Reading A2+

Reading
Pre-intermediate
A2+
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1.Jobs we’d like to do
Artur
I’ve always enjoyed playing computer games and I’d like to make them when I’m
older. My cousin works in IT and makes cartoons and games so I asked him if I
could go to work with him. I learned so much including how to draw a simple
cartoon. But it was really tiring – all I wanted to do was relax at the end of the day,
not play computer games!
Mika
I love sport the most and want to teach it when I’m older. I’m good at basketball,
but I need to work harder in rugby lessons so I can teach different sports. After
school, I want to go to college and study sports science. After that, I want to help
with after-school clubs and lessons. My uncle is a teacher so I plan to ask him if I
can give drinks to the players at the American football club next week.
Henri
I play a lot of musical instruments including the piano and guitar and would love to
have a career in music. Last year, I received a prize for the best young musician in
my town. I want to study music at university. I probably won’t get work as a
musician after school so I might have to get a job in a café or restaurant first. My
dream is to be paid to play in a group and travel around the world.
1 Who is going to ask a family member for help with their job plans?
A Artur B Mika C Henri
2 Who hopes to work in different countries?
3 Who has won a competition in their chosen subject?
4 Who needs to get better at the school subject they like best?
5 Who has had some help from their family with their job plans?
6 Who was ready for a break after their experience of working?
7 Who may have to work as a waiter after school?
2.How important are museums to you?

We asked three young people this question and this is what they told us.
Chris
A lot of my friends think museums are boring but I love them. I prefer ones where
they move things round regularly, and bring in new things to keep it interesting. I
also like to have things to listen to as well as look at. I suppose I like museums
because I’m really interested in history and art. We study these subjects at college,
but I’ve actually found out a lot more about them from museums than from my
textbooks.
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Emily
I’m lucky because I live in New York, so there are lots of great museums for me to
visit. One thing I’ve learnt is that you should never try to see a whole museum the
first time you go. Just go to one or two rooms, and then return as often as you can
to see the rest. For me, it’s important that the people who work in the museum are
pleasant, and happy to talk to me about the things in the exhibition. That makes a
big difference.
Daniel
I don’t go to museums much, except during my holidays in new cities. Then I
make sure I spend at least a day going to the most famous ones. If it’s a big
museum and I don’t have much time, I sometimes walk into a room and choose
just five things to look at. I also take a tour if there is one, as I learn so much more
from listening to the person showing us round than I do if I’m by myself.
1 Who always visits museums when they travel?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
2 Who says it is important to visit the same museum several times?
3 Who likes museums where the exhibitions often change?
4 Who says that museums should have friendly staff?
5 Who says that they sometimes only look at a few things in a room?
6 Who learns more in a museum than in a classroom?
7 Who prefers going around a museum with a guide to going alone?
3.A great science teacher

Three teenagers talk about their science teachers.
Joshua
Mrs Philips was my science teacher when I joined my school and she still is, so I
don’t know what the other teachers are like. But I think Mrs Philips is amazing.
Her lessons always seem to go really fast – she gives us so much great stuff to do.
Even when we think something is too hard for us, she says she knows we can all
do it, and she’s usually right! She also shows us drawings, photos and websites to
explain how things work, which I love.
Dan
I have a fantastic science teacher called Mrs Rhodes. She loves her subject –
especially plants. She is able to draw wonderful pictures of them on the board,
which helps us understand them. She never seems to get tired or bored when she’s
teaching. She takes time to get to know each student in the class so that she can
help them better. I think she’s the reason I want to be a science teacher one day.
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Chris
In just one year, Mrs James has become my favourite teacher. Until I joined her
class, I was very bad at science, but she explained things so well that I soon
understood them better. My marks went up almost immediately. She’s always
happy to spend extra time with us at the end of lessons if we’re having problems.
But it isn’t just teaching that makes her great. She’s also interested in our lives and
gives advice on how to be a better person.
1 Who says his teacher helps with things other than science?
A Joshua B Dan C Chris
2 Who says his teacher is really interested in what she teaches?
3 Who says his teacher believes every student can be successful?
4 Who says he has chosen his future career because of his teacher?
5 Who says his teacher helped him to improve quickly?
6 Who says he’s only ever had one science teacher at his school?
7 Who says his teacher is very good at drawing?
4.School boat festival

Elena
Our class heard about the school boat festival in our science class. Our teacher
explained that we had to make several different boats so we could learn what
makes boats float on water. First, my group made a sailing boat, but when we
sailed it in the school swimming pool, it sank because there were holes in the
wood! So, we decided to make a boat from old plastic bottles and that didn’t sink
under the water!
