenage footwear are Reebok, Nike and Adidas and the competition
between these companies can be fierce. They all want teenagers to buy their shoes and not
a rival brand. One battle the sports companies have been fighting recently is persuading
famous sports stars to link their names with their trainers. Football players, such as Ronaldo
or Beckham and basketball players as popular as Michael Jordan, can cost the footwear
companies a great deal of money in sponsorship fees. However, if sales increase as a result
of successful advertising, they can also bring in enormous profits. There is only one brand of
football boots which teenagers are happy to be seen in and that is the ‘Beckham’, or the
Adidas Predator Accelerate, which is their official name.

These days, trainers seem to be an essential part of any teenager’s wardrobe. Pop groups
such as the Spice Girls have had an enormous influence in making trainers high-fashion wear
for girls.

Given the power of modern marketing methods, parents have a difficult job persuading
their children to wear less well-known, cheaper brands. Are the brand-name trainers worth
the money? They certainly look good, and plenty of effort is made by companies in making
their latest models better than the rest. So, it seems likely that brand-name trainers will
continue to be a popular choice with both athletes and kids.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Directions: Read the above text again and choose the correct answer: A, B, C or D that completes the
sentence.
1. What do parents think about trainers? They think they are .

3
Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program
Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%
Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

A. dangerous C. necessary

B. too expensive D. very cheap

2. Derek likes trainers _____________________________.

A. he can play basketball in C. that are not expensive

B. that are worn by famous people D. that feel good and look good

3. Who are/were Reebok trainers? They_______________

A. are also called Fosters. C. are made by Fosters.

B. used to be called Fosters. D. were popular 100 years ago.

4. What do you think the reason why sports stars are paid a lot of money?

A. To advertise footwear. C. To advise footwear companies.

B. To train other players. D. If sales of footwear increase.

5. According to the passage why do teenagers want to wear ‘the Beckham’?

A. Because they are the most fashionable boots to be seen in.

B. To advertise football boots.

C. Because they are comfortable.

D. They want to meet David Beckham.

6. The Spice Girls ________________________.

A. like to play sport in trainers C. think trainers mean ‘girl

power’

B. have made trainers popular with girls D. prefer to wear Nike

7. What does the article say about brand-name trainers?

A. They are not worth the money.

B. They should be cheaper.

C. They look attractive but are badly made.

D. They look attractive and are popular.

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Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program
Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%
Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

DIRECTIONS: For questions 8 – 10 identify the reference of pronouns and/or expressions

used in the passage.

8. The expression ‘the other gods’ in paragraph 1 line 2 refers to______.

A. the lesser gods C. Ronaldo Shirts

B. gods in another land/world D. other brands

9. What does the phrase ‘their name’ in paragraph 4 line 4 refers to?

A. names of companies C. names of football players

B. names of sports stars D. teenagers’ name

10. The expression ‘the trainers’ in the whole text does not refer to______.

A. people C. footwear

B. boots D. shoes

VOCABULARY: WORDS FROM THE TEXT

DIRECTIONS: Based on the reading passage above, identify the word whose meaning is
given under each question.

11. Goods which are the product of a particular firm/company

A. brands C. types

B. goods D. sorts

12. Things we wear on our feet like shoes and boots

A. socks C. pyjamas

B. trousers D. footwear

13. Something which is very important or necessary

A. delicious C. comfortable

B. essential D. enormous

14. famous

A. well-known C. attractive

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Haramaya University Directorate for Freshman Program
Assignment for Freshman Students– 30%
Course title: Communicative English skills II
Course code: FLEn102
NAME ______________________________ ID ___________________ SECTION ________________
Use your own sheet of paper and write only the answers for the questions under each
part.

B. latest D. popular

15. convincing

A. arguing C. persuading

B. showing D. helping
PART III. GRAMMAR
ACTIVE/PASSIVE (5 pts.)
Directions: In the text given below, complete the sentences (27- 33) by changing the verbs given in
parentheses into their correct forms of active or passive.

Facebook 1__________ (create) ten years ago by an American computer programmer called Mark
Zuckerberg. Then, he was a Harvard University student, and he, together with his roommates,
2__________ (launch) the facebook on February 4, 2004. But, the term “facebook” might not have
been coined by Zuckerberg himself. Before he joined Harvard University, he had attended his pre-
university education at a preparatory school called Phillips Exeter Academy. This Academy
3_________ (publish) a student directory called The Photo Address Book which was nicknamed “The
Facebook” by the students. Thus, Zuckerberg might have borrowed the term “facebook” from those
students. The Facebook, created and named this way, is now one of the influential social media; it
has revolutionized human relations in various ways. But, Facebook is also as harmful as it is useful;
even one may argue that its disadvantages are far more than its advantages- if used unwisely.
Nowadays, many people, especially teachers and students, 4 ____________ (cripple) by Facebook.
They do not read or study; they do not involve themselves in community service or extracurricular
activities because all their time is taken up by Facebook. What is annoying is that not only are they
addicted to Facebook, but they also waste all their time staring at someone’s face and chatting on
trivial issues. What is more, Facebook 5__________ (promote) falsities. How much of the
information, the profile or the chitchat on Facebook is genuine? Generally, thanks to Facebook, our
mind is colonized, our body is imprisoned and our job is lamed.