READING EXERCISES 3

I. Fill in each blank with a suitable word to complete the passage

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Tango
The tango is undeniably one of the world’s most recognisable dances, (1) __EVOKING___ romantic images
of graceful dancers in city squares (2) __SURROUNDED__ by classical architecture. Despite having been
popularised in the elegant ballrooms of Paris in the early 1900s, its (3) _BIRTHPLACE__ was in the downtown streets
of the 18th-century port cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo
One common myth about the tango's origins is that it evolved from flamenco, milonga or habanera, all of
which have their roots in Hispanic countries. However, studying sociological changes has led historians to the (4)
_CONCLUSION__ that it is more likely to be due to the mixing of European and African cultures that went on in port
cities at that time, which in turn created a distinct (5) COMBINATION_ of music and dance.
As well as its historical origins, another controversial area that stimulates a lot of heated discussions about the
tango is (6) _ONETHAT_ of its symbolic meaning. Contrary to popular belief, although at first glance the dancers
appear to represent a loving couple, the dance actually symbolises love that is not returned. The moves (7)
__DISPLAY/EX-RESSCOMMUNICATE_ ideas of nostalgia, despair and tales of loss, and (8) __AS__ such the
dancers perform the moves with slow, precise movements so as to transmit these (9) __MESSAGES___ to the
audience.

A Female President?
In 2016, the USA missed out on having its first female president. However, what most people don't realise is
that in the early 20lh century one woman single-handedly (1) __PLAYED/TOOKASSUMED___ the presidential role,
in all (2) _BUT__ name. Although never (3) ___OFFICIALLY___ elected, as the wife of US President Woodrow
Wilson, Edith Wilson secretly governed the entire country for over a year while her husband was seriously ill.
Upon meeting, it was love at first sight between Edith and Woodrow, and she soon became one of his trusted
advisors, despite having no (4) ____PRACTICALWORKING_____ experience, a development with which Wilson's
administrative team were ill at (5) ___EASE__ to say the least. Despite objections, Edith and Woodrow soon married
and she became (6) ___INVOLVED/ENGAGED___ in helping the President with his work, unofficially, with full (7)
__COMMITMENT___ to all kinds of classified materials.
When Woodrow had a stroke, Edith would not contemplate that he should (8) ___RESIGN___ from the role as
President and have the Vice President (9) ___PUTSTEPPED___ in. She decided (10) _INSTEAD_____ to cover up
his illness by taking on his duties in secret. According to her and her personal physicians, Woodrow was working from
his bedroom, and she insisted that all presidential work come through her, even firing staff members who disobeyed.
Many at the time claimed it was clear to see the lack of governance, but all things considered, for a working-class girl
who had to play it by (11) __EAR___, she didn't do a bad job.

Humour across cultures

Humour is a uniquely human quality that enables people to connect, break (1) ___BOUNDARIES____ and
share common ideas. However, as many know through bitter (2) __EXPERIENCE___, it does not always translate
well across cultures. This is because much of what we find amusing is culturally (3) __DIFFERENTDETERMINED_.
The norms of humour that are familiar to the people of one nation can seem impenetrable to others. However,
research shows that (4) ____ /COMMON___ elements do exist. These can cross cultural boundaries and tap into a
mutual understanding of the world, (5) _IRRESPECTIVE/REGARLDLESS__ of where we grew up. While many
people think being funny (6) __IS___ a certain sophistication or intellectual ability, apparently anyone can make others
laugh. This is due to the fact that human beings are naturally predisposed to humour. Researchers have discovered
that something commonly considered to be funny is (7) __COMPRISEDCOMPOSED___ of two elements. Firstly, it
must subvert the listener's (8) __ATTENTIONEXPECTATIONS___ - in other words, be surprising - and, also, it
must not be threatening. As this appears to hold (9) _TRUE__ across cultures, the topics are where the (10)
___KEYSDIFFERENCES____ lie. For example, in some countries people enjoy telling jokes about their competitive
relationships with neighbouring nations while, in other parts of the world people like comedy that is directed at
themselves, or like using wordplay, storytelling or satire. (11) __FOR__ the topic, though, it turns out that
understanding the things that make any of us (12) __CRACK___ up isn’t actually that difficult.

The history of writing

Much evidence suggests that it was in the Middle East that systems of writing were initially developed, and
these were borne out of practical (1) ____NEEDS___. As individuals grouped together in cities, this gave (2)
__RISE___ to more frequent trading of goods, but keeping a running order of these goods was an uphill (3)
___STRUGGLE___, especially since they were often communally stored.
In the (4) _FACE/MIDST__ of these difficulties, a better method of controlling and accounting for stock was
developed, and this was the very first system of writing. It initially took the (5) ___PIECESFORM__ of pictures
drawn in clay tablets to represent a particular commodity, with lines (6) ___CORRESPONDING_____ to the number
of items a person had. In time, these drawings gave (7) __WAY___ to symbols, which were more efficient for the
writer, and then to more detailed forms of written record. This is when writing evolved to more than just lists of nouns,
and started to take the shape of the fully formed (8) _SENTENCES____ we see today.
Where would we be without the shipping container?
Few of us ever pause for a moment to think about how all the goods we consume appear in stores and
markets the world over with such regularity week in week out. This smooth-running global transportation network
results from what appears to be a rather (1) _ACCIDENTALABSURD___ innovation - the shipping container.
However, the transformational effects of this steel box ought not to be (2) __UNDERESTIMATED_________.
Before uniformly (3) __ARRANGED__ containers could be mechanically loaded on top of each other, no
obviously efficient system existed. Boxes were unloaded by hand, which was an extremely laborious process for all (4)
_INVOLVED/CONCERNED__. Besides this time-consuming process, companies faced the additional expenditure of
warehouse storage on account of the poor (5) ___QUALITYDURABILITY_____ of boxes that were frequently
destroyed by adverse weather.
The initial shipping container design can be (6) ___ATTRIBUTED____ to Malcolm McLean. He was the owner
of a trucking company in 1950s America. Experience had taught him that only so many consumer goods could be
transported over land. As a result, he wanted to experiment with making sea transportation more financially (7)
_VIABLE_. He took the plunge, borrowed a considerable sum of money and started sketching his (8)
_IDEAS/DESIGNS___. His attempts resulted in a stackable, strong container that reduced loading costs by up to
90%. Since then, international trade has exploded and shows no (9) __SIGN____ of slowing down. McLean would
likely be astonished by the impact his invention has had on the world economy.
II. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the passage
ORIGINS OF THE FAMILY
The question of how the family first come into being has been hotly debated by anthropologists for decades. Scientists
believe that some sort of family has existed in all human societies and have (1) ___ struggled to explain its evolution.
As early humans become better hunters, they began to depend more (2) ___ on hunting than on gathering their food.
Women did not usually participate in the hunt, mainly because human infants are quite helpless. (3) ___, they greatly
expanded child care and foraging methods. This division of labour seems to have (4) ___ to the development of the
family and community, as it made practical sense. The family did not exist in all classes of all societies, though. In
some places, for example, slaves were riot permitted to have legal families, and their family-like relationships were
often disrupted in various ways, (5) ___ being sold at auctions. This deliberate obstruction of family building suggests
an historical awareness of its importance as a powerful (6) ___ in a state-run society.
1. A long B last C past D just
2. A seriously B fully C heavily D solidly
3.A Otherwise B Instead C Then D Meanwhile
4. A opened out B come up C brought about D given rise
5. A other than B such as C so as D apart from
6. A force B vigour C strength D energy
ROAD RAGE
What makes so many otherwise rational, mild-mannered people get behind the wheel of their car and be turned (1)
___ frenzied maniacs ready to let fly with an array of well-chosen expletives if anyone should (2) ___ their path?
This is a subject that has puzzled many people since the advent of driving but what we are sure of is that road rage
was definitely not a (3) ___ phenomenon during the major part of the twentieth century. Although road accidents are
frighteningly high in warmer, more southerly European countries, it isn’t due to the fiery Mediterranean temperament.
(4) ___ driving is the cause of so many accidents in those countries, just as it is elsewhere in the world.
Perhaps scientists will one day be able to explain why some countries are fast (5) ___ a reputation as hot spots for
road rage. Once we have got to the (6) ___ of the matter, perhaps we will be able to turn around the statistics.
1. A out B off C into D against
2. A cut B pass C meet D cross
3. A common B customary C conventional D popular
4. A Careless B Negligent C Thoughtless D Indiscreet
5. A evolving B developing C fostering D promoting
6. A foot B depths C bottom D base
GARDEN REFUGE
Having failed to care for my garden in the time-honoured (1) ___ for the last forty years, I have now been hand picked
as a potential collaborator for a new documentary (2) ___. While my neighbours have long looked (3) ___ their noses
at me from their immaculate lawns and flower beds laid out with precision, all sorts of native species, flowers and
weeds (4) ___ have flourished in my non-discriminatory patch of nature. Thanks to the presence of a babbling brook
and decades of neglect, my garden has become a veritable (5) ___ for many rare species, from otters and squirrels to
butterflies that have become almost extinct. A local botanist has even (6) ___ that one of the weeds enjoying my soil is
thought to be extinct in the rest of the country.
1. A method B fashion C mode D style
2. A show B episode C series D serial
3. A up B through C along D down
4. A anyway B notwithstanding C presumably D alike
5. A haven B resort C respite D asylum
6. A let on B set out C put forward D made up
GREENMOULD CINEPLEX: THE TALK OF THE TOWN
As the philosophically minded would say, better late than never. And in this case it was definitely worth the (1) ___
Greenmould now has its very own brand new cinema complex comprising eight auditoria (2) ___ equipped with state-
of-the-art technology. This impressive complex has been full to capacity every night of this, its first week in operation
and, far from being due to mere (3) ___ value, this trend seems (4) ___ to continue. Its steeply tiered rows of luxurious
seats with drink holders provide excellent comfort with superb sightlines to the enormous full-wall screens. The crystal
clear digital sound systems are what make the cinematic experience here really (5) ___. The complex also includes a
well-planned box office, cafe, restaurant and (6) ___ parking space. Best of all, whatever the day, there is always
something for every taste and age group, with special price concessions for children, students, pensioners and
families.
1. A delay B wait C pause D rest
2. A fully B totally C wholly D entirely
3. A newness B freshness C oddity D novelty
4. A fixed B ready C set D fit
5. A pull through B hold together C stand out D turn up
6. A ample B roomy C abundant D plentiful