Astrid
The boats our class built for the school boat festival were amazing. Our technology
teacher showed us a video about how boats and ships are built. Then she told us to
make a model of a ship using wood, plastic and metal. After that, we had to make a
short film that explained how we made our model of a ship. Then we took our
models to the local park and sailed them on the lake.
Kumiko
We were really excited and stopped talking when the headteacher told us about the
school boat festival at our whole school morning meeting. We decided to make a
model of a Viking long boat and give it to our English teacher because her husband
is Danish and she’s leaving at the end of the school year to go and work in his
country. We didn’t want to sail it on the river in case it sank!
1 Whose teacher asked the class to make a boat from different things?
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A Elena B Astrid C Kumiko
2 Whose class was interested when they heard about the boat festival?
3 Whose teacher told the students why they had to make boats?
4 Whose class wanted to make a present for their teacher?
5 Whose class recorded a video showing what they learned?
6 Whose classmates built a boat that didn’t work?
7 Whose classmates didn’t test their boat on the water?
5.Three great TV shows

A Active Art
Active Art is a new show for 12–15-year-olds. Each week, the world-famous artist
Tony Moldino shows viewers how to make an amazing work of art. He’s great in
front of the camera and surprisingly funny. Last week’s show was all about
painting faces. This week, it’s drawing with pencil and next week, it’s digital
photography. You can see Active Art every Tuesday and Thursday at 5.00 p.m.
B Dance!
Dance! is a new drama for teenagers, about the lives of teachers and students at a
dance school in New York. The most important person in the story is Tina Giles, a
young girl from a poor part of town who dreams of becoming a big star. On her
first day at the school she meets Joe, Heather and John. They become close and
together they have many exciting adventures. Dance! is on every Monday night at
7.00.
C You and Me
The new series of You and Me returns this Saturday at 16.00 p.m. with a special
show that’s twice as long as usual. This show is perfect for the whole family to
watch together, as everyone will find something to laugh at. Each week, we get a
different story about the life of Harriet, a high school student. In this week’s
episode, her younger brother gets a part in the school play. Harriet wants to be in
the play too and does everything she can think of to make this happen!
1 Which show is on twice a week?
A Active Art B Dance! C You and Me
2 Which show is about a group of friends?
3 Which show teaches you how to do something?
4 Which show is a comedy?
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5 Which show is about someone who wants to change her life?
6 Which show has a well-known star?
7 Which show is good for people of all ages?
6.My favourite book

Jian
This well-known book was in a box of old books that a neighbour gave me. I
wasn’t sure about it when I picked it up because I saw the pictures and thought it
was a book for little children. But I was bored, so I started reading. After a few
pages I couldn’t stop, and when I got to the last page, I was quite upset that there
wasn’t more. It’s about two friends who play a game, and how it changes their
lives. It’s brilliant!
Max
This was one of the first books I ever had, but it’s still a favourite. Even before I
could read, I loved looking at the drawings as my parents read the story to me.
Now my little sister’s got it, and she loves it too. The writer has become quite
famous, but this is the first book she wrote, and not many people have heard of it.
It’s very different from the books she wrote later. I suppose what you write about
changes as your life changes.
Kojo
I read this book for the first time when I was about eight. One of the reasons I liked
it was that it was about people growing up in a place which I knew nothing about.
My friend read it too, and our ideas for games often came from this book. I read it
again recently, and I still think it’s great, except the last few pages. What happens
in them doesn’t seem real.
1 Who does not like the way the book ends?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
2 Who enjoyed the pictures in the book?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
3 Who explains how he got the book?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
4 Who enjoyed learning about lives which are different from his own?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
5 Who says something about what happens in the story?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
6 Who says the book is not very well-known?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
7 Who felt sad when he finished the book?
A Jian B Max C Kojo
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7.Our free-time activities
Lei Wei
I’ve been a member of the school cooking club since I was ten. I’m best known as
a brilliant cake maker. Last year, I made 100 cupcakes for my cousin’s 18th
birthday party and everyone said they were delicious. Cooking is only expensive if
you buy unusual food, like Chinese vegetables that you can’t find in a
supermarket. I did this and make a special dinner for my Dad when he was 50.
