LISTENING

Exercise 1: Answer the questions.

How our sweet tooth is hurting us

A. Over the last three centuries, the amount of sugar in the Western diet has continued to rise. Back at
the start of the 18th century, a typical English family consumed less than 2 kg of sugar per year. By
the end of that century, that amount had risen 400%. Compare that to the 40 kg that people now
consume annually in the USA. In Germany, the second-most sugar-loving nation in the world,
people eat roughly 103 grams on average per day. In the Netherlands, the country with the third-
biggest sweet tooth, people eat 102.5 grams. Of course, there are some countries in the world where
sweet food is less popular: in India, people eat only about 5 grams per day on average; in Indonesia,
it’s 14.5 grams; and in China, it’s just under 16 grams. If you’re not sure what 40 kg looks like, it
means that the average person in the USA now eats approximately 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. The
recommended limit, suggested by researchers from the World Health Organisation, is no more than
8 if you want to stay healthy, but just one can of soda contains around 10.
B. It is common knowledge that many drinks, in bottles or canned, contain a lot of sugar. Although
advertisements say that they are ‘energy-giving’, professional athletes and sportsmen and women
usually stay away from them. It is teenagers that are their greatest consumers. And – although
advertisers promise that these drinks will make people feel energetic and active – because of the
type of chemicals they have, once a person has drunk all the soda, they simply feel hungry instead.
However, sugar is also in products that many shoppers find surprising, for example, cereal, which
actually has a lot. Because they believe it is a healthy kind of food, parents buy it for their children’s
breakfast.
C. A large part of the problem, according to nutritionists, is that people find it hard to understand the
labels on the back of food products. Nutritionists think this should be a lot easier for them. But at the
moment, manufacturers don’t have to write ‘sugar’ on them, but can use words like ‘corn syrup’ or
‘dextran’, which can result in confusion for consumers. But why should we be worried about our
sugar consumption? Firstly, it is harmful to young children because it causes tooth decay; the pain
from this can mean that children don’t get the amount of sleep they need. As a result, they can’t
concentrate when they are in class. In this case, schools and governments have a duty to educate
them about good and bad food choices. For adults, the problems increase. Eating too much sugar
makes people quickly gain weight, it affects the heart and liver, and can lead to diabetes.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

1. The increase in the amount of sugar we eat. Paragraph A/ Paragraph B/ Paragraph C

2. The places in the supermarket where you can find sugary products. Paragraph A/ Paragraph B/ Paragraph C
3. The way that advertising sugary products has changed. Paragraph A/ Paragraph B/ Paragraph C
4. The health problems that sugar causes in children. Paragraph A/ Paragraph B/ Paragraph C
5. The health problems that sugar causes in adults. Paragraph A/ Paragraph B/ Paragraph C

Choose ONE WORD OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

1. Which country consumes the least sugar per person? __________________

2. What is the maximum recommended number of teaspoons of sugar that a person should
consume a day? ________________
3. Which group of people drink more sugary drinks than anyone else? ________________
4. How do people really feel after finishing sugary drinks? ________________
5. Which food product has an unexpected amount of sugar? ________________
 6. What do nutritionists want to be clearer for consumers? ___________________
7. What may decrease as a result of tooth decay in children? __________________

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Bringing the mammoth back to life

Mammoths once lived in large numbers across Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. However, over
time, their numbers fell until the mammoth became extinct. Scientists think this happened for two
reasons. Firstly, the mammoths’ natural habitat decreased in size because of climate change. Secondly,
many mammoths were killed by people who hunted them. The last population of mammoths lived on
Wrangel Island, off north-east Siberia in the Chukchi Sea. These were woolly mammoths that could
survive in very cold conditions, but they also died out around 4,000 years ago.

Prehistoric cave paintings show us that people ate the woolly mammoths they killed, but also used their
bones and tusks. They used these to make simple animal and human figures, an early kind of art, and also
to create some basic tools. We also know a lot about the woolly mammoth because the freezing
conditions in Alaska and Siberia have preserved them. Researchers have studied their skeletons, their
teeth and even the grass and plants that were still inside their stomachs. We know that their fur was an
orange-brown colour, they had a thick layer of fat, and they had long, curved tusks. Their ears were short
compared to an African or Asian elephant’s we might see today, so they would not lose so much heat or
get frostbite.