A NEW DAY
Kurt watched the final weak glow of dying (1) ___, the sole remains of the previous evening's blazing campfire. It too
was (2) ___ away, but not to leave him in utter darkness, for the dull pink of the approaching dawn had been creeping
relentlessly round the curve of the horizon, (3) ___ the imminent arrival of the sun. For a short time, temporarily placed
on (4) ___ by Kurt's heightened awareness, faintly coloured shadows (5) ___ shape until the sun itself rose above the
main portal of the primitive open-air stone temple, filling its arena with life-giving rays. Back in the cities were the
towering cathedrals and holy spires reaching to the heavens, palaces to all-powerful but now forgotten gods, whereas
here, in the prehistoric temple of his sun-worshipping ancestors. Kurt stood (6) ___ by the awe-inspiring spectacle,
this reconfirmation of renewal by the primal life-force.
1. A flashes B embers C sparks D ashes
2. A ebbing B dwindling C trickling D fading
3. A heralding B hearkening C heckling D foretelling
4. A call B hold C alert D guard
5. A made B formed C created D took
6. A infatuated B incapacitated C captivated D encapsulated

SIGN LANGUAGE
Have you ever wished to be free from the hubbub of excited chatter or the raised voices of those who wish to
dominate a discussion or argument? For those who do not have the power of speech or hearing, this is an everyday
reality (1) ___ upon them which they must cope with through sign language. Finger spelling and sign language were
used in a school for the deaf founded in Paris about 250 years ago, and over 1,500 signs are in regular (2) ___.
However, sign language is not confined to special schools. In former times, monks who had taken a (3) ___ of silence
communicated in this way, whereas nowadays its practicality in noisy factory environments is (4) ___ appreciated.
Over the ages it has proved useful whenever people from different cultures have first come into contact with each
other. Although it is an essential tool for teachers who have a duty to educate the deaf or (5) ___ of hearing, it is
obviously an accomplishment that is worth (6) ___ a go of, whoever you are.

1. A pushed B compelled C driven D forced

2. A demand B contact C use D service
3. A vow B promise C confirmation D bond
4. A very B well C overly D much
5. A hard B short C mild D close
6. A having B making C taking D seeking

REDEFINING “OLD"
In 1900, the average British male lived 48 years, but now he can almost (1) ___ on exceeding 75 years. This not only
has a (2) ___ on our expectations and lifestyles, but is also relevant to national pensions policies and health and
social planning. The pensions system introduced in Britain in 1948 would, in terms of life (3) ___ equate with present
day workers retiring at 74. Policy makers, while aware of our increasing longevity, seem to be content with tinkering
with the system, (4) ___ certain researchers are convinced that this is folly. With new forecasts giving girls born now a
50/50 (5) ___ of becoming centenarians, the complacent may be (6) ___ a lie. With life getting longer, time is getting
short for us to have a radical rethink about our perception of old age and our attitudes to leading fulfilling lives.
1. A insist B hinge C bank D dwell
2. A bearing B pertinence C demeanour D relevance
3. A assurance B expectancy C availability D insurance
4. A however B therefore C moreover D whereas
5. A prospect B opportunity C chance D possibility
6. A perpetuating B living C experiencing D testing
WANDERLUST
Although many animals spend all their days in the same area without (1) ___ very far others are often on the (2) ___
hungrily seeking out new pastures. The activity of undertaking really long journeys is known as migration. This may
involve seasonal journeys to avoid (3) ___ of heat or cold, or it may be necessary for breeding young.
One of the most dedicated of migrating animals is the Arctic tern, a seabird which spends the summer in the Arctic
and then (4) ___ its way to the South Atlantic or Antarctica before setting off northwards again. (5) ___, salmon
migrate thousands of kilometres. Although born in rivers or streams, they spend their lives crossing the oceans only to
(6) ___ up back at their birthplace so that the next generation may start lite there.
1. A digressing B straying C straggling D erring
2. A move B way C track D march
3. A climaxes B records C peaks D extremes
4. A makes B goes C loses D leads
5. A Equally B Accordingly C Anyhow D Likewise
6. A turn B head C hurry D catch

UNDERGROUND
Like my pupils, I too look forward excitedly to excursion days, though unlike the majority of them, my destination of
choice is a little (1) — natural attraction, the Lime way Caverns. The cool caverns provide a welcome (2) — from the
unrelenting heat of the summer sun. Specially constructed steel steps lead gently down from the cave’s entrance to
the great natural chamber in the heart of the mountain (3) — out by water erosion. Eventually, we reach an
underground lake where our guide rows us in a wooden boat to admire the stalactites dangling from the cavern
ceiling, sharp calcium carbonate teeth deposited by the constant dripping of water. Formations known as stalagmites
point jaggedly upward from the floor where a similar process has given (4) — to lime spikes. A (5) — of eternal joy for
me is the rapt wonder on the faces of my normally jaded pupils at the sheer splendour of the natural artistic secrets
laid (6) ___ before them in the beam of the guide’s powerful searchlight.
1. A popularised B resorted C frequented D patronised
2. A respite B cessation C shelter D sanctuary
3. A ground B pumped C hollowed D drilled
4. A rise B shape C prominence D form
5. A cause B source C well D spring
6. A naked B vacant C void D bare

MY INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE
I had only seen drama on television, lavish productions (1) ___ at large West End theatres where no (2) ___ had been
spared on the sumptuous costumes and scenery. So I was quite (3) ___ when I accompanied a friend to a play at her
local community centre. For a start, the stark concrete box architecture was a complete (4) ___, and my realisation
that the stage was simply one corner of an ordinary classroom adorned with nothing more than a few stacks of empty
plastic milk crates did nothing to heighten my expectations. I was on the (5) ___ of walking out when a small cast of
scruffily attired actors occupied their allotted space. But what need had they of fine costumes and props? From that
moment I was whisked away on a (6) ___ tour of the imagination, with the cast conjuring up a magical fantasy world
that left me simply spellbound and more emotionally involved than I could ever have imagined. I was awake at the end
but still expecting to be awoken.
1. A posed B staged C displayed D cast
2. A expense B cost C charge D outlay
3. A put out B thrown over C taken aback D set up
4. A hangover B turn-off C send-up D push-over
5. A edge B dawn C limit D verge
6. A whirlwind B cyclone C hurricane D tornado

QUANTIFYING MY MATHS LESSONS

I may be what people call numerically challenged, and certainly, until my last two years at school, I had only ever just
(1) — through the maths exam. To make (2) — worse, my maths teacher in those last two years was Rachel
Budwright, the easiest sucker for student inspired red herrings. Whenever we tried to pull the (3) — over her eyes as
to whether we were really doing a lesson, she fell for it hook, line and sinker. Whatever the distraction we raised, she
was a (4) — of knowledge on the subject from astronomy to navigation, or from plumbing to irrigation. We were even
clever enough to fool her into giving us first aid practice and car mechanics practicals. But that was what she (5) — us
to believe. Like my classmates, I was fooled into developing a liking for school and I even went on to get a Bachelor of
Science (6) — in maths!
1. A scraped B clambered C clawed D scrawled
2. A items B particulars C affairs D matters
3. A bag B blind C sack D wool
4. A spring B fount C stream D bank
5. A forced B led C raised D fooled
6. A degree B certificate C licence D diploma

EDUCATION IN A CARING SOCIETY

The powers that be are now making a determined effort to get to (1) — with the concept of special educational needs.
Laws now being brought into (2) — recognise the principle that all children should be educated in (3) — schools if at
all possible. Education is each child's right and is to be child centred with the aim of achieving the fullest potential of
the individual child. It is unlawful to (4) — against disabled students. Thus, for example, a child in a wheelchair should
be able to take part in physical education lessons with the rest of the class. Children with special educational needs
are (5) — to have an individualised programme drawn up to ensure that they may achieve their educational goals in
(6) — with their aptitudes and abilities.
1. A odds B senses C terms D grips
2. A effect B validity C play D force
3. A mainstream B mainline C independent D special
4. A discriminate B victimise C favour D bias
5. A qualified B respected C entitled D cajoled
6. A tow B line C touch D practice

LIFE IN THE HIGHLANDS

When we first moved to the Highlands of Scotland we thought we would never get used to driving on single track
roads with sheep freely (1) ___ on the unfenced verges. Although our nearest neighbours in this (2) ___ populated
region live five kilometres away, we soon got to know them and all their kith and kin from the surrounding area Our
daily routine involves more physical work, as do the seasonal (3) ___ like digging the peats for the fire. We (4) ___ the
opportunity to commune with nature, watching the changing colours of the seasons and the deer being driven down
the mountainside in (5) ___ of food when the blizzards rage. Yet life is not backward, for all the young people are, like
us, (6) ___ in computer technology, an essential lifeline for keeping in contact with the wider world while enjoying the
benefits of the Highlands.
1. A grazing B chewing C suckling D chomping
2. A scarcely B sparsely C haphazardly D barely
3. A errands B chores C skills D duties
4. A abhor B delight C relish D imbue
5. A pursuit B process C hunt D search
6. A acquainted B learned C versed D familiarised