Deepak
When I was younger, I became interested in photography when my uncle let me
take photos on his big digital camera. I’ve got my own camera now – I saved my
pocket money for a year to buy it and it’s fantastic. I love taking photos of people
playing sport – it’s really difficult to catch them at the right moment so I take
several photos. The headteacher has asked me to take the photos at the school
fashion show, which will be fun.
Romeo
My aunt works for a fashion magazine and wears really cool clothes. I’m different
to most boys because I love making clothes for me and my sisters, so I want to
study fashion at college. I’ve already got some experience of the fashion world.
With my aunt’s help, I won a competition to help get the clothes ready when a
famous American photographer came to take photos of models wearing winter
clothes. It was a really interesting day and I could earn some money.
1 Who got some help with their hobby from a family member?
A Liu Wei B Deepak C Romeo
2 Who had success with something they did for their family?
3 Who used their own money to get something they needed to do their hobby?
4 Whose hobby could be what they choose to learn about in the future?
5 Whose hobby has allowed them to do some paid work?
6 Whose hobby sometimes costs them a lot of money?
7 Whose hobby is sometimes hard to do well?
8.What’s your hobby?

Chloẽ
My love of windsurfing started when I was a child. It’s quite an expensive hobby
for most people, but I’m lucky because my uncle owns a windsurfing school. I can
go windsurfing for free with my cousins. They’ve won prizes for windsurfing in
different countries. I’m getting better at windsurfing now. Next year, I’d like to
buy my own board. I need to save a lot of money first though!
Ian
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I love art. My grandfather was an artist so maybe it’s in the family! Unfortunately,
I never met him, but I’ve seen his picture. My love for art started at college. I don’t
go to college now, but I go to an art class with my friend. I won’t win any prizes
for my art – I’m not that good, but I enjoy it. I also love art shops. I probably buy
too much – I usually buy something every week!
Ben
My hobby is music. I’m really lucky because my friend’s a drum teacher. She’s
taught me a lot. I now play the drums in a group. I only joined the group last year,
but we’ve already played five concerts – two were at a local college. We entered a
music competition last month and won £500! I’ve always loved music and my
dream is to play in different cities around the world.
1 Who does their hobby with a family member?
A Chloẽ B Ian C Ben
2 Who began to be interested in their hobby at college?
3 Who won a prize for their hobby?
4 Who would like to do their hobby in different countries?
5 Who often spends money on their hobby?
6 Who is planning to buy some expensive equipment for their hobby?
7 Who had help with their hobby from a friend?
9.How three young people became DJs

DJ Fire
This Russian DJ grew up travelling with his parents who were in a rock band. He
started learning piano at four, and drums at twelve. As a teenager, he wrote songs
and posted them online as a hobby. Then, at 20, a music company started paying
him to write songs for pop bands – and some have been on the radio. Later he
became interested in electronic music and started playing it in clubs. He’s hoping
to get an invitation to play at some international festivals this summer.
DJ Goldrock
This South African DJ started the piano when he was 5. At 15, he played pop
songs at a cousin’s birthday party, and got a hundred kids dancing. At that
moment, he knew he wanted to be a DJ and never have a normal job. He started a
website where he played his favourite songs, and soon had lots of fans. He’s now
20 and has his own show on national radio. For the past three years, he’s spent his
summers going around the world playing dance music at festivals.
DJ Mango
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At 15, this Brazilian DJ’s parents gave him a new computer and DJ equipment for
making electronic dance music. Later that year, he started playing music at local
dance parties to make some extra money, and the parties just got bigger and bigger.
A few years later, a journalist asked him why he became a DJ. He said that as a
child his dream was to play the electronic guitar for a rock group, but he wasn’t
good enough!
1 Who travels to different countries every year to play his music?
A DJ Fire B DJ Goldrock C DJ Mango
2 Who comes from a family of musicians?
3 Who was paid to make music as a teenager?
4 Who knows how to play more than one musical instrument?
5 Who works for a radio station?
6 Who writes music for other musicians?
7 Who wanted to play in a band when he was younger?
10.School cooking competition

Alice
Our class has just won a prize in a cooking competition – and we’re going to be on
the local TV news tonight. The judges liked our pizzas because they were delicious
and we also made pasta with sauce and dessert for the children in our school for
lunch yesterday. Our teacher is married to a chef who helped us with our main
course. We’re planning to bake some cakes tomorrow and sell them. We want to
get enough money to pay for a school trip.
Eva
Our class teacher heard about the cooking competition on the local TV news and
told us about it. We decided to enter and won second prize! We made rice and
vegetables, lemonade and dessert for our parents. We turned the school hall into a
restaurant for one evening. Our prize is a visit to the kitchens of a famous
restaurant in our city – Gigi’s. My cousin works there and she says the food is
amazing.