In recent years, some researchers have suggested that we could bring woolly mammoths back to life.
Interestingly, not all scientists believe that bringing the mammoth back to life would be a good thing.
They think it would be unfair to create a ‘new’ mammoth and then keep it in a small space. They think
the right thing to do would be to give it a certain amount of freedom, perhaps in a wildlife park. But
where would this be? And the mammoth would also be alone, and like elephants, mammoths were
probably social in the way they behaved. This does seem to be a strong reason against bringing the
mammoth back to life. Perhaps the ‘new’ mammoth might also develop an ‘old’ disease – and this might
have an effect on the ecosystem that scientists cannot predict. Although the idea of bringing the
mammoth back seems like an exciting one at first, there are many issues that we need to consider

1. The number of mammoths started to fall when their __________________ got smaller.
2. Humans used mammoths for food, and to make art and ____________________ .
3. Scientists have examined the contents of mammoths’ __________________ .
4. Mammoths had smaller _____________________ than modern elephants.
5. Some scientists think that a ‘new’ mammoth should have some ____________________ .
6. Both elephants and mammoths are ___________________ animals.
7. There is a possibility that a ‘new’ mammoth could get a ____________________

Exercise 3: Read the passage carefully and choose the correct option.

The ballpoint pen

Most of us have at least one, but how did this popular item evolve?

One morning in 1945, a crowd of 5,000 people jammed the entrance of Gimbels Department Store in
New York. The day before, Gimbels had placed a full-page advertisement in the New York Times for a
wonderful new invention, the ballpoint pen. The advertisement described the pen as “fantastic” and
“miraculous”. Although they were expensive, $12.50 each, all 10,000 pens in stock were sold on the first
day.

In fact, this “new” pen was not new at all. In 1888, John Loud, a leather manufacturer, had invented a pen
with a reservoir of ink and a rolling ball. However, his pen was never produced, and efforts by other
people to produce a commercially successful one failed too. The main problem was with the ink. If it was
too thin, the ink leaked out of the pen. If it was too thick, it didn’t come out of the pen at all.

Almost fifty years later, in 1935, a newspaper editor in Hungary thought he spent too much time filling
his pens with ink. He decided to invent a better kind of pen. With the help of his brother, who was a
chemist, he produced a ballpoint pen that didn’t leak when the pen wasn’t being used. The editor was
called Ladislad Biro, and it was his name that people would associate more than any other with the
ballpoint pen.

By chance, Biro met Augustine Justo, the Argentinian president. Justo was so impressed with Biro’s
invention that he invited him to set up a factory in Argentina. In 1943, the first Biro pens were produced.

Unfortunately, they were not popular, since the pen needed to be held in a vertical position for the ink to
come out. Biro redesigned the pen with a better ball, and in 1944 the new product was on sale throughout
Argentina.

It was a North American, Milton Reynolds, who introduced the ballpoint pen to the USA. Copying Biro’s
design, he produced the version that sold so well at Gimbels. Another American, Patrick Frawley,
improved the design and in 1950 began producing a pen he called the Papermate. It was an immediate
success, and within a few years, Papermate was selling in the millions around the world.

1. People went to Gimbels to buy a ballpoint pen because

A. they couldn’t get them anywhere else.
B. they had been told how good the pens were.
C. they had never seen a ballpoint pen before.
D. they thought the price was good.

2. Why were early ballpoint pens not produced commercially?

A. Nobody wanted to buy one
B. It cost too much to produce them.
C. They used too much ink.
D. They didn’t work properly.(hop ly)

3. Why was Ladislas Biro’s pen better than earlier models?

A. It didn’t need to be filled with ink as often.
B. It was designed by a chemist. chemistry
C. The ink stayed in the pen until it was needed.
D. It was easier to use.