SEQUOYA
Most of us have heard of the colossal trees known as the redwood and the giant sequoia, but perhaps fewer people
are 1) ___ that they are named after a famous Cherokee called Sequoya. Although his father was a white trader,
Sequoya grew up (2) ___ the Cherokee and knew no English. Later, on coming into (3) ___ with white people, he
became intrigued by their "talking leaves" and (4) ___ himself the task of revealing this secret to the Cherokee. After
years of study, he had invented a system for writing the 86 syllables of the Cherokee tongue for which he gained the
(5) ___ of the council of the tribe, thus enabling the Cherokee to (6) ___ out their own newspapers and books. As well
as teaching different branches of the Cherokee people to read and write, he worked hard for their advancement and
represented them in Washington.
1. A informed B sensible C aware D alert
2. A among B between C through D about
3. A league B union C empathy D contact
4. A put B set C fixed D made
5. A consensus B approval C authority D licence
6. A bring B sort C turn D set

THE LONELINESS OF THE DISTANCE LEARNER

You've signed up to do a university degree by distance learning, communication with your teachers and other students
is by e-mail and through online forums. Then the frustrations of the system begin to take their (1) ___. In order to do
your assignments you need guidance, but your e-mail queries remain unanswered for days and the reply you get
requires clarification, for which you are obliged to (2) ___ down your tutor by making expensive phone calls. Your
virtual tutorial is a nightmare. Time (3) ___ differences place the online forum in the middle of your night and it (4) ___
an efficient agenda. This informality is (5) ___ by technical hitches and idle chat among some participants. But
remember you are not alone. Arrange a regular fixed time when your tutors can guarantee instant replies, and be
persistent in seeking help to clear up difficulties as soon as they (6) ___ up. Most Importantly, seek out the company
and mutual support of fellow students who live near enough for you to visit.
1 A revenge B place C hold D toll
2 A track B drive C pin D narrow
3 A area B zone C sector D belt
4 A lacks B desires C omits D neglects
5. A exculpated B exasperated C exacerbated D expatiated
6. A crop B spring C sprout D perk
TREADING THE ROAD TO NOWHERE
Down our High Street you'll notice two similar window displays side by side. One is the pet shop, where numerous
mice, hamsters and gerbils exercise on their treadmills in fits and (1) ___. Next door, in the former butchers (2) ___ is
another type of meat shop, the local fitness centre. Its all-revealing windows offer a full view of fitness fanatics lifting
weights, cycling on bicycles that go nowhere and jogging on stationary treadmills.
Much as my colleagues tell me I ought to get into (3) ___ you won't find me going on (4) ___ in that goldfish bowl. I
can just imagine the regulars staring disdainfully at my skinny limbs and flabby stomach. But I don’t suffer from a (5)
___ conscience. I walk round to the shops every day for my housebound neighbour and I play in the park with my
children. It may not be extreme sport, but at least I'm going somewhere and taking (6) ___ in more than measuring my
biceps.
1. A fancies B fashions C starts D stops
2. A property B premises C quarters D venue
3. A outline B shape C form D figure
4. A view B demonstration C display D exhibit
5. A remorseful B guilty C heavy D sad
6. A joy B umbrage C happiness D pleasure
The US Bicentennial
Such was the national mood in early 1976 that plans fora mammoth celebration of the bicentennial in Philadelphia had
been quietly (1) ___ But when the Fourth of July 1976 came round things did not seem so gloomy (2) ___. So up and
down the country they celebrated.
There were parades, there were speeches, there were picnics, there were fireworks. The flag waved everywhere, and
everywhere people (3) ___ their brains for permanently useful schemes, such as the restoration of old buildings or the
opening of new parks, with which to mark the bicentennial. And by a (4) ___ of real genius, the last great sailing-ships
of the world were called to New York harbour, a summer parade of dizzy (5) ___ and clouds of white canvas, to
express by their beauty some of the faith in themselves, their past and their future which the American people were
renewing. The whole affair was exactly the tonic for the national (6) ___ that was needed.
1. A dropped B quit C renounced D desisted
2. A for that matter B by the way C whatsoever D after all
3. A wrenched B strained C racked D sprained
4. A blow B stroke C blast D stamp
5. A spires B rods C posts D masts
6. A morale B temper C frame D complexion
Reading People
Recently I went out to dinner with a friend and her new boyfriend. She had been (1) ___ for weeks about what a kind,
considerate, engaging person he was. He had truly (2) ___ her off her feet. Within minutes of meeting him I thought
‘Boy, has he got her fooled!' At the restaurant, he curtly announced his reservation to the maître d' without so (3) ___
as a glimmer of courtesy. He proceeded to interrogate the waiter about the menu as if he were conducting a criminal
investigation, and then (4) ___ at the young man who brushed against him as he served his water. Meanwhile, he was
exuding charm and grace to those of us at the table whom he (5) ___ worthy of his attention and good humour. It was
clear to me that he was a nice guy only when it (6) ___ his purpose. ‘Little people' didn’t rate. Truly kind, thoughtful
and confident people do not treat others in dramatically different ways depending on their mood or their perception of
what someone can do for them.
1. A acclaiming B fuming C raving D extolling
2. A plucked B swept C dragged D hoisted
3. A much B far C great D long
4. A winked B glared C peeped D eyed
5. A pondered B discriminated C weighed D deemed
6. A met B realized C performed D served

The Street Entertainers

It was a cloudless afternoon as we sat at the front of the crowd and watched the Gnaoua dancing. They wore
embroidered caps fringed with cowrie shells which (1) ___ like bells when they moved. They played their tall drums
and danced in the square on most afternoons.
‘Where do they come from?’ I asked Mum.
‘They are a Senegalese tribe from West Africa. The King of Morocco has always employed them as his personal
drummers.’
'Because they're so beautiful?’ I asked, (2) ___ the elegant wrists and ankles of the dancers as their cymbals rang out
in (3) ___ to the men's drumming hands.
‘Maybe.’
Khadija, a solemn-faced girl, wriggled through the crowd and (4) ___ down on the floor next to me. 'Hello, Khadija,’ my
mother said, noticing her, and Khadija smiled a big gap-toothed (5) ___ She touched my arm and pointed through the
crowd across the square to where a group of people were beginning to (6) ___ ‘Hadaoui.’ she said and began to move
towards them, looking over her shoulder to see that I was following.
1. A clattered B clunked C tittered D tinkled
2. A esteeming B revering C delighting D admiring
3. A beat B tempo C time D harmony
4. A huddled B squatted C hunched D stooped
5. A grimace B sneer C scowl D grin
6. A gather B stack C heap D draw
Ivo's Job
The life of a deputy literary editor is not an especially enviable one. The job had been handed to him as a sop. Angus
had promised to make him a political columnist, but the present (1) ___ was hard to shift.
Few people seemed to realize that in any practical sense it was Ivo who (2) ___ the real power. It was Ivo who -
unless Marian (3) ___ her foot down - decided who got what to review, Ivo who manipulated the wheel of fortune, Ivo
who laid out the page. Yet it was his boss to whom those (4) ___ work or coverage usually demanded to speak and,
really, almost everyone wanted to review these days. Anyone with something to sell, or something to hide, anyone
long in the (5) ___ or fresh out of college, rang Marian. Marian, however, spoke only to those she considered her
social equals, which caused many people to take considerable (6) ___.
1. A bearer B incumbent C keeper D denizen
2. A wielded B presided C availed D dominated
3. A laid B put C set D brought
4. A pleading B endeavouring C aspiring D soliciting
5. A tooth B face C mouth D nose
6. A insult B outrage C offence D resentment
Not That Famous
A few weeks before Christmas 19621 joined an unknown group of guys who were learning to play blues music. Four
months later, a small provincial newspaper wrote an article about us: I kept it. Then we made a single, which did (1)
___ well. I have a son. Stephen, who was then eighteen months old. I was proud of him and wanted him to be proud
of me when he grew up. I decided to keep some small (2) ___ of my limited success for him to see when he was old
enough to understand. I bought a scrapbook, which was soon filled. I bought another - and another and another. Items
were coming (3) ___ and fast. Stephen didn't really show much interest in my career until he was seven years old.
During his first week at boarding-school, a boy asked the (4) ___ question: "What does your dad do?" Stephen replied
in all (5) ___ 'He's in the Rolling Stones.' When Stephen arrived home the next weekend he took me (6) ___ and said
shyly. 'I didn't know you were that famous!’
Neither did I son, neither did I!
1. A moderately B ordinarily C marginally D barely
2. A memorials B recollections C reminiscences D mementoes
3. A hard B long C sweet D thick
4. A destined B irrefutable C inevitable D fated
5. A oblivion B innocence C negligence D disregard
6. A apart B on C aside D up