Jenny
The food our class made for the cooking competition was amazing. We baked a lot
of cakes – chocolate, orange, lemon and honey. We also used vegetables from the
school garden to make steak with vegetable salad for the class below us and
everyone said it was fantastic. It was an interesting project and we learned a lot
about food. We won third prize for our cakes and took them to a home for old
people near our school.
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1 Whose food was popular with other students?
A Alice B Eva C Jenny
2 Whose class learned about the cooking competition from a TV programme?
3 Whose class baked cakes and gave them away?
4 Whose class won a trip in the cooking competition?
5 Whose class got some help from someone who works in a restaurant?
6 Whose class used food grown in the school to make lunch for another class?
7 Whose class plans to use their cakes to make money?
11.We love London

Louisa
I’ve lived in London nearly all my life. I love London, but I don’t like very
crowded, noisy places. I enjoy spending time in the big parks. I love the city in
April when they are full of flowers. I have a café in London which I opened two
years ago. I travel to work by train. It takes one hour, but I spend the time reading.
And I love reading!
Josh
My parents are both from villages, but I was born in London and I’ve never left. I
love being around lots of noise and people. I work for a very successful business in
the centre of London. I have a nice apartment – I can see London Bridge from my
bedroom window. I’m lucky because I live close to work and it’s a pleasant walk
from my apartment. I know lots of people hate their journey to work.
Anita
All my family live in London. I went to university in France, but then I came back.
London can be very busy and noisy, but I don’t mind that. I like big cities. Last
spring I went to Tokyo. It was great. My dream is to work there one day. In
London, I have a long journey to work and the train is always late. It’s the worst
part of my day – it’s awful! Trains are better in Japan.
1 Who has always lived in London?
A Louisa B Josh C Anita
2 Who prefers quiet places?
3 Who started a business in London?
4 Who could like to live somewhere else?
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5 Who lives in a home with a view?
6 Who likes London in the spring?
7 Who hates their journey to work?
12.My trip to Rome

Rhodri
I had a great time in Rome with my family. It was my first holiday outside my own
country and I couldn’t wait to go. I found out all I could about Rome from the
library and on the internet. Knowing about the history made seeing all the old
buildings, like the Colosseum, much more interesting. We were able to do lots of
sightseeing because the taxis and buses and the metro were cheap and fast.
Patrick
It was really hot when I arrived at Rome airport with my parents last summer. I
love walking around famous places like the Trevi Fountain, but all the cars and
buses in the city sometimes made walking difficult. I really loved the food. The
Italians have a special kind of ice cream called ‘gelato’ which is wonderful, but the
best thing I had was a pizza at a local market. I also got some great things to take
back for my friends.
Josh
It was so hot when my dad and I went to Rome last year that we usually waited
until after the sun went down to explore the city on foot. During the day we went
to museums, shops and restaurants. The pasta there is amazing, and I had some
Italian ice cream, called ‘gelato’, for the first time. That was the thing I liked most.
After a few days in Rome, we decided to take a train into the countryside for a day.
It was nice to see all the small villages and farms.
1 Who says it was easy to travel around in Rome?
A Rhodri B Patrick C Josh
2 Who says he felt very excited before his holiday?
3 Who says there was a lot of traffic in Rome?
4 Who says he prepared carefully for his trip?
5 Who said his favourite food on the trip was Italian ice cream?
6 Who bought some things to give as gifts?
7 Who took a short trip outside Rome?
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13.Part-time jobs
Helena
I have a part-time job in a café in the city centre. I work there every Saturday from
9.00 to 5.00 and I have worked there every week for almost a year. I like working
there – the customers are really friendly and they always ask how I am. We get to
eat the café’s food for lunch – it’s all delicious. My favourite is the cheese
sandwiches with chips! When I’m older, I’d like to have my own café.
Katja
I have worked in the local supermarket since last summer now and I really enjoy it.
I work two evenings a week and a full day on either Saturday or Sunday. Saturdays
are the best day for me to work so I can go out with my friends after work and have
a rest the day after. It’s often very busy at work so the time goes quickly. I prefer it
when I’m busy.
Paula
I’ve got a part-time job in a gift shop. It sells cards and birthday presents and it
also has presents for days like Mother’s Day. I’ve worked there for two years and
get on well with the other staff. I work on Saturdays, but in the summer holidays I
work on some days during the week as well. We sometimes get people asking what
to buy for their family – I like giving them ideas. It’s a great job!