4. Biro’s first commercially-produced pen

A. was produced in a factory owned by the Argentinian president.
B. only worked if used in a certain way.
C. was a major success.
D. went on sale in 1944.

5. Patrick Frawley’s pen

A. was a better version of an earlier model.
B. took time to become successful.
C. was the USA’s first commercially successful ballpoint pen.
D. was only successful in the USA.
Exercise 4: Read the list of headings and then read article below. Write the option
numbers that match the paragraphs.

i The problems people face in carrying out family-tree research

ii How technology has helped people research their ancestors
iii How businesses benefit from the growing interest in family trees
iv Practical and personal reasons for finding out about ancestors
v How ancestors are remembered and celebrated in different countries
vi Traditional ways of researching family trees
vii Creating family trees for future generations
viii How knowing your family tree could lead to power and property
ix Why we say ‘family tree’ to refer to our family background
x What people enjoy about making unexpected discoveries

suprising

Ancestry in the UK

Paragraph A VIII

Up until relatively recently, English school children were often obliged to learn the names of the kings
and queens that ruled the country from the 8th century to the 18th, and understand how they were related.
This was no easy task. Sometimes a king would pass his kingdom to his son, but very often it would be a
much more distant relative that took over. To become king, you would have to show you had royal blood
in the family tree, and to do this, you would need to know exactly who all your ancestors were. It was
also necessary for landowners to know their family background – so they could prove that a large castle
or manor house really belonged to them, and not to another person further along a branch of the family
tree who wanted it for themselves.

Paragraph B ix

An interest in knowing who your ancestors were and what they did is, of course, something which is
common in all cultures. Not all cultures, however, have a phrase which translates as family tree for when
they want to describe earlier generations of the same family. We use this particular phrase because it was
traditional in the past in some countries to put the oldest generations at the top of a drawing and the
youngest generation at the bottom – sometimes just the child of a recently married couple. This meant the
image would be wider at the top and narrower at the bottom – just like a tree.

Paragraph C

While some people are still interested in family trees as a way of making sure they can receive money or
valuable items from a great-uncle or great-great grandparent, others have different motivations. Some
people choose to research their family tree because they are simply curious about their origins. Or
perhaps they have heard an unusual story about an ancestor and wish to discover the truth. They may
even have a more serious and useful purpose, for example wanting to find out about a medical condition
which runs in the family.

Paragraph D:

Part of what makes family-tree research so fascinating is the sense of uncovering a mystery as you find
more clues – just like a detective would. This kind of process was shown in the hugely popular
programme ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, which featured well-known TV personalities exploring their
family origins. The show’s researchers often found surprising information. One person, interviewer
Jeremy Paxman, was disinterested at first. He believed it was more important to be ‘forward-looking’ –
and think about the future rather than the past. Then he learnt that his great-grandmother had managed to
raise nine children by herself after her husband died, even though she was extremely poor. He soon
wanted to know more. Certainly this kind of programme has encouraged people to look for their own
ancestors.

Paragraph E

Before the age of the internet, if you wanted to find out about your family history, you would have
needed to travel to different locations. People used to visit churches to look at their records, for example
of the names of people who were born and died in the area. Another way to investigate family history
would be to look through old newspapers that were stored in the basements of libraries, or to search
through birth and marriage certificates at the local town-council building. Not all of these visits, of
course, would be successful. You needed to be very patient and have a lot of spare time to find out about
your past..

Paragraph F

Researching your family tree has now become an ever more popular activity, partly for the reason that it
has become much easier, faster and more convenient. Councils have uploaded many public records to
their websites, including details of marriages, names of taxpayers and property owners, and the wills of
people who have died. Many museums and libraries have also become involved, and offer guidance
about the best tools and apps to use when searching for ancestors. One online company which helps
people trace their ancestors was recently bought for over £2.4 billion – showing just how popular this
method of research has become.

