Gateway to the World B1

Student name

Group/Class

Date Score

VOCABULARY

1 Complete the dialogue with the words or phrases in the box. There is one extra word
or phrase you do not need.

baby middle-aged man senior citizen teenager toddler young adult

Tom: Can you show me your family photos again, Grandad?

Grandad: Yes, of course. OK, let’s start at the beginning.
Tom: Who’s that?
Grandad: That’s me when I was a (a) . I was just a few days old. And
after that we moved to India, because of my dad’s job. And this is a photo of
me as a (b) learning to walk in the garden.
Tom: Did you live there a long time?
Grandad: About ten years, then we moved to Baghdad. I had a great time there. And
this is a picture of me as a (c) . I guess I was about 16.
Tom: You had very long hair.
Grandad: Well yes, everybody did in those days.
Tom: What’s this photo?
Grandad: That’s me when I was a (d) . I got my first job in a bank in
London just after leaving university.
Tom: You look very smart in your suit and tie. Was it fun living in London?
Grandad: Yes, but it was all so long ago – 50 years. And now I’m a (e) .
Time goes by so fast.
Tom: I know you’re old, Grandad. But the nice thing is you don’t have to work
anymore.

Score: /5

GRAMMAR

2 Complete the dialogue. Use the present simple or present continuous form of the
verbs given.

Mike: Hi, Mrs Parker, is Harry in?

Mrs Parker: Hi Mike. No, I’m afraid he’s not here. He (a) (play) tennis.
 Mike: Oh yes, of course – he (b) (go) to tennis practice every Sunday,
doesn’t he?
Mrs Parker: Yes, but he usually (c) (get) back at about 11.30. You can wait
if you like.
Mike: Mmm, I haven’t really got the time – but is Kate here?
Mrs Parker: Yes, she’s upstairs in her room. She (d) (do) her homework. I
think she (e) (finish) a history project for tomorrow. But is there
a problem? Is something wrong?
Mike: Oh no. I’m just here because I (f) (want) to ask them both to
my party next week.

Score: /6

READING

3 Read the text.

ANGEL OF THE NORTH

Two weeks ago, schoolgirl Lily Mason was taking her dog for a walk when she passed
a small house with a hand-written note in the window. She walked past, but
something made her stop and go back. She read the note: ‘My name is Stan Baker
and I am 72. My wife died last year, and I am all alone. I have no friends and family.
Please help if you can.’

Stan’s situation is not unusual. In many countries in Asia, families stay together, and
children, parents and grandparents all live in the same house; in the UK, there are
many old people who live alone or go to old people’s homes when they need
someone to look after them.

As soon as she saw the note, Lily wanted to do something to help. She got out her
phone, took a photo of the note and knocked on the door.
 D

Stan says he was surprised when he opened the door to find Lily standing there with
her dog. ‘Life is very different when you’re old,’ says Stan. ‘Don’t get me wrong now,
I’m not complaining. People are always polite, and if you’re on the bus, they may
even chat about the weather, but they don’t really want to know you, they don’t want
to be friends.’

But Lily was different. She wanted to hear Stan’s story. He was an only child and his
father was in the army, so the family moved every few years. He went to lots of
different schools, so never really stayed anywhere and made friends. He worked
abroad, like his father, for most of his life and then retired to England with his wife
Polly. They did everything together, but when he lost her, he had nobody.

Lily saw that he had an old laptop and could use the internet, so she got out her
phone and posted the note from his window on social media. ‘It was amazing,’ says
Lily. ‘In the next few days, it was seen by more than 11 million people and we had
240,000 likes. Stan got messages of support from all over the world, hundreds of
emails, letters from children, happy photos of people’s pets and people offering to
phone for a chat or call for a visit. Of course, things will get quieter in a few weeks,
but I’m sure he will stay friends with some of these new people, and he will always
have someone to talk to.’

4 Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.

1 How do you think Lily felt when she saw Stan’s note?

2 In what way is life better for old people in Asia?

3 Why was Stan surprised that Lily wanted to talk to him?

4 Why didn’t Stan have many friends from his childhood?

 5 Who was the most important person in Stan’s adult life.

6 How do you think Stan feels now and why?

Score: /6

WRITING

5 Sam is a student you have met as part of a school exchange. You have had an email
telling you all about Sam’s school. Now Sam wants to know all about yours. Write an
email to Sam thanking him for the email and saying what your school is like. Choose
THREE of the following:

where your school is, what sort of school it is and how big it is.
what people study at your school and what subjects you can choose to do
what time you start and finish, how many lessons you have, etc.
what you like doing apart from lessons – sports, clubs, excursions, etc.
who your friends are and what they are like
what your favourite lessons are and which teachers you like

Write an email of 100–125 words.

Score: / 10