1 Who wants to work in the same field later in life?
A Helena B Katja C Paula
2 Who likes to have a lot to do at work?
3 Who helps people make decisions at work?
4 Who works only at the weekend?
5 Who prefers to work on Saturdays?
6 Who has worked in their job for the longest time?
7 Who works more in the summer?
14.Computer games
Three teenagers talk about playing computer games.
Kamil
I spend about five hours a week playing computer games. My parents don’t mind
because they know it’s less time than some teenagers spend on the computer. I’ve
got all kinds of games, but the ones I like most are those where you learn things.
I’ve got a brilliant game called ‘History Ship’. It shows you what life was like on
sailing ships hundreds of years ago and it’s fun to play. There’s another interesting
game I’d like to get called ‘Space Journey’. It’s quite expensive, but I think I’ll
have enough money for it soon.
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Mia
Both of my brothers love being outdoors playing football, but the hobby I enjoy
most is playing computer games. My parents are OK with that because they think
you can learn a lot from playing games. The only thing they say is that I can’t play
games on the evenings I have homework. I’ve got a variety of games, but my
favourite is called ‘Forestworld’. A friend said it was an amazing game, so I was
really pleased when I got it as a present for my birthday.
Liam
I’ve enjoyed playing computer games for as long as I can remember. I have lots of
different games, but the one I like most is called ‘Sea Adventure’. It’s a really great
game. I wasn’t very good at it at first, but I’ve improved and can complete the
different levels really quickly now. Several of my friends like computer games too,
so they come round to my house at the weekend and we play together. It’s great
fun!
1 Who says their favourite computer game was a gift?
A Kamil B Mia C Liam
2 Who often plays computer games with other people?
3 Who has seen a new computer game they would like to buy?
4 Who prefers playing computer games to doing sport?
5 Who has got better at playing their favourite computer game?
6 Who is not allowed to play computer games every day?
7 Who prefers computer games that teach something?
15.Three great campsites to try this summer

Sandy Bay
This campsite is on an excellent beach, and has its own surfing school with special
prices for campers. You can also learn to windsurf and sail there. The sea is safe
for swimming, so it’s a great place for families. The large swimming pool is great
in summer, and has a wide area of grass around it. Its small supermarket has long
opening hours. It doesn’t matter what size tent you bring, as the campsite is large
and you won’t be too near your neighbours!
High Wood
There are lots of activities you can do at High Wood campsite, from fishing to
cycling, and they’ll lend you any of the equipment you need. It’s not as large as
some campsites, but it’s clean and modern. It has a fantastic pool with a roof
window which can open and close. There’s also a special area where you can
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watch films or dance under the stars to local bands. For food shopping, try the shop
in the nearby village.
Black Lake
The wonderful thing about Black Lake campsite is walking up in the morning and
seeing the beautiful mountains all around you. You don’t have to bring your own
tent – there are some already there you can pay to use. There’s lots to do – you can
swim in the lake or walk in the forest. And don’t forget to bring your mountain
bike with you! If you want to cook for yourself, the shop in the next village has a
good variety of food.
1 Which campsite has an indoor swimming pool?
A Sandy Bay B High Wood C Black Lake
2 Which campsite offers water sports classes?
3 Which campsite has great views?
4 Which campsite has a shop where people can buy food?
5 Which campsite offers evening activities?
6 Which campsite has lots of space for your tent?
7 Which campsite has bikes you can borrow?
16.Favourite places
Esteban
The most beautiful place to visit in my city is the Alhambra castle. There has been
a castle there since the 9th century, although it’s only since the 13th century that
kings have lived there. The best time to visit is first thing in the morning or in the
late evening, as the castle gets very busy with tour groups during the day. My
favourite part of the castle is the gardens, as they have water running through all of
them
George
My favourite place in my town is the sports center. I go there every weekend to
play tennis with my cousin. He’s older than me and a really good player, but
sometimes I manage to beat him! The sports centre is really big and it has two
swimming pools. In the summer when it’s hot I like to use the outdoor pool, but
my cousin prefers the indoor pool as it’s bigger.
Michele
I think that the best place to visit near where I live is the local museum. It has
paintings from the 15th century that are very beautiful and sculptures, too. Most
tourists want to take photos of the tower because the city is famous for it, and
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many of them visit the cathedral that is next to it in the square. Not many tourists
go to the museum, so it’s always peaceful there.