Travel Books of the Year

The best travel books of this year (1) ___ into three main categories: purely informational, narrative, and what, for (2)
___ of a better term, I'll call 'anecdotal'. Between these broad categories, however, the boundaries are blurred.
One problem with putting travel writers into genres is that they are (3) ___ to be pigeon-holed. Many of them see their
role as a mixture of the documentary and the creative. Some (4) ___ to be more like novelists, employing some of the
elements of fiction writing. Others regard themselves as sociologists, exploring the customs and mores of other
societies. At the end of the day what (5) ___ is how readable or useful the book is and in many cases, how well it is
presented. However, it is quite clear that travel and books were (6) ___ for each other.
1. A land B line C sort D fall
2. A want B absence C shortage D reed
3. A wary B loath C cautious D resistant
4. A allege B hold C claim D contend
5. A counts B reckons C bears D signifies
6. A given B cut C lent D made
Fear of Flying
Fear of flying is among the most understandable and prevalent of phobias. One person in four suffers (1) ___ anxiety
at the idea of boarding a plane - as a pet (2) ___ it ranks alongside fear of snakes - and one in 10 refuses to fly under
any circumstances. The agony is not just being five miles high with no visible (3) ___ of support, but having absolutely
no control. Risks aren’t the problem, but fear. The argument that we are in greater (4) ___ in a car or boiling an egg, is
irrelevant. The phobia cuts sufferers off from friends and families and can damage careers.
But most can overcome their fear (even if they will never leap aboard planes with a (5) ___ heart) by understanding
more about how and why an aircraft flies, and learning how to cope with anxiety. There are courses which teach
plane-loads of nervous passengers all about this. About 95 per cent of those taking them are then ‘cured’ (6) ___ the
extent that they can board a plane without feeling overwhelming panic.
1. A severe B harsh C austere D stern
2. A disgust B distaste C hate D horror
3. A grounds B resource C means D resort
4. A hazard B peril C menace D threat
5. A soft B gentle C bright D light
6. A to B with C by D in
The Journey
The car had again failed to start, and Elizabeth was again compelled to take the train. She brought a cup of coffee
down the rocking carriage, (1) ___ as the boiling fluid seeped out from under the lid and on to her hand. The hearing
was turned up (2) ___ and most of the people in the carriage seemed on the (3) ___ of unconsciousness as they
looked out of the window at the flatlands sliding past the window. Elizabeth had telephoned the matron of the home,
who told her that Brennan was barely worth visiting, but that he would see her if she came. She felt excited by the (4)
___ of actually meeting someone from that era. She would be like a historian who, after working from other histories,
finally (5) ___ hands on original source material. She had an unclear picture of Brennan in her mind, although she
knew he would be old and, (6) ___ from what the matron had said, decrepit.
1. A leering B squinting C wincing D smirking
2. A top B full C maximum D peak
3. A verge B rim C fringe D border
4. A prospect B outlook C foresight D viewpoint
5. A sets B rests C casts D lays
6. A reflecting B accounting C judging D rating
A Private Man
Alec Guinness is a difficult subject for a biographer. He has, very deliberately, covered what he wants to hide with a
truth that partly satisfies him and (1) ___ the curious. His reaction against revealing himself is deep, instinctive and
should be respected. But while respected, this can also be questioned and not followed in (2) ___ subservience.
Guinness has frequently defended his privacy. He has also complained that some of his contemporaries have
become, in later life, unexpectedly and brutally frank’. There is surely only one way to (3) ___ one’s private life, and
that is not to become a public figure. Paul Schofield, another great actor, has done just this, truly (4) ___ himself the
attention that should have been his (5) ___. Guinness, on the other hand, has enjoyed the limelight while claiming not
to: he has enjoyed fame very much on his own (6) ___.
1. A swerves B deflects C veers D rebounds
2. A void B blind C blank D bare
3. A safeguard B immunize C harbour D cage
4. A denying B vetoing C rejecting D forgoing
5. A merit B justification C due D credit
6. A particulars B requirements C rules D terms

Kenneth and Rory

Kenneth made a show of squeezing Kory's boney shoulder. ' Woa; feels like you could do with a bit of (1) ___ up.'
'Yeah.' Rory said. 'Well, my stories might be a bit thin, too; maybe I should tell them to you first. Let you re-tell them.'
He gave a small laugh. 'You're the professional fictioneer in the family. I'm just a glorified journalist.'
'Hey, is that fake modesty or even a (2) ___ of jealousy there, young Rory?' Kenneth laughed. 'Come on, man; I
stayed here while you were off getting famous, winning awards -'
'Travel writing awards,' Rory sighed.
'Nothing wrong with that. The last time I saw you, you were on TV. What was that line? 'Better lionised than mauled”?
Ken laughed as they walked down the hill.
Rory made an exasperated noise and (3) ___ his head. 'Ken, don't you remember anything?'
Ken looked nonplussed. 'What? Did I get it (4) ___?'
‘No. but that was your line. You said that. Years ago. You said it, not me.'
'Didi?'
'Yes.'
Ken frowned. 'You sure?’
'Positive,' Rory snapped.
'Good (5) ___! I'm wittier than I thought,’ Ken said. 'Well, you’re (6) ___ to it.'
1. A nourishing B fleshing C feeding D broadening
2. A vein B pinch C note D speck
3. A shook B rocked C rolled D swayed
4. A mistaken B wrong C amiss D awry
5. A grace B faith C grief D sake
6. A warranted B spared C disposable D welcome

Marketing Movies
Hyping, or to put it more politely, marketing movies can double their budget. And in the end, does it really (1) ___ the
trick? Those without the major studios' huge spending (2) ___ are not convinced. “There will always be an audience
that follows the big campaigns,’ says Andrea Klein, of the British Film Institute, ‘but there is another which doesn’t
respond to four-page colour ads.’ For this audience, reviews are all-important. Publicist Jonathan Rutter concurs:
‘Most of our films can be killed (3) ___ dead by bad reviews.’ he says. Although he is not (4) ___ to the odd gimmick,
he warns against too much hype: ‘I get put off films which are over-marketed.' he says. ‘People don’t like to be spoon-
fed. they prefer to make up their own minds.’ For Hollywood blockbusters, leaving people to make up their own minds
is not a viable marketing strategy. Films on this scale are caught up in a (5) ___ circle. To (6) ___ inflated production
costs, a mass audience must be found, and to find that audience takes a giant publicity budget.
1. A pull B work C play D do
2. A force B strength C weight D power
3. A stone B flat C point D cold
4. A reluctant B counter C averse D obstinate
5. A relentless B vicious C brutal D merciless
6. A restore B refund C recover D reimburse

Class in Britain
Class lies at the (1) ___ of virtually every analysis of Britain, and most of my discussions about the state of the country
usually ended up at this sociological destination, however circuitous the conversational route. The subject seems (2)
___. For an outsider, the insignia of class are not so easy to identify these days. In the streets of London it’s rare to (3)
___ a bowler hat or a cloth cap. The rules of British class are opaque, and a foreigner is never certain when they (4)
___ into play. Americans tend to simplify class in Britain as a contrast between the sophisticated aristocracy and the
toiling masses. Much of what Americans still glimpse or read about class in Britain (5) ___ this passing impression
separate classes with little in (6) ___. But British class these days is a more elusive concept, even for the British.
1. A gist B core C substance D base
2. A infallible B indefatigable C indelible D inexhaustible
3. A glance B peer C spot D scan
4. A fall B break C arise D come
5. A reinforces B props C subsidizes D clinches
6. A amid B midway C between D halfway