Paragraph G

Despite the advances of modern technology, it can still be a challenge to find your distant ancestors.
Before the 11th century, a person would only sometimes share their parents’ surname. This was because a
surname usually showed the town or region where you came from, e.g. John of Kent, or your occupation,
e.g. John (the) Baker. So, if a child was born in a different place to a parent or had a different job, they
might have had different surnames. This system also meant that thousands of people had exactly the
same surnames even when they were not related. For wealthy people, it would also have been possible to
have two different surnames if they owned land or property in two different locations. Of course, many
old records have also been lost or destroyed, too.

Paragraph H

Many people who are keen on producing a family tree are interested in looking forwards rather than back.
They recognize their role as an ancestor of people who haven’t even been born yet, and who may live in
many different parts of the world. They want to create records for them – showing the different branches
of the family today. Rather than writing out the family tree in a book in the traditional way, they record
stories, images, and voices using audio and video recordings for their descendants to see one day.
LISTENING

Exercise 1: Listen and choose the correct answer

1. How many speakers are there?

o Two
o Three
o Four
2. What is the relationship between the two people?
o They are a student and her teacher.
o They are both teachers.
o They are both students.
3. Which animals does the woman decide to do her project on?
o Pandas
o Sharks
o dolphins
4. What does the woman have to do for her project?
o write a report on an animal
o give a presentation about New Zealand
o take some photographs of wild animals

Exercise 2: Listen and choose the correct answer

1. How does the man describe female elephants?

o Rare
o Dangerous
o sociable

2. People should not keep wolves as pets because they are

o wild animals.
o dangerous.
o very expensive to feed.

3. How fast does a great white shark usually swim?

o 56 kph
o 2.5 kph
o 74 kph

4. In what unexpected place do sea lions sometimes sleep?

o on the beach
o along the coast
o in the sea

5. How long is a giraffe's neck?

o 3.5 m
o 1.45 m
o 1.8 m
 Exercise 3: Listen and choose the correct answer

1. Anne has asked Tom to help her with her dolphin project because

o he is in the same class as Anne.

o he is an expert on dolphins.
o he once did a similar project to Anne.

2. How long is an adult male Maui dolphin?

o 1.5 metres
o 1 metre
o 1.7 metres

3. Where are Maui dolphins found in New Zealand?

o around most of the coast of the North Island

o around the west coast of the North Island
o around the whole coast of the South Island

4. The population of Maui dolphins is now likely to be

o around 100
o well over 500
o less than 50

5. What do Anne and Tom agree is typical behaviour for Maui dolphins?

o They prefer to live with many other Maui dolphins.

o They often choose to follow boats to catch fish more easily.
o They are friendly towards people who swim near them.

6. How far along the coastline do Maui dolphins swim?

o 40 kilometres
o 50 kilometres
o 30 kilometres

Exercise 1: Listen and choose the correct answer

1. Watching cooking on TV and rarely cooking at home

o 1960s
o 1970s
o 1990s
o NOW

2. Staying at home and eating the same food every week

o 1960s
o 1970s
o 1990s
o NOW
 3. Buying more frozen foods such as fish and vegetables

o 1960s
o 1970s
o 1990s
o NOW

4. Eating out in restaurants

o 1960s
o 1970s
o 1990s
o NOW

5. Sitting at home and eating takeaway food

o 1960s
o 1970s
o 1990s
o NOW

Exercise 4: Listen and answer the questions

1. What is the surname of the writer that Sarah likes? ________________

2. What is the password for the university library website? ________________
3. Which drink does Joe say people should stop drinking? ________________
4. Where are many families getting their meals from? ________________
5. What problem does Sarah say is increasing because of unhealthy eating? ________________
6. Which kind of fast food is most popular with other university students? ________________
7. In which street is the sushi café? ________________

Exercise 5: Listen to two students talking about a trip to the Museum of Transport.

What activity do the students need to complete at this location at the Museum of
Transport?

Activity

A do an interview
B watch a short filmC do a quiz
D listen to a recording PART 1 2 3
E learn to use some equipment
F get a map of the museum
G meet their tour guide

Location

1. The Information Centre________

2. Trains and Travel room _______
3. Central Hall _______
4. ‘Going Second Class’ room ________

5. The Space Travel building_________