1 Whose account tells us about who lived in their favourite place?
A Esteban B George C Michele
2 Who goes to their favourite place with someone else?
3 Whose city is well known for one building?
4 Whose favourite place has a lot of tourists that visit it?
5 Whose favourite place has a lot of beautiful things to look at inside it?
6 Who prefers the outdoor facilities at their favourite place?
7 Whose favourite place is quiet?
17.Swimming
Three teenagers talk about their sport.
Becky
I’ve always loved swimming and a few years ago, I joined a swimming club with
my older brother. Our mum drives us to the local pool every morning. It’s not far
in the car, but practice starts at 6 a.m., so we have to get up early. My brother does
other sports and is fitter than me, but I’m hoping to improve and get faster. Maybe
one day, I’ll even win a competition!
Dom
My mum took me to the pool a lot when I was very young and I’ve belonged to a
swimming club since I was about seven. I now swim for three hours every day
except Monday. I need to stay fit, so I run and go to the gym as well. I’ve always
been a fast swimmer and I’m lucky enough to have won a few competitions. I’d
like other teenagers to do more sport, so I’ve started a blog about swimming and
staying healthy.
Josie
I had to change my swimming club about a year ago because my family moved
house. I like my new club, but the coach makes us work hard. In many ways, that’s
a good thing. I’m much fitter and my swim times have improved – for example, I
can swim a length of the pool more quickly now. Unfortunately, our new house
isn’t close to the pool and it takes about an hour to get there. I’m sometimes glad
when it’s the weekend and I can stay at home!
1 Who travels a long way to a pool?
A Becky B Dom C Josie
2 Who has come first in a swimming race?
3 Who does swimming practice daily?
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4 Who writes online about swimming?
5 Who swims faster now than 12 months ago?
6 Who does various sports?
7 Who swims at the same club as a family member?
18.How I became a tennis coach

Petra
I grew up in Germany, but when I was 17, I moved to Spain so I could go to a
tennis centre there. It was hard to be without my family and friends, especially
when I hurt myself or got ill. However, my tennis improved a lot. After three years,
I left the centre and began my career. I started playing in big competitions around
the world. I did OK, but wasn’t earning enough money, so I quickly decided to
become a tennis coach instead. I now teach children who are just starting the game,
which is fun.
Bea
When I was 14, my dad sent me to a tennis centre near my home in Italy. He
thought I might become a top player like him, but I saw how much time he spent
going from one country to another during his career, and I’ve never wanted that for
myself. My favourite things at the tennis centre were spending time at the pool or
having barbecues with friends in the evenings. I’m now a coach, and teach young
tennis stars at summer camps in Italy.
Sara
When I went to live in Spain so I could go to a famous tennis centre there, my dad
came with me, and my mum stayed at home in Scotland. My tennis really
improved during my two years there, but when I broke my foot it became clear that
a career as a tennis player wasn’t going to be possible. I went home for a year and
then returned to the centre to do a coaching course. I now teach the best young
players in Scotland.
1 Who didn’t enjoy tennis as much as other activities at the tennis centre?
A Petra B Bea C Sara
2 Who had to change her plans for the future after an accident?
3 Who says she missed people from home while she was at the tennis centre?
4 Who went back to the tennis centre to learn to become a coach?
5 Who doesn’t like the idea of travelling a lot for her job?
16
6 Who moved to a different country with a member of her family?
7 Who teaches tennis to young people who haven’t played before?
19.Learning for fun

Meet three women who enjoy taking classes in their free time.
Paula
I work full time as a nurse, and don’t have much time for hobbies, but I’ve been
interested in photography since I was a child. On my last holiday to India, I took
lots of pictures, and everyone I showed them to said they were great. So I decided
to do a course. At first, I was afraid I might not be good enough. After all, it was
my first time as a student for ten years! But I loved it from the very first lesson.
Sally
When I was still at school, I started learning the violin. It was fun and I was quite
good at it, but I didn’t do it for long, because I had so many other hobbies. Then
last year, I was having a hard time in my job, and my husband bought me a violin
as a present. I started learning with a teacher again. All three of my children are
learning to play instruments too, so now we can practise with each other!
Kim
Last year I moved to a new city because of my job. I didn’t have anything to do in
the evenings, so one of my colleagues said I should try a class at the local college.
I immediately thought of cooking. My mum was a fantastic cook, and when I was
a child I loved watching her in the kitchen, but I never learned how to cook myself.