III. You are going to read a magazine article about six young girls who have achieved success as designers
while still in their teens. For questions 1 - 10, choose from the sections (A - F).
Which of the successful young girls:
1. owes success to doing something on a whim?
2. is considering expanding her business?
3. hopes to become very wealthy?
4. was inspired by something boring?
5. makes things that are cheap, fashionable and practical?
6. makes a link between her success and having to learn a skill?
7. seems modest about her success?
8. started a bussiness for which she had no formal training?
9. discovered her future career by accident?
10. began her business because she had time on her hands?
SIX YOUN FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS
Daniel Crawley speaks to six successful young girls
A. Anala Patel - children's clothes designer
There's no doubt that Anala is going to be a big name in the future. Her forte is children's clothes that challenge the
traditional. Her fabrics do not crease, are washable, and are not crease , are washable, and are not what children
would usually wear. Their cut and their design is more like a high-end fashion designer would make, yet they are
inexpensive. ‘At my school’ explains the 16 year-old ‘we have to learn practical skills, such as sewing. We had to
design and make something for a child, and I really took to it. Before I knew it, a chain store wanted my designs and
I'm going to work full-time for them when I leave school. It's so unreal when I see my name on the labels.’
B. Katerina Stellas - shoe designer
I’m 18 and a shoe designer. Who'd have ever thought that would happen? Certainly not me! ‘Katerina’s life has
changed completely and despite her excitement, she seems remarkably calm about her sudden rise to fame. Her
shoes can be seen everywhere and now she's left school she's devoting herself full-time to her new career. I never
dreamed something like this could happen. On impulse, I entered a competition ‘So You Think You Could Do Better’
and I won. I love shoes, but could never find any that were really different and unique. Now I can, and so can every
other teenager.’ Katerina has plans to design for all age groups and is surprisingly eager considering she's already
struck it rich.
C Richenda Lefevre - website designer
Richenda has no art training or real computer background, yet here she is, running her own business designing
websites for large corporations, at the tender age of seventeen. 'I built my own website when I was fifteen. You know,
one of those free ones you can get. It was fun and I really got into all the different effects you could achieve. People
started asking who had designed the site, and then my uncles asked for my help to set up their website for their
business, and it just grew from there. Today, Richenda is revamping the websites of companies that deal primarily
with teenagers, and she has more work than she can handle. She's thinking of taking on staff – teenager, of course!
D. Jemma Shuter - computer games designer
Jemma had no interest in computer or video games until she was fifteen, when she played her first game with a friend.
She talks now like she's been doing it all her life. She found the game repetitive and dull and thought she could
improve on it She spent six months in the evenings and at weekends working on it but didn’t really expects to sell it to
anyone. 'It was always just to prove I could do it. My dad approached a company and now that it's on the shelves, it
feels great. My friends all love it and have bought a copy. I'm working on another one now that'll be even better I hope.
I'm quite proud of it already.’
E. Ivy Dawson - furniture designer
I was so thrilled when I saw the furniture I'd designed on display for everyone to see. All my ideas had come to life.
When Ivy and her family moved to a bigger house, her parents said she could have new bedroom furniture. They
searched everywhere but couldn't find anything she liked. So Ivy made drawings of what she wanted and took it to the
biggest department store in the area to ask if they could make it for her. They were so impressed with her designs that
the 17 year-old is now working for them. ‘I had no idea what I wanted to do after I left school, so I found what I want to
do purely by chance. I'm so happy.’
F. Ellie Foxx - jewellery designer
Ellie started to make her own jewellery she was studying for her A-levels to go to university. ‘I didn’t have to go to
school every day, and I couldn't study all the time. Without much money, I bought some beads and the other stuff I
needed.’ Ellie posted pictures of what she'd made on a social website to show her friends. They all wanted some. 'I
didn't expect anything like this. Despite getting into university, I've decided to concentrate on the jewellery making. I
sell it online and am sending out over a thousand orders a week. My goal is to make my first million by the time I'm
twenty-one, so two years to do it.'
You are going to read a newspaper article about historical re-enactments. For questions 1- 10, choose from
the sections (A - E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section does the writer mention:
1. a near accident during practice?
2. the idea that archery can be good for for fitness?
3. a wish to emulate the success of someone else?
4. the composition of the re-enactment society?
5. the idea that tuition is absolutely necessary?
6. an explanation for becoming a member?
7. a lack of proficiency compared to some others?
8. reviving the past?
9. the suggestion that participants had been assessed?
10. the hierarchy of the society?
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
Tom Bales tries his hand at historical re-enactment.
A. There's no half-way with archery. You either pick it up quite quickly or fail miserably to hit the target, despite
practising for so long that your arms and shoulders feel like they're on fire. Mastering the art though, is well worth the
effort. It doubles as an excellent way of exercising and tightening up those arm and neck muscles and it’s the coolest
way to really learn what it was like for those archers of old, although they of course were fighting for their life rather
than a weekend's re-enactment with other enthusiasts. You're more involved with history than just reading a book or
watching a film, and there's a lot more to it than just trying to use a bow and arrow with some semblance of aplomb.
B. Happily practising with a group of people who are just as inept as you can be very amusing, even though It’ s
mandatory. The instructor, James Montgomery, has the patience of a saint and I first met him at a range in London.
As I struggled to pull the bow back for the first time, he explained how he'd left his job in advertising to teach full time.
He teaches the re-enactors, as well as anyone who wants to learn how to become an archer. Impressed by how well-
organised the re-enacting society are, he became one of their bowmen himself. He can, of course, fire off an arrow
much quicker than anyone else, but everyone seems keen to build up to his speed.
C. The Great Northwood Bowmen, the re-enacting group, are a medieval archery and re-enactment society. Based in
London, they focus on archery in the 14th and 15th centuries, providing a unique attraction in exciting and varied
shows for their audiences. What makes this group so special is they are a hierarchal family unit. At the head of the
family are the nobility, which includes the Neville / Plantagenet family, along with characters such as Sir Edward
Northwood. Then there is The Retinue', the longbow army with roles such as Sergeant Bill Bowman, who protects the
Neville family. Finally, there are the 'Household Staff', who are cooks, textile craftsmen and women, peasant dancers
and archers.
D. After a few weekends practising, which were fairly uneventful apart from nearly killing one of my fellow learners with
a wayward arrow, I was deemed ready for the first event of the month, the Knights in Combat Show. It's a few hours of
marching and firing and then we'll all have a feast when we win,' James explained. 'Just be careful and enjoy
yourselves. This is what you've been working for and it's supposed to be fun. 'We all grinned a bit sheepishly and set
off. It was soon clear that I wasn't the worst archer in the world, but there were others who were far more advanced
than me. When the woman next to me and I were both 'killed', we lay on the grass chatting. Shed joined the re-
enactment society as a means of relaxing. 'I work long hours,’ she said, 'and I hoped to get away from anything to do
with work and meet people who aren't doctors who talk shop all the time'. It struck me as ironic that we were supposed
to be dead and yet she was a doctor.
E. When the show had finished, we ate what seemed to be a banquet cooked by the other members who don’t do
archery, and mingled together. What struck me the most was that everyone seemed to have got a lot out of the
afternoon. My son came running up to me, 'Dad that was so much fun. 'This was the reason I’d joined the re-
enactment society. He hated history lessons at school, and I thought it would be a great way to make history come
alive for him, but I think inadvertently it has helped me, too. Both of us have got out of the house more than once for
the society, we talked about what we'd learned and upcoming events, and what part we'd play in them. He was now
really into being a part of a Knight’s household, and all that it involved. We drove home together through the streets of
London, talking about the castle we'd be staying in all next weekend and what parts wed have to play in the re-
enactment, excited and full of anticipation of what was to come.
You are going to read an extract from a book about changing technology. For questions 1 - 10, choose from
the sections (A - E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section are the following mentioned
1. the ability to type without touching a keyboard?
2. the possibility that the mouse will become obsolete?
3. instructions being carried out using signals?
4. the potential to complete a task using something other than a computer?
5. the global contrasts and aspects of different cultures?
6. an item of technology that virtually no longer exists?
7. the prediction that computer screens will become less widely used?
8. visual instructions are all that is needed?
9. there are many new technologies planned for the future?
10. certain actions are not suitable for a work environment?
THE CHANGING FACE OF TECHNOLOGY
The end for keyboards and mice?
A. Over the past few decades, technology, particularly the computer, has had an effect on all aspects of human life
and activity. During this relatively short history, the computer has expanded its capabilities in the realm of what it can
do for humans through connection to the Internet. It brings us images and news from all corners of the world, images
of distant parts of the solar system, social media opportunities, the chance to buy products from anywhere on Earth,
an infinite number of facts at our fingertips, as well as being the means of capturing any aspect of life around the
world. Yet despite the technology for computers and the Internet changing on practically a daily basis, throughout it all
they have relied heavily on the keyboard and mouse. Indeed, with a few noteworthy exceptions. It is noticeable just
how little the way we interact with computers has changed over the years. The keyboard and mouse may, however,
be about to be made redundant, as there are a host of new ideas in the pipeline to simplify the way we use a
computer.
B. Already the widespread use of touchscreen technology has started to erode the use of the keyboard, but not
entirely. One new idea on the drawing board is to incorporate technologies that already exist, such as screens and
computers, into everyday objects. This is known as 'tangible computing' and would allow anyone to cooperate with
computers using physical things, rather than through a device such as a keyboard. For instance, you could specify
which move you want to make on a chessboard to a computer, by physically moving a piece on a real board. This
would negate the need to use the mouse or keyboard to enter your move. Researchers at MIT are already exploring
other uses of this idea, putting forward plans to control on-screen experiences by manipulating real life things, and
they are also prophesying wider use of flat surfaces, like tabletops or walls, being used as display screens by using
personal projectors worn on clothing or around the neck.
C. Gamers are already used to manipulating their games consoles with physical movements, particularly with games
such as Microsoft's motion-sensing device that follows the movement of objects in three dimensions using a camera
and a depth sensor. This is not totally a futuristic concept, although it seems unlikely that office workers will want to be
using extravagant arm movements to communicate with their computer. Most people are too lazy to use sweeping
arm gestures all the time, so would return to using the mouse or would prefer to communicate with their laptop through
their voice or tiny finger movements. The latter idea has already been incorporated into a 3D motion sensing system
that is placed in front of a computer and lets users surf the web, play games or use other software with just finger and
hand gestures. This gadget is already on sale, so not a vision that is pie in the sky, but actually possible and available.
D. Also available are systems that trace eye movements, already used by people with disabilities. Functions comprise
controlling wheelchairs and are a means of using a keyboard instead of typing. Many scientists believe that tracking
interfaces will become common, so that if you look in a particular direction or at a particular thing, it would be the
signal for certain information to appear on the computer screen.
E. The last few years have witnessed the ever-increasing influence of the mobile phone and tablets, culminating in the
decrease in sales of personal computers and laptops. For computers, the new prospects and uncertainties posed by
tablets and their touchscreen tools, and the ability to carry out an ever-increasing variety of tasks, might have already
sounded the death knell for the keyboard and mouse. It has even been suggested that we are now entering the post-
laptop era - the personal computer has already been superseded by the laptop. However, for the moment it might be
best to keep your qwerty keyboard at least, but it would seem that the mouse might be soon as extinct as the dodo.

You are going to read a newspaper article about colour. For questions 1 - 10, choose from the sections (A -
D). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section does the writer mention
1. that a shared experience of colour is always unique?
2. for the first time that people might see colours in different ways?
3. what sort of information is processed when colour is perceived?
4. the idea of colour covering a myriad of shades?
5. the possibility of a medical examination that will resolve nothing?
6. that each individual is unique?
7. people often not being as familiar with others as they think they are?
8. that people see colour differently?
9. that everyone assimilates the same information about colour?
10. the mechanism of visual perception?
DO WE ALL SEE THE SAME COLOURS?
Writer Jill Adams reflects on the nature of colour.
A. One of the most amazing things about colour is the infinite number of hues. When you tell someone you bought a
dark blue item of clothing, immediately in their mind springs a vision of that shade of blue. Despite the fact this person
has not actually seen the clothing; of course, what they have mentally imagined might well not be the same colour you
bought. Does everyone see the same colours? Imagine my husband and me at a football match. 'Doesn't the pitch
look great? Such a rich green.' I say, and he agrees. Then I am struck by the thought that I can look at the pitch and
say it is green, and he will be of the same mind, but is he really seeing the green the way I am seeing it? Perhaps he
had learned to call green what he sees as green, but in actual fact he is seeing nothing like the vibrant green that I
see. Or perhaps he is seeing a splendid vivid green and I am the one seeing a pale imitation of it.
B. My concern about our insight into how we see colours is an aspect of the fundamental fact that basically the human
condition is one of isolation. It does not matter how well we think we know someone, we still cannot be totally sure of
that familiarity. Psychologists who are behaviourists have always held that if you call my green green, and you can
always tell it apart from yellow, and if we are both aware that the colour of grass is green, then it is irrelevant what the
personal perception is. This might well be true, but perhaps there is also some legitimacy in persuading ourselves that
the distinctions between our personal perceptions are real and that they do matter and indeed, perhaps are almost
inevitable. We might well use the same adjectives to share experiences, but no one can see the same colour grass,
due to perception belonging to the person and not the grass. Because everyone is unique, we definitely see things
differently when we talk about looking at something green.
C. A human's colour vision begins with the sensors that receive Information from the light and turn it into electrical
signals which are sent to the brain. These sensors are called photoreceptors and the majority of people have three
different kinds of these, which are sensitive to blues, greens and reds in that order and they use this information to
allow us to distinguish the full array of colours. So, although we are sharing this moment at a football match, maybe I
am seeing something he cannot see, or he is seeing something I cannot see. Even if our perceptions of colour in the
brain are different, the data that is entered is likely to be similar. Perhaps I should not worry that even though we both
have the same apparatus as regards vision and we can both see the green of the grass, the blue of the seats and sky,
and the white shirts and shorts of the players, we each have a personal perception of colour that differs from that of
my husband’s.
D. The game finishes and we leave. He might have seen a richer green on the pitch than me, but he will not have the
same memories of the other pitches I have seen and the people who were with me. We could both visit the optician for
an eye test or have our perception of colour tested, but we would still not know what it is like to be the other person,
seeing a particular shade of colour. As long as we can both agree that the pitch is a beautiful colour green, we can be
safe in the understanding that I see my green and he sees his. Despite not seeing the exact same colour, we have the
shared experience of it, and the act of sharing is also exceptional and unique to the two of us, because no two other
people on this planet will have the same recollections.

