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AO5 Written Practice For Mid Course
AO5 Written Practice For Mid Course
A. Read this article about Poppy Day and choose the correct option a, b or c for each of the
questions that follow. There is an example (0). Write your answers on the separate answer
sheet.
The first Poppy Day was in 1921. The First World War had
ended three years earlier, but it was still difficult, often
impossible, for ex-soldiers in Britain to find a job. So some of them started making and
selling paper poppies (poppies are red flowers). They gave the money they raised to ex- soldiers
who couldn’t work, and to the families of dead soldiers.
The choice of flower was significant. During the war, the soldiers noticed that red poppies grew
every year on the place where the war was taking place in Belgium and the north of France.
On Poppy Day, about 32 million people in Britain buy and wear small red poppies. The suggested
donation is £1 per poppy. Some people choose to wear white poppies because they think that
white symbolises peace. The Royal British Legion usually raise around £44mfor the veterans
and their families. People buy poppies from street collectors or online fromthe Royal British
Legion's website. At 11 a.m., on November 11th (at the moment when the First World War
ended) there’s a two-minute silence. Many people think quietly about the soldiers who died. At
this time, there are ceremonies at war memorials in towns and villagesall over the country. The
most important ceremony is in London, when the Queen puts poppies at the Cenotaph, a
monument to soldiers who died in battle.
Last year, for the very first time, and after more than six decades, Queen Elizabeth II broke with
tradition at a Poppy Day service in London. She did not put the flowers at the Cenotaph. The
Queen (aged 91) and Duke (aged 96) just watched this ceremony from a nearby balcony.
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0. On 11 November people remember
a. soldiers who have died since 1921.
b. soldiers who have died in wars since 1914.
c. soldiers who died in the two world wars.
1. Some soldiers started making poppies for other soldiers who
a. did not have a job.
b. were dead.
c. didn’t have families.
2. They chose to make poppies because
a. poppies are popular in Belgium and the north of France.
b. they saw poppies growing on war areas.
c. they are red.
3. On Poppy Day
a. around 32 million people sell poppies.
b. all British people wear poppies.
c. people wear red or white poppies.
4. During the two-minute silence, many people
a. are present in ceremonies in their town or village.
b. collect money for the First World War soldiers.
c. in London give flowers to soldiers at the Cenotaph.
5. The Queen
a. always watches the Cenotaph ceremony from the balcony.
b. did not follow the Cenotaph tradition on November 11th 2017.
c. did not go to the Poppy Day ceremony last year.
B. Choose the best title for this article. Write your answer on the separate answer sheet.
• POPPIES: POPULAR FLOWERS IN BRITAIN
• DONATING POPPIES IN BRITAIN
• POPPY DAY IN BRITAIN
Part 2
Last summer you went to Cambridge to study English. You stayed with a British family for one
month. Now, back in Uruguay, you decide to write an email to the family.
In your email:
• thank them and say how much you enjoyed your stay
• tell them about your best moment there
• write about your plans for next year
Write your email on the separate answer sheet.
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Part 3
B. Read this blog and decide which answer a, b or c best fits each space. There is an example
(0).Write your answers on the separate answer sheet.
They say that travel (0) a one of the greatest pleasures in life. Well, I (1) lots of
travelling since I graduated from university here in London and I’m beginning to think this is
rubbish. Let’s think about a typical holiday abroad. The travel agent (2) much real
information about where you want to go. So he books your accommodation at a fantastic new
hotel, but you go there and find out that the constructors haven’t finished the hotel (3) .
And before you even get there, you have to get into a plane: a small seat and bad food. And when you
go to reclaim your luggage, they tell you the happy news that although you are in Australia, your
luggage is in Jamaica!
Things aren’t much better if you decide to save money and travel to your hometown to visit your family.
British weather is awful, so you stay in all day, and suddenly you and your brother are shouting at (4)
because you can’t agree on what to watch on TV.
Let’s face it, travel is similar to hard work. My advice is to stay at home. If you want something foreign,
go out and eat Chinese food. And then, spend all your savings on new furniture, or have the old
windows (5) . You may not get to know new places, but at least you (6) _ comfortable.
0. a. is b. has c. does
1. a. did b. ‘ve done c. do
2. a. never has b. has never c. haven’t
3. a. already b. yet c. just
4. a. they b. him c. each other
5. a. replaced b. replace c. replaces
6. a. shall b. going to be c. will be
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C. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use no more than
three words. There is an example (0). Write your answers in CAPITAL LETTERS on the
separate answer sheet.
D. Read the following text and fill in the blanks using only one word. Do not use the same
word twice. There is an example (0). Write your answers on the separate answer sheet.
A SUCCESS STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME there was a little boy. He lived in New York
with his (0) parents and three sisters. He was a (1)
boy: he was so intelligent that he won lots of prizes at school.
One day he got a computer and he started to play on it and
invented games. He was really good (2) it. Many big
computer companies wanted to buy his ideas when he was still at school, but he said no. Later, he
decided to go to university to study computer science. He did not have enough money to pay for
his studies so he asked the bank for a (3) . Luckily, he paid this money back very soon. He
dreamt about making a website where people could communicate with their friends. His idea
became very popular and suddenly he was successful. He was very happy, absolutely (4) _with
the success of his invention. This boy’s name is Mark Zuckerberg and he invented the social
networking site Facebook. His idea changed a lot of people’s lives. His story is a real modern-day
fairy tale.
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KEY:
(from Intermediate 1 Mini test 1 2018)
B.
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