The other students on the course are around my age, and sometimes we go to
restaurants together, or even the cinema.
1 Who does her hobby with people in her family?
A Paula B Sally C Kim
2 Who started classes after getting some good advice?
3 Who began her hobby after feeling unhappy at work?
4 Who did her hobby for a long time before starting classes?
5 Who has made new friends at her classes?
6 Who felt worried before starting her classes?
7 Who first had classes in her hobby as a child?
17
20.A dancer’s life
Priya
I work as a dancer, and I’m also studying part-time. I practise most days and have
to do my college work, so I can’t always go out with my friends at weekends, but
that’s fine. We text each other every day. I mostly dance in musicals, but in the
future I’m hoping to start jazz dance. My mum always comes to watch me on
stage. She’s my biggest fan! Being a dancer isn’t easy, but I want to do it as long
as I can.
Zoe
There are dancers of all ages in my dance company and every year we go on
international tours together. My cousin also dances with me. She’s been a dancer
for seven years and people everywhere know her now. She was a jazz dancer in the
past, but loves what we do now. I don’t usually feel worried before I dance in front
of others – I know I’m good! But that’s only because I try so hard. I spend about
three hours dancing every day.
Heike
I come from a family of dancers so maybe it’s not surprising I’m one too. I’m in a
hip-hop group at the moment, but actually I can dance to any music – even jazz!
I’m the youngest member of my dance group. Before each show, I think of
everything that might go wrong, but I try hard to tell myself it’ll all be OK. We
dance all over the country, so I’m away from home almost every day and I miss
my friends a lot.
1 Who practices her dancing seven days a week?
A Priya B Zoe C Heike
2 Who feels scared before she goes on stage?
3 Who would like to try a different type of dance?
4 Who feels sad that she can’t spend much time with her friends?
5 Who says she has no plans to change her job?
6 Who has a family member who is famous?
7 Who says the people she dances with are older than her?
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21.Joining a ballroom dancing club
By Pippa Cartwright
When I started college, I wanted to find a club to join. One of the first ones I
looked at was ballroom dancing – a type of dance you do with a partner. The
people there seemed to be having a great time, and it didn’t cost much, so I decided
to join.
The first week I went, I was really worried because the teacher told us that there
were nineteen different dances we had to learn. But it’s been fine. When there’s a
new thing to learn, he shows it to us lots of times and makes sure we’re all good at
it before we do the next thing.
When I joined, I didn’t know any of the other people in the club because we all
study different subjects. But it’s been a great way to meet people, and I’ve made
some of my best friends in the club.
One of the reasons we learn the dances is to enter competitions. I couldn’t wait to
do my first one. Before we started, I was a bit worried. But during the competition,
my partner and I remembered everything about our dances. We were great. We
didn’t win any prizes, but it didn’t matter – we loved it!
Joining the ballroom dancing club has been fantastic. In the past, I always did the
same sports and activities, year after year, but ballroom dancing has taught me
there’s nothing scary about doing something you’ve never tried before. I still do
lots of sports, but now I can add ballroom dancing to my list of hobbies.
1 Why did Pippa join the dance club?
A She thought it looked fun.
B She didn’t have to pay for it.
C She didn’t like any of the other clubs.
2 What does Pippa say about the dance teacher?
A He teaches them a new dance every week.
B He often tells new members how good they are.
C He repeats new things until everyone can do them.
3 What does Pippa say about the other club members?
A She has become close to some of them.
B She is on the same course as some of them.
C She was friends with some of them before joining.
4 How did Pippa feel about her first dance competition?
A happy to win first prize
B upset that she forgot the dances
C excited to take part
5 In the final paragraph, Pippa says
A ballroom dancing is her favourite hobby.
B she’s learned not to be afraid to do new things.
C she isn’t sure which activity to try next.
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22.Callie Rice – ice dancer
Growing up, I was in an ice-skating club, and my friends and I did lots of
competitions. When I was 18, I entered a big one in Italy, and I came first. The
prize was a job as an ice dancer in a big show. That’s how my career started.
One of the things I love about the shows is the beautiful clothes. The only trouble
is that sometimes they’re heavy and I get very hot. Also, I have to change lots of
times in one show. The people who make the clothes are very clever – it’s amazing
how quickly they work!
Before the show starts, we get dressed, put our skates on, and wish each other good
luck. Then, while I’m waiting to go on, I like to sit quietly by myself and think
about what I’m going to do. The other skaters chat together or listen to music.