You are going to read an article about a new exercise workout. For questions 1 - 10, choose from the sections
(A - D). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section does the writer mention
1. being surprised to see a result in a short period of time?
2. feeling unwell after the first session of activity?
3. an explanation of the health benefits of Tabata?
4. the results of an experiment?
5. searching for something that is elusive?
6. exercise being difficult to incorporate into their daily routine?
7. the success of a person involved in Tabata?
8. how the intensity of exercise makes a difference to fitness?
9. after 4 minutes of Tabata one should feel exhausted?
10. suffering pain despite getting used to the activity?
TABATA - THE FOUR-MINUTE MIRACLE WORKOUT
Can you really get fit in four minutes every day? Becky Slater finds out.
A. I've always found It difficult to diet and exercise. Finding a healthy way to get fit and lose weight that really works is
similar to searching for the Holy Grail. Having unsuccessfully tried Pilates, aerobics and other fad exercise regimes, I
came to the conclusion that it was my fault - I have no willpower or motivation. Above all, I lack time and patience to
exercise - I'm always looking for the quick way round things. Therefore, the government's suggestion of five half-hour
sessions a week in a gym doing vigorous exercise could be described as my worst nightmare. In this I’m not on my
own. Research has revealed that the main reason people give up on exercise is that they are too busy and cannot fit
time in the gym into their schedule, and losing weight cannot be achieved without commitment and effort. So when I
heard about Tabata, christened the four-minute miracle workout, it seemed too good to be true. How could you
transform your body in just four minutes a day?
B. Tony Sinclair, a former professional footballer turned personal trainer, has been at the forefront of this trend. A few
years ago he opened his Tiptop Fitness gyms and hasn't looked back. Tony explains, 'Tabata is named after the
Japanese scientist, Izumi Tabata, who carried out research to discover which kind of exercise works best. He tested
two different groups, with the first pedalling on an exercise bike as fast as they could for four minutes a day. This was
made up of eight twenty-second bouts of pedalling, with a ten second break between each bout. The second group
was asked to pedal at normal speed for an hour. After completing this five times a week for two months, the Tabata
group was much fitter than the second group. The conclusion was that exercising the Tabata way gave better result
than an hour in the gym. A Tabata routine can be done with any type of exercise, but the rule of twenty seconds of
hard and fast activity followed by ten seconds of rest must be followed.'
C. In my first session with Tony, he recommended starting with something easy - twenty seconds of squats and ten
seconds of rest for four minutes. I didn't think it would be too hard. But how wrong can you be? In the first a twenty
seconds I did ten squats, but that was too few for Tony. I discovered he's a hard task master, as he shouted at me for
not squatting as fast as I should. In the second burst of activity, I managed twelve squats, and by the fifth set of
squats, I got to fourteen and my thighs were burning like mad. The ten second 'rest' is definitely a misnomer, as it is
far too short. After four minutes, I felt sick, dizzy and couldn't speak or get my breath. Tony was delighted, because -
that's how you should feel after a Tabata workout.
D. I asked Tony why Tabata works. Despite his rather scientific explanation, I worked out that High Intensity Interval
Training (HUT), like Tabata, increases your aerobic or lung capacity, as well as you’re anaerobic capacity - to you and
me that's the length of time you can exercise for at maximum effort. In addition, Tabata exercising builds muscle, and
your metabolic rate - the speed at which your body breaks down fat and burns calories - increases in the twenty-four
to thirty-six hours after completing the exercises. This leads to faster weight loss. Much to my I amazement, by the
end of the first week, I'd lost two pounds and by the end of the second, another three, plus two inches off my waistline.
I've actually started to look forward to those four intense minutes each day. I vary the exercises and split the four
minutes into two different exercises to work different areas of my body. For example, one day I might do two minutes
of skipping and two minutes of lunges. Or two minutes of press ups and two of squats. It's still agony, but it's not too
long to endure the pain. I'm getting fitter by the minute and actually want to do more than four minutes a day. A big
turnaround for me.

You are going to read an article about a medical myth. For questions 1 - 10, choose from the sections (A - D).
The sections may be chosen more than once.
Which section mentions the following
1. a theory as to why people believe the myth?
2. a recognition that no one person is responsible for the myth?
3. an explanation of why the brain is a drain on our bodily resources?
4. an example of how much brain activity there is?
5. that the brain is always functioning?
6. a reduction in brain cells is normal?
7. an opinion that intellectual and bodily performance are underutilised?
8. people are already using 10% of their brain?
9. the possibility of improving our brains one day?
10. a famous scientist is falsely claimed to be responsible for the myth?
DO WE ONLY USE 10% OF OUR BRAINS?
It's an appealing idea that we would be more intelligent or creative if we used all of our brain power.
Unfortunately, Martin Dobbie has some bad news.
A. It is incredible just how many medical myths there are, but none more so than about the brain. An enduring toy
myth is that only ten percent of our brain is being used, and that if we could just exploit more of it, we would be that
much more intelligent, creative or successful at whatever we applied ourselves to. Regrettably, although it might make
people strive to do better, it is inaccurate and untrue. If we ask the most obvious question first - 10% of what? - it can
be seen that the myth starts to fall apart immediately. Neuroscientists use magnetic resonance imaging when they
scan someone, to see which parts of the brain become active when they are asked to do or think about something.
They have observed that even simple activities, such as clenching or unclenching the hand or speaking, involves
activity in a lot more than ten percent of the brain. Even when a person is relaxed and not focusing on anything in
particular, the brain is active. After all, it has to control the normal bodily functions, like breathing, heart rate, send
signals to the eyes, and so on. The body is never really at rest, however relaxed a person might be feeling.
B. Even if the myth refers to only using ten percent of brain cells, it still does not stand up to scrutiny. If brain cells are
not being used, they either deteriorate and die off or they are assimilated into other nearby areas of the brain. Brain
cells do not just stay in the brain doing nothing, because they are too precious for that. According to cognitive
neuroscientist, Sergio Della Sala, our brains are actually a massive burden on our reserves; keeping brain tissue alive
devours twenty percent of the oxygen we breathe. He further adds that although nature might sometimes have
unusual designs, it would be untenable to develop a brain that is ten times the size we need, when its huge
dimensions are so necessary to our survival. And yet despite these facts, millions of people still believe that we only
use ten percent of our brains in our daily lives.
C. But it must be asked how a myth with no biological or physiological foundation has become so widely believed. It is
difficult to discover the origins of the rumour, although the American psychologist and philosopher, William James,
wrote in 1908 in his book, The Energies of Men, that we are making use of only a small part of our possible mental
and physical resources. Despite being optimistic that people would eventually use more, he did not mention brain size
or a precise percentage. He also did not refer to a quantity of brain cells, yet sources cite Albert Einstein as the first to
propound the theory. The staff of the Albert Einstein archives has found no record of this, despite extensive searching,
so this would appear to be yet another myth.
D. One possible reason for the misapprehension could be that nine out of ten of the cells in the brain are the glial
cells. These are what has been termed support cells, the white matter that sustain the remaining cells, the neurons,
the grey matter that actually do the thinking. However, these are completely different types of cells that cannot
suddenly become neurons, providing additional brain power. Of course, if we are determined to learn new things, then
we can do so, and there is mounting evidence in the field of neuroplasticity that demonstrates how this changes our
brains. This is not, though, using a new part of the brain. All that happens is that we form new connections between
nerve cells or lose old connections that are no longer needed. One amazing thing about this myth is when people are
told it is not true, they are truly disappointed. Perhaps the ten percent is so fascinating due to how low a figure it is. It
offers the prospect of substantial advancement in the future, as everyone wants to improve. Unfortunately, there is no
hibernating part of our brain waiting for us to wake up and start using it.

