Student Name

CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH EMPOWER

C1 READING / USE OF ENGLISH COMPETENCY TEST

End of Course Test

Time 40 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name on this question paper.
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
Write your answers on the question paper.

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

There are four parts to this test.

© UCLES 2016
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Part 1

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each gap. Circle the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Can buildings absorb feelings?

One photographer’s thoughts on the topic

Some friends of mine recently moved to an old house. When I first sat in their living room I was

immediately filled with optimism. I thought, ‘This house is full of happiness’.

Although it may seem a (1) …….. idea to some, I believe homes absorb the moods and characters of

the people who used to live there. If the last owners were a loving family, this affects the feel of the

building and the new residents may well be (2) …….. to this. Some buildings seem calm and

peaceful, which (3) …….. the best in people. It’s fascinating to imagine how the future of our own

houses is being formed, as they absorb (4) …….. changes in our moods and feelings.

Some people claim there are ghosts in their homes. They may be absolutely (5) …….. by these

visions, and say they could never sleep a (6) …….. in a room that is haunted. Or they may believe

that the presence of a ghost in the building is not at all (7) …….. . It is simply the walls releasing the

strong emotions they absorbed in the past. I take photographs of such buildings. These images are

particularly (8) …….. in my opinion.

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1 A far-fetched B plausible C convincing D gullible

2 A sensible B spontaneous C sensitive D conscious

3 A holds back B fits in C comes across D brings out

4 A subtle B delicate C faint D precise

5 A restless B petrified C insecure D disillusioned

6 A drop B log C nap D wink

7 A mouth-watering B light-headed C hair-raising D tongue-tied

8 A powerful B cluttered C flawless D observant

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Part 2

Read the text and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.

Robot Hotel
At the Henn na – or Weird Hotel – in Japan, the staff are almost all robots. So, if you (9) …….. rather
have a human receptionist, don’t stay here. Using robots is an attempt to achieve efficiency. If it
works, this (10) …….. well be how many hotels are run in the future. In the rooms, another robot
answers your questions and you can also tell it to get your bath ready.

One thing robots aren’t good at (11) …….. finding keys when guests lose them. So instead of the
standard electronic keys, a digital image of the guest’s face is registered during check-in. And
(12) …….. you to ask a robot to call you a cab, it wouldn't be able to do that. (13) …….. could it make
your bed! Despite these shortcomings, they are advanced (14) …….. to take your luggage to your
rooms.

Security is another area in (15) …….. the hotel still relies on humans. Real people watch everything
through monitors to ensure guests are safe and that no one decides to help (16) …….. to an
expensive robot and take it home in their suitcase!

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Part 3

Read the text about doing ballet to keep fit and answer the questions. For each question, circle the
answer which fits best according to the text.

Ballet fitness

Why adults are taking up ballet to get fit.

I still remember the moment when I reached the peak of my ballet career. Standing very straight, trophy
held up high, proud tears at the backs of my eyes. It was to be, aged four, my first and last ballet prize.
My parents insist it was awarded out of relief that I'd finally stopped running around for long enough to
learn a few steps. Still, I spent my teenage years looking at ballet books and turning out my toes,
dreaming of my first standing ovation. As the years went by, the responsibilities of life took over and my
dreams of dancing superstardom faded somewhat, but I was left with a sense that something of
importance was missing in my life.

In fact, it was probably better that it turned out that way. I like cake too much, have a tendency to fall
over walking in a straight line and never fancied the idea of bleeding toes. So when I went to my first
adult ballet class, I wondered why on earth I was back in ballet shoes, trying to keep my balance with my
heels together and feet in a straight line. I would have liked to have been able to claim to have done
regular strengthening and toning exercises since my teens. However, this would be far from true. Before
the lesson, in my nervousness, I'd even put on my new grown-up ballet kit the wrong way round.

It was reassuring to find myself shoulder to shoulder with quite a few women my age. I'd assumed we'd
be leaping around in order to get our required dose of cardiovascular exercise. But no, it was all very
quiet and serious. We worked conscientiously through a series of dance exercises, with a small tap here
and there from the teacher to correct our position. I was surprised to discover that, although most of the
movements were precise and involved tightening muscles without actually moving them, I was sweating
with the exertion, and my muscles were trembling. That 'muscle shake' is what all dancers are aiming
for, apparently, meaning the muscles are working as hard as they possibly can.

What really brought ballet back into fashion was the release of the film Black Swan in 2010. Although
this psychological thriller was a commentary on the negative aspects of ballet, what caught people's
imagination was the pink and grey wardrobe and the beauty of stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis.
Sports brands raced to release ballet-inspired looks. Health clubs suddenly started putting on ballet-
inspired classes.

There are good reasons why ballet has not traditionally been regarded as the most healthy of activities;
it's an open secret that having a dancer's body results from eating relatively little and doing hours of
training. Classical ballet steps are not very natural, so unless you've been training from an early age, the
moves can feel difficult or awkward. And even professional dancers are constantly getting injuries
because they spend hours and hours doing very repetitive moves. But a good teacher will insist you
remain within your limits, maintaining proper fitness to keep chances of injury to a minimum. People
doing ballet classes for fun aren't training long or hard enough to get those kinds of injuries.

