NorthStar Placement Test Name: Phan Minh Quang

Reading and Writing

PART 3: SKILLS FOR WRITING 

3.1 Write the correct past tense form of the verb in parentheses. One answer is
already given.
For a long time, Tim (want) wanted to be a farmer.
1. e first time Tim (try) tried to grow tomatoes was in his
apartment.
2. When Tim (eat) ate the tomatoes, he liked the flavor.
3. His old job (not be) wasn't interesting.

3.2 Read the sentences. Fill in the blanks with the correct comparative form of the adverb
in parentheses.
Men are not always polite when they speak. Women are usually more polite.
Generally, women speak more politely than men.
(politely)
1. Male friends oen only talk once a week. Female friends may talk every day.
Usually, female friends talk more frequently than male friends.
(frequently)
2. Boys’ games always need a winner. Girls oen don’t care who wins.
In general, girls play less competitively than boys.
(competitively)
3. Men sometimes interrupt at meetings. Usually, women don’t do this.
People say men don’t listen as patiently as women.
(patiently)

3.3 Read the article about Guillermo’s goldfish experiment. Underline adjective clauses.
One is already underlined. Underline three (3) more adjective clauses.
Every day before feeding the goldfish that he was trying to train, Guillermo placed a
music box next to the fish’s bowl. en he played a loud song that the fish could
hear for one minute. Aer the minute, Guillermo fed the fish.
Guillermo put the control fish in a place where he couldn’t hear the music. “I fed
the control fish directly, without playing any music,” explained Guillermo.
To Guillermo’s surprise, the fish that got the music before his feedings almost
immediately learned that food would follow the music. Guillermo reported that
within a few days, “as soon as the music started, the fish swam quickly to the
surface” to eat. In fact, he swam to the surface just as fast as the fish that saw food at
the surface.

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NorthStar Placement Test Name: Phan Minh Quang

Reading and Writing

3.4 Write the letter of each detail next to the opinion it supports. Not all details will be used.
One answer is already given.

Details

A. They heal from the crime and better understand the situation.
B. Statues, buildings, and mailboxes have to be repainted.
C. Last year robbers broke into fifty homes. 
D. They sometimes beat victims up or even kill them.
E. They should clean parks and pick up garbage.
F. Prisoners need job training and education.

C Burglary is a serious problem in our town.

B 1. Drawing on buildings causes serious damage.
D 2. Robbers oen hurt people.
F 3. e government should help prisoners more.

3.5 Read the story about Peter and Barbara’s hike.Write the letter of the correct
subordinator or transition to complete the story. Not all of the choices will be used.
One answer is already given.
Peter and Barbara had a frightening experience on their hiking trip last Friday.
ey forgot to bring the food and water they had packed! E , they did have some
fruit juice, but not a lot. B , they really wanted to do their hike anyway. By the
1.
time they reached the top of the mountain, they had already drunk all of their juice,
and they were really thirsty. A , they were getting hungry. So, they hiked down as
2.
fast as they could. ere, they found a new surprise! C , they had le their car
3.
keys on the top of the mountain! ey didn’t want to hike back up, but they had to.
A. Also
B. However
C. In the same way that they had le their food in the car
D. Just as they were hungry and thirsty on their first round-trip
E. While they didn’t have any water
F. As a result

© 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.                                                                                                           13
NorthStar Placement Test Name: Phan Minh Quang

Reading and Writing

PART 4: WRITING 

Re-read the story about Tim Stark from Part 1.2.

Tim Stark was a busy and successful management consultant1 in New York City. He
was under a lot of stress from his job. His back hurt. To relax on weekends, Tim
started growing tomatoes in his apartment. First he grew a few tomatoes. en he
grew more. A year later, his apartment was full of 3,000 healthy red tomato plants!
en, one day, Tim made a decision that needed a lot of courage. He quit his
management consultant job to become a farmer. Now Tim raises a variety of crops
on a small farm in Pennsylvania, two hours away from New York. He is still under a
lot of stress: he oen works until sunset, and has a lot of responsibilities, such as
watering his crops, harvesting2 them, and bringing them to the market in his old
white truck. Tim says his back still hurts, but he likes living close to nature and
working in his fields. Tim believes being a farmer has many advantages. “My
tomatoes need me, and I need them,” he says.
1
management consultant: someone who gives business advice to companies
2
harvesting: collecting a crop when it is ready to eat

Assignment: Write an essay. Describe how Tim’s life changed when he became a farmer.
Then, give your opinions about Tim’s decision and the effects of stress.
• Take notes in the space below before you start writing.
• Describe Tim’s life before and aer he started farming.
• Support your opinions with examples from people you know or have
heard about.
• Include an introduction and a conclusion.
• Do not copy phrases or sentences from the reading passage.

Planning space

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NorthStar Placement Test Name: Phan Minh Quang

Reading and Writing

Being a busy and successful management consultant in New York city, Tim Stark has to endure a lot of work

pressure. Althorugh he is successful he doesn't feel happy about his job or enjoy it, also his back hurt. On the weekend,

he relaxes by growing tomatoes in his apartment. At first, it was just a hobby, but then he grew more and more until a later

his apartment was full of tomatoes. One day, Tim decide to quit his job as a management consultant to become a farmer.

Now he is managing a small farm in Pennsylvania. He still suffer stress, has a lot of responsibilities and his back still hurt

but now he is enjoying his job as a farmer. Sometime people who hooses a job with high salary but not enjoy it doesn't

have a better life than those who choose a job they love. For example, a person who studied Economics - Banking but

after many years working in different fields and different positions, finally finds himself suitable for the job of Customer

Care Manager. In conclusion, Career chooses people, people don't choose jobs.

© 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.                                                                                                           15
NorthStar Placement Test Name:
Reading and Writing

THIS IS THE END OF THE TEST!

PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME AND RETURN

THE TEST TO YOUR TEACHER.

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