You are going to read a newspaper article about historical re-enactments. For questions 1 - 10, choose from
the sections (A - D). The sections may be chosen more than once.
Which of the restaurants
1. has let their standard of cooking fall?
2. provides a novel dining experience?
3. offers a more varied choice of food than would be normally expected?
4. has its menu projected onto your table?
5. customers share tables with people they don’t know?
6. offers food that is absolutely delicious?
7. is worse than another of the same chain?
8. is a place where it is possible to do more than just eat?
9. has relatively inexpensive dishes?
10. has an owner who has influenced what type of food the British eat?
GARETH KEOWN ON NEW INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS
Independent restaurants are growing in number and their owners are desperate to make them successful.
A. Nat's Seafood and Grill
Nathanial Evans is known for his light sauces, robust food and technique. Born in a fishing village, Nathanial draws his
influences from a childhood spent on the sea with his grandfather. 'I learned to cook when I was eight and my
grandmother taught me a few culinary tricks. Of course, fish was a staple in our diet.' Nathanial now has six
restaurants and I first tried his dishes in Cornwall, where the food was a superb. Here in London though, his newest
restaurant has mislaid something in transit. The fish are all headless, tailless and have no eyes. There is no hint of
shell or skin, so not a fingerbowl in sight. I quickly came to the conclusion that it is a seafood restaurant for people
who do not like seafood. All the essentials are there, but the edge has gone. All the starters are small and pricey, with
many of the dishes trying to impress the diner with their colour rather than flavour. All in all, quite a disappointment
and I knew from the moment I sat down I would not be returning.
B. Teutel's Cafe
Peter Teutel's first restaurant was an instant success. His second was opened to even greater acclaim. ‘The ethos
behind our restaurants is to bring different Oriental food to Britain.' He helped free Japanese food from the elite, and
bring it to the masses, and it should not be forgotten how he introduced a hungry public, who knew nothing about it, to
the joys of the noodle. We also should not forget the influence his communal tables and very fast service had on the
middle price-range British dining public. He raised the bar for Chinese and Indian dishes before venturing into Thai
food in his newest offering. In addition to curries, laksas and grills, there is a large choice of hamburgers, along with a
Caesar and a feta salad, evidently because there would be this sort of combination in a real Thai cafe. I suspect
though, that in Thailand they do not have access to the tasty burgers and salads that you can find almost everywhere
in Britain. Unfortunately, the place comes across as needy. Its menu is trying to be all things to all men, and somehow
it just doesn't work.
C. Tugamotos
This restaurant is the first of its kind in London and I'm sure it is going to be a winner. It offers a dining event with a
difference-techno fun fused with Asian food. Tugamotos is stylish and tranquil yet offers something really special • an
interactive ordering process, which is great fun. The menu is beamed onto your table through an overhead projector
and adds a quirky element to eating out. Diners can spy on the chef, select an interactive tablecloth theme, play
games, book a taxi or even theatre tickets, and it's all at your fingertips. There are waiters there to help should you be
Amish man or woman and not understand the techy elements of the dining experience, and the food is really top
quality. There is a good choice and the prices are more than reasonable, with the dearest dish being just £17.00.
From the high-tech devices to the delicious food, Tugamotos puts the fun back into dining out, and is well worth a visit.
D. Daufin
There is a lot to like about this basement restaurant, beige walls, black and white floor - and that's about it. The
waitress does not write your order down, because she knows the menu and also has a good memory. The loyal
clientele know the waitress well, too. With Argentinean owners, beef is prominent on the quite brief menu, but I am
fond of places that do fewer dishes but very well. They take their meat very seriously here, but not in a new-age way.
'Our cooks understand that there are things-that must be done properly,' says Con, the head chef. 'And we believe in
everything being fresh, not frozen or pre-prepared.' That certainly showed in the eating experience. Apart from an
abundance of beef, there is also lamb and fish on the menu and a nice choice of unusual salads. The steaks are sold
by size, cut thick, and cooked to perfection however you desire them. For a carnivore, this is the ideal place to choose
for an evening out. No time limit on how long you can sit at the table, prompt and courteous service and food that
leaves you drooling from its divineness.
IV. You are going to read an extract from an article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract.
Choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do
not need to use.
TRAFFIC CONGESTION REASSESSED
Congestion is the bane of modern life, yet no more than we deserve. It is the result of our commodity-obsessed
stupidity. In Joel Schumacher's 1992 film Falling Down, a demented Michael Douglas finally cracks under the stresses
of modern American life - in a traffic jam. The heat, the fumes, the flies and the sweat all accentuate his sense of
suffocation. He has to get away, breathe again, decongest his tubes, empty his barrels.
1.
We see congestion as an urban disease; since the 19th century, city routes have been described as arteries. Now, the
new mayor thinks he has found the cure, with his proposals for road charges in London. But what if the mayor's
diagnosis is wrong? Is it possible that traffic congestion is not a symptom of urban disease, even less a sign of social
meltdown, but rather a mark of robust health?
2.
Congestion is slow-moving traffic. Nothing more complicated than that, although it is worth noting the discriminatory
definition of 'traffic', which is generally applied only to motor traffic (20 cars waiting at traffic lights indicate traffic
congestion, whereas 20 pedestrians waiting to cross the same road do not).
3.
Speeding up urban traffic dominated the minds of planners and city administrators throughout the 20th century. The
visions of le Corbusier and the brutal realities of Robert Moses's New York freeways are only the two most widely
known cases.
4.
But money is an abstract and increasingly amorphous concept. Cars are not. Allowing hard, heavy, speeding vehicles
to come into contact with fleshy mortals is a recipe for disaster. Cutting the death toll has consistently dominated the
minds of planners. Modernists such as Le Corbusier and Moses engineered new types of urban road on which only
motor vehicles were permitted, but there are obvious limits to this approach.
5.
So, in cities around the world, planners sought ways to enable speeding motorists and vulnerable non-motorists to
coexist. It has proved a tortuous exercise, and one based on a notion of compromise: that it must surely be possible to
allow motorists to enjoy reasonable speed while affording pedestrians a reasonable chance of survival. In this mood of
give and take, pedestrians have been contained and controlled, apparently for their own good. Walking through many
urban areas has become a pinball experience of pedestrian barriers, bollards, street signage, constricted pavements,
walk/don't walk signs, pedestrian underpasses, overpasses, and jaywalking restrictions.
6.
Then there have been the other costs associated with trying to manage the competing claims of speed and safety, in
particular those of the countless research institutions, university departments, engineers, planners, systems analysts,
etc, all apparently dedicated to finding better means for managing motor traffic. Plus the costs of installing and
operating their solutions: the one-way systems, tidal-flow roads, urban clearways, gyratories, underpasses,
overpasses, eyes in the sky, traffic lights, parking restrictions, speed cameras, and so on. Few of these experts would
deny that somewhere in their heads was the kernel of that modernist vision - flashing tail lights on elevated freeways -
but the tabula rasa was mythical.
7.
A. Not only is the cost prohibitive, in terms of money and destruction, but there are people inside those vehicles,
heading to a place where they will want to get out, walk about, stay alive.
B. These were real cities and real people's lives that had to be devastated before they could be rebuilt. Despite all this
physical arid mental exertion, average road journey times in London have remained unchanged for a century.
C. Yet, in almost every city in the world, the violence inflicted on human beings by motor vehicles still far outstrips the
violence inflicted by crime. Not much of a deal.
D. Traffic jams feature, too, in Jean Luc Godard's critique of consumerism run wild, Weekend (1968). Following one
gruesome pile-up, a hysterical woman runs back to the carnage, not to help the dying, but to rescue her Hermes
handbag.
E. The answer is honestly in the eye of the beholder — questions abound as to how useful it is to really examine such
aspects of traffic jams. But especially now, in an America reeling from renewed conversations about racism, police
brutality, and other grave problems in the city, Falling Down feels suitably armed to help us grapple with the present
moment.
F. “A city made for speed is made for success,” wrote Le Corbusier. The connection between the two notions still
appears logical in many circles - a successful economy or business is one in which money circulates, and profits
accrue, speedily.
G. Just as physicians no longer advocate bleeding, nor try to stimulate the flow of the humours, perhaps traffic
congestion is another aspect of circulation that is best left alone. Before dismissing the idea, just try thinking of a
decent world city that is not regularly gripped by gridlock.
H. If we don't have congestion, then, we have two alternatives: either fast-moving motor traffic or no motor traffic. Is
either situation actually any better than congestion?
 BIOGRAPHY
For me, deciding on the subject for a biography always begins with curiosity. Something about the person makes me
curious, and that makes me want to find out what forces shaped his or her actions. Of course, curiosity is only the first
step in the writing process.
1.
I don't necessarily have to like my subjects in order to write about them. There were many things about Thomas
Jefferson and Charles A. Lindbergh that I found questionable when I delved deeply into their lives - specifically
Jefferson's unwavering acceptance of the prevailing Southern attitude toward slavery and Lindbergh's admiration for
the accomplishments of German aviation and, by extension, the Nazi regime.
2.
Consequently, I think it is important for young people to know about them, if only - as in the case of Hitler - to be on
guard against similarly dangerous leaders who may arise in the future.
Writers walk a tightrope in attempting to portray a destructive figure like Hitler. There’s always the temptation to resort
to labels, defining the person as evil from the start. But that doesn't help readers to gain a clearer understanding of
how he or she got that way.
3.
I hope, too, that their reading will provoke discussions as to where and when he could have been stopped along the
way. The freedom to portray figures like Hitler, Lindbergh, and Jefferson in an honest, full-bodied manner is one of the
major changes that have occurred in the way biographies for young people are written today.
4.
This has resulted in books like Russell Freedman’s biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in which Roosevelt's
longtime friend and mistress, Lucy Mercer, is openly and clearly acknowledged. But biographers who write for young
people are generally careful not to abuse their new freedom.
5.
For example, whereas there have been countless adult biographies of politicians that devoted virtually all of their
pages to their personal excesses, I doubt if any children’s biographer would take that route. Those tendencies would
undoubtedly have their place, since any account of such people's lives would be incomplete without these sensational
details.
6.
This is only one of the differences that distinguish young people’s biographies today from many of their adult
counterparts. Another obvious difference is the emphasis on the visual in juvenile biographies for all age groups.
7.
But ever since the publication of Russell Freedman’s Newbery-winning biography of Abraham Lincoln, prophetically
Subtitled ’A Photobiography’, a greater emphasis has been put on Illustration and design in biographies for young
people.