I asked the founder of a chain of dance studios if she herself had always loved ballet. 'I didn't have a
dance background – I was a football player,' she laughs. 'I loved lifting weights in university, but I put on
muscle easily and never really liked the way I looked. I was introduced to ballet-based fitness and it
transformed my body.' However, if tights and piano music bring back more bad memories than good,
there are plenty of other options. Classes ranging from salsa to jazz are currently on the increase, and if
you feel that you want to bring out your inner rock star, there are even music video classes. As for me,
now I've had a few months of lessons, ballet is a way to work out that feels like a fun couple of hours,
and certainly not a form of torture.
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17 In the first paragraph, how does the writer say she feels?

A insecure about her abilities

B disillusioned with the world of ballet
C frustrated not to have achieved her ambition
D devastated by her parents' lack of support

18 What does the writer suggest in the second paragraph?

A She regrets not having kept herself in good physical condition.

B She would have little trouble following a restricted diet.
C She was surprised to feel so self-confident in her first class.
D She was tempting fate by taking up ballet again.

19 In the third paragraph, what does the writer say about her dance class?

A It wasn't significantly harder than any other type of exercise class.

B Some of the other students there made her feel uncomfortable.
C It didn't involve nearly as much jumping as she had expected.
D The teacher's demands made the students limp around the room.

20 What point does the writer make about the film Black Swan?

A It was brought out as a result of a surge in public interest in ballet.

B It gave a false impression of what the world of ballet is really like.
C Many new companies were set up as a result of its popularity.
D The actors' appearance had a greater effect on audiences than its message.

21 In the fifth paragraph, the writer expresses the opinion that

A professional ballet dancers have only themselves to blame for their injuries.
B the reputation ballet has for being potentially harmful is well deserved.
C children should be encouraged to take up ballet at a younger age.
D ballet would be safer but for the actions of some teachers.

22 What do we learn about dance classes in the final paragraph?

A There are a considerable number of people who don't enjoy them.

B There has been a steady shift over time in sports people's attitude to them.
C There has been a barely perceptible change in the way they are conducted.
D There is more and more choice available to people who want to attend them.

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Part 4

Read the article in which four people talk about taking photographs. For each question, choose the
correct person. The person may be chosen more than once.

Which person says

people's approach to photography affects the impact of the photos they take? 23

they regret missing an opportunity? 24

photos help them avoid awkward situations? 25

software can give people a perfect appearance? 26

many photos are very similar to one another? 27

some photos give a great deal more information about people's lives than is desirable? 28

a behaviour has become well established? 29

people risk losing a permanent record of events? 30

photos create a lasting memory? 31

it's impossible to imagine how many photos are taken nowadays? 32

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Taking photographs
A Lucy
I'm definitely guilty of taking too many photos myself. It's important not to get carried away, though,
and just constantly be taking snaps of everything you do. If you’re always documenting everything,
there's a risk that you won’t enjoy the moment, or even have any memory of it unless you see the
photos later. And although all these images can get a bit repetitive, it is nice to capture something
special. And taking photographs is a great way of keeping people informed about what you’re doing,
and of keeping up to date with friends. Lots of my family live far away, and now when I see them I
know exactly what they've been up to and the conversation flows, rather than me just sitting there
feeling tongue-tied. But I do worry that the use of social media could mean that one day such pictures
will be lost. People used to make photographic prints and treasure them, but so few of us do that
anymore, and things can disappear if they're just left on a computer.

B Ben
It can get too much, people taking photographs all the time. It can feel as if everyone's more interested
in showing people what they're doing than actually enjoying themselves. And the number of images
involved is simply mind-boggling. It can be interesting to see what people are up to, but when a social
media site is full of pictures of their dinner, I think that's going into far too much detail. I select what I
choose to show other people carefully. I think there's a danger that taking photos and sharing them
becomes essentially a way of promoting yourself, and your life. It's like saying, ‘Hey look at me, I’m
happy.' Selfies, pictures people take of themselves, aren't necessarily a bad thing. It all depends on
what you do with them, and your mentality. If you're constantly posting them on a public platform, you
can build an image of yourself that doesn't reflect reality. However, although all selfies are looking for
attention, they can be used as a good advertisement for either yourself, or a good cause.

C Sarah
I'm definitely guilty of taking a lot of photographs, but after all, I'm not the only one. Everyone's
absolutely obsessed with it these days, it's something that's really taken hold. I found myself at an art
gallery talking pictures of the art, then taking pictures of people taking pictures of that art. If only I'd
actually given myself the chance to actually appreciate what I was seeing, or created some lasting
memories. It’s ironic, because someone has created a piece of art, and I'm trying to create art out of
that. You’re wasting your own time taking pictures, but you’re showing other people what you haven’t
properly seen yourself. And then there are selfies. Let’s not deny it, everyone loves an audience. You
end up making your life look more glamorous – mine is nowhere near as exciting as it appears to be on
social media. And I do have the fear that the world as a whole is becoming more concerned with what
others think, rather than how they feel about themselves.

D Kevin
It's true that people are a bit obsessed with taking pictures, and it takes the pleasure out of some really
great occasions. Psychologists say they are worried about the fact that many of us spend more time
thinking about how good the recording of an event will be, rather than the actual event. And yet, the
most accurate way of remembering a particular thing is always going to be by means of a visual
record. The chance to freeze a certain moment in time is a great thing. That moment will be there
forever. Technology's constantly changing the way we do things, how we learn, how we process
information. Therefore the amount of photos now taken will affect today’s culture. Selfies are fun to
take, but because of them everyone feels the need to look fun, unusual and exciting nowadays. They
can make people feel good about themselves, and that’s great, as long as it doesn't produce unrealistic
expectations, especially with all these editing apps that make everyone look flawless.