A. Before proceeding with a new book idea, I have to believe that many young readers will also be interested in the
person - enough, at least, to justify the book's publication.
B. Unlike some adult biographers, they do not sensationalise their subjects' peccadilloes to attract attention.
C. Adolf Hitler, whose biography I recently completed, struck me as a terrifying combination of personal charisma and
Insane hatreds. But I felt these men were worth writing about because their actions made a lasting impact on human
history.
D. Whereas a person’s negative qualities were whitewashed or simply ignored in years past, today writers are
encouraged to include the subjects’ weaknesses along with their strengths in an attempt to achieve a more rounded
portrait.
E. Instead, I prefer to follow the time-honoured piece of writing advice to ’show, not tell.’ As young people read about
Hitler’s rise to power and his clearly stated plans to conquer all of Europe and to wipe the Jews from the face of the
earth, I hope they will feel the evil nature of Hitler's deeds without my having to spell it out.
F. Hitler and the Nazi regime were also responsible for the killing of an estimated 19.3 million civilians and prisoners of
war. In addition, 28.7 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of military action in the European theatre.
G. Young adult biographies once followed the illustration pattern that still prevails in the adult field: namely, a book
composed largely of text, with several six- or eight-page inserts of photographs or prints.
H. But chances are they would receive less space than a discussion of the subjects’ positive qualities: their
intelligence, their empathy for the problems of ordinary people, and the breadth of their worldview, for instance.

SHARING PAIN
Much as humans con feel pain, they can be incredibly insensitive to the potential suffering of other life forms. Witness
the scorn held by those with high thresholds of pain for those who are less fortunately equipped.
1.
Amongst the mainstream attitudes, between these two extremes, it is interesting to note that our ability to attribute
feelings to other species discriminates against more alien species in favour of those that share more characteristics
with us.
2.
Even to those with a limited grasp of scientific principles, it follows that creatures with a brain attached to a spinal cord
have, like us, the prerequisites for registering pain and all the consequences that involves. What is more, the fact that
research on rat brains has afforded us a wealth of knowledge about human emotions can only support the notion that
animals also experience emotions.
3.
It is easier for many of us to dismiss the concept of pain in species that we don't consider to be part of our closely
shared environment. For example, many of those who shudder at the thought of cuddly seal pups being clubbed to
death have no qualms about fishing.
4.
Like rats, fish have also been shown to be capable of learning in controlled situations. What is more, they, like us,
have the capacity to produce their own pain killers. Would this not suggest that they too feel pain? In comparison to
fish, there are other orders of animal life that are even further removed from us in terms of their lack of similarity to
mammals. Take crustaceans, for example. Crabs, lobsters and suchlike have a hard outer shell for protection and do
not share a skeletal structure similar to ours.
5.
As every chef knows, they must be cooked by being dropped live into boiling water in order to avoid the flesh
becoming poisonous. Some cooks prefer to freeze them alive shortly before cooking them, or opt for an instant
execution with one blow of a butcher’s cleaver. At least we don't hear fruit screaming while we peel it, or encounter
vegetables sweating heavily as they are brought closer to the chopping board or a pan full of boiling water.
6.
An experiment carried out in the 1960s by a former CIA interrogation expert might suggest otherwise. In this
experiment, plants were linked to a form of lie detector which registered changes in electrical conductivity in the leaves
when the plants were exposed to stress.
7.
However, to equate this response with pain does not fit in with our understanding of the role of the nervous system in
experiencing pain, since there is. no nervous system involved in these cases. Obviously, a plan! may be distressed in
some way if it is deprived of water, sunlight or nutrients, but it is a different thing to label this as pain.

A. While there are fewer studies of lobsters and other decapod crustaceans than many other animals, there is
evidence that they experience stress and anxiety.
B. There are those who assert that suffering is a burden unique to the human race, whereas, on the other side of the
debate, there are those who contend that all life forms, whether free from the soil or attached to it, can experience
discomfort, if not agony.
C. Although many people do not think of them as suffering pain in the way that we do, there are plenty of us who
would not feel happy about cooking them in the recommended manner, presumably because we do feel that they are
capable of suffering.
D. The event which triggered the stress was the experimenter dropping live shrimps into boiling water. No such results
were registered when the experiment was repeated with shrimps that were already dead.
E. Perhaps this is why a vegetarian lifestyle commends itself to some. But does this mean that plants are totally
insensitive?
F. For instance, there are severed welfare organisations that look out for the interests of various mammals, particularly
common household pets, but have you ever been asked to support a society that protects the cockroaches trying to
scratch a living in our kitchens?
G. After all, fishing is just a relaxing sport and they never hear fish screaming, even when fighting with a hook caught
firmly in their flesh. But from the zoological point of view it cannot be denied that, like humans, fish have a brain, spinal
cord and nervous system.
H. While some of these observations may be obvious to pet owners and others who have day-to-day contact with
animals, actual scientific knowledge of the distress experienced by animals has been improved through monitoring
blood chemistry changes that animals undergo when they are being hunted.
You are going to read an article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the
paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7).
HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THE UNIVERSE
Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, launches this year’s Young Science Writer competition
If you ask scientists what they're doing, the answer won't be ‘Finding the origin of the universe’, ‘Seeking the cure for
cancer' or suchlike. It will involve something very specialised, a small piece of the jigsaw that builds up the big picture.
1.
So, unless they are cranks or geniuses, scientists don't shoot directly for a grand goal - they focus on bite-sized
problems that seem timely and tractable. But this strategy (though prudent) carries an occupational risk: they may
forget they're wearing blinkers and fail to see their own work in its proper perspective.
2.
I would personally derive far less satisfaction from my research if it interested only a few other academics. But
presenting one's work to non-specialists isn't easy. We scientists often do it badly, although the experience helps us to
see our work in a broader context. Journalists can do it better, and their efforts can put a key discovery in perspective,
converting an arcane paper published in an obscure journal into a tale that can inspire others.
3.
On such occasions, people often raise general concerns about the way science is going and the impact it may have;
they wonder whether taxpayers get value for money from the research they support. More intellectual audiences
wonder about the basic nature of science: how objective can we be? And how creative? Is science genuinely a
progressive enterprise? What are its limits aria are we anywhere near them? It is hard to explain, in simple language,
even a scientific concept that you understand well. My own (not always effective) attempts have deepened my respect
for science reporters, who have to assimilate quickly, with a looming deadline, a topic they may be quite unfamiliar
with.
4.
It's unusual for science to earn newspaper headlines. Coverage that has to be restricted to crisp newsworthy
breakthroughs in any case distorts the way science develops. Scientific advances are usually gradual and cumulative,
and better suited to feature articles, or documentaries - or even books, for which the latent demand is surprisingly
strong. For example, millions bought A Brief History of Time, which caught the public imagination.
5.
Nevertheless, serious books do find a ready market. That's the good news for anyone who wants to enter this
competition. But books on pyramidology, visitations by aliens, and suchlike do even better: a symptom of a fascination
with the paranormal and ‘New Age’ concepts. It is depressing that these are often featured uncritically in the media,
distracting attention from more genuine advances.
6.
Most scientists are quite ordinary, and their lives unremarkable. But occasionally they exemplify the link between
genius and madness; these ‘eccentrics' are more enticing biographees.
7.
There seems, gratifyingly, to be no single ‘formula’ for science writing - many themes are still under-exploited. Turning
out oven 700 words seems a daunting task if you're faced with a clean sheet of paper or a blank screen, but less so if
you have done enough reading and interviewing on a subject to become inspired. For research students who enter the
competition, science (and how you do it) is probably more interesting than personal autobiography. But if. in later life,
you become both brilliant and crazy, you can hope that someone else writes a best-seller about you.

A. However, over-sensational claims are a hazard for them. Some researchers themselves ‘hype up’ new discoveries
to attract press interest. Maybe it matters little what people believe about Darwinism or cosmology. But we should be
more concerned that misleading or over-confident claims on any topic of practical import don't gain wide currency.
Hopes of miracle cures can be raised; risks can be either exaggerated, or else glossed over for commercial pressures.
Science popularisers - perhaps even those who enter this competition - have to be as sceptical of some scientific
claims as journalists routinely are of politicians.
B. Despite this, there’s a tendency in recent science writing to be chatty, laced with gossip and biographical detail. But
are scientists as interesting as their science? The lives of Albert Einstein and Richard Feyman are of interest, but is
that true of the routine practitioner?
C. Two mathematicians have been treated as such in recent books: Paul Erdos, the obsessive itinerant Hungarian
(who described himself as ‘a machine for turning coffee into theorems') and John Nash, a pioneer of game theory,
who resurfaced in his sixties, after 30 years of insanity, to receive a Nobel prize.
D. For example, the American physicist Robert Wilson spent months carrying out meticulous measurements with a
microwave antenna which eventually revealed the ‘afterglow of creation' -the 'echo’ of the Big Bang with which our
universe began. Wilson was one of the rare scientists with the luck and talent to make a really great discovery, but
afterwards he acknowledged that its importance didn’t sink in until he read a 'popular' description of it in the New York
Times.
E. More surprising was the commercial success of Sir Roger Penrose’s The Emperor's New Mind. This is a fascinating
romp through Penrose’s eclectic enthusiasms - enjoyable and enlightening. But it was a surprising best seller, as
much of it is heavy going. The sales pitch ‘great scientist says mind is more than a mere machine' was plainly alluring.
Many who bought it must have got a nasty surprise when they opened it.
F. But if they have judged right, it won't be a trivial problem - indeed it will be the most difficult that they are likely to
make progress on. The great zoologist Sir Peter Medawar famously described scientific work as ‘the art of the
soluble’. ‘Scientists,’ he wrote, ‘get no credit for failing to solve a problem beyond their capacities. They earn at best
the kindly contempt reserved for utopian politicians.’
G. This may be because, for non-specialists, it is tricky to demarcate well-based ideas from flaky speculation. But it's
crucially important not to blur this distinction when writing articles for a general readership. Otherwise credulous
readers may take too much on trust, whereas hard-nosed sceptics may reject all scientific claims, without appreciating
that some have firm empirical support.
H. Such a possibility is one reason why this competition to encourage young people to take up science writing is so
important and why I am helping to launch it today. Another is that popular science writing can address wider issues.
When I give talks about astronomy and cosmology, the questions that interest people most are the truly ‘fundamental’
ones that I can’t answer ‘Is there life in space?', 'Is the universe infinite?' or ‘Why didn't the Big Bang happen sooner?’