In the shows, we have to dance, sing, and also speak. For me, ice dancing is fine,
but I’m not an actor. I’m always a bit scared I won’t remember the words. I’m not
bothered about falling – it doesn’t usually happen. And I really enjoy joining in
with all the songs.
People always ask me if I’m tired when each show finishes, but I love skating, so I
never feel that way. I love listening to the people who came to watch – so excited
as they leave, talking about what they’ve seen. That’s when I’m really happy I
chose ice dancing as a career.
1 How did Callie’s career as an ice danger begin?
A She won a competition.
B She saw an advert for a job.
C A friend invited her to join an ice show.
2 What does Callie say about the clothes she wears?
A Some are prettier than others.
B It’s hard to skate in them.
C Making them takes a long time.
3 What does Callie do just before each show?
A She talks to the other skaters.
B She checks her skates are okay.
C She takes a moment to be alone.
4 What does Callie worry about?
A having an accident on the ice
B forgetting what she has to say
C dancing and singing at the same time
5 How does Callie usually feel after a show?
A ready for a rest
B glad that she’s finished
C pleased about making people happy
20
23.
Playing music in a rock band is a great way to meet people who are interested in
the same things as you, and to have a lot of fun. The first thing you’ll need to do is
decide what instruments you want in your band. Most bands have one or two
guitars, a singer, drums and keyboards, but you can change this. However, every
band must have drums – you will need someone who can play those.
The next thing is to find your bandmates. Begin by making a poster. Describe the
kind of music you want to make and the instruments you want in your band. Put
the poster up in your school or college and ask your friends if they know anyone
who would like to join.
Once you have a band, you’ll need to quickly think of a name. The best way to do
this is to spend two hours with your bandmates, writing down hundreds of ideas.
Most will be really bad, but there will be a few good ones. Choose something
surprising and interesting, that people won’t be able to forget.
Next, you’ll need to practise as much as you can. You will need a place where you
can make a lot of noise without making your neighbours angry. Trying to play
quietly will not help you get better. Don’t spend time learning songs written by
other people. Try writing your own. And don’t be afraid of writing about your
normal everyday experiences. All bands begin like this.
1 Which instrument does the writer think is most important in a band?
A drums
B guitars
C keyboards
2 What does the writer suggest in the second paragraph?
A listen to your classmates’ bands
B advertise in the place where you study
C ask your friends to join your band
3 What does the writer say about choosing a band name?
A Make sure it is easy to remember.
B Be ready to change it if it is not popular.
C Spend a few weeks thinking about it.
4 The writer thinks it is important for new bands to
A write songs about unusual things.
B begin by learning famous songs.
C play loudly when they practise.
5 What is the best title for this article?
A The world’s best rock band
B How to start a rock band
C My life in a rock band
21
24.Travel writer
Tim Greenwood lives in Oakland, USA. He has written about Cambodia, Thailand
and India. At the moment he is writing a book about Nepal.
Tim, how did you start travelling?
We never travelled as a family, but when I was a teenager I saw movies
like Lawrence of Arabia and they made me want to travel. I left college at the age
of 21 and went to Europe alone. That trip didn’t go well – I was too young and
didn’t know how to look after myself.
How did you start writing?
I’ve loved writing since I was ten – I’ve never wanted any other career. At 21, I
wrote for my weekly college paper and then started writing travel articles. At first,
none of the travel magazines I sent them to wanted to buy them, but that slowly
changed. It took two or three years, I guess.
What do you find difficult about writing?
It is easy to spend all my time travelling and then not have time to open up my
laptop and work! Also, it’s hard to earn enough money. I’ll never stop writing, but
one day I may have to do a few hours a week teaching just to pay the bills.
What’s the best thing about being a travel writer?
I get letters from young people who’ve read my books and articles and enjoy my
work. I just love that!
1 As a teenager, Tim
A went on trips with his parents.
B became interested in seeing the world.
C spent too much time watching TV.
2 What does Tim say about his trip to Europe?
A He didn’t have time to see everything.
B It was more fun than college.
C It was not a great success.
3 When Tim was 21, he couldn’t
A travel as much as he wanted to.
B decide what to write about.
C sell many of his articles.
4 In the future, Tim thinks he might
A do some extra work.
B earn more from writing.
C change his job.
5 What does Tim like about being a travel writer?
A hearing from his fans
B giving advice to people
C meeting other young writers
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25.How I spend my free time
Jay Portman describes his unusual hobby, hill running, and tells us why he
enjoys it.
Hill running is the sport of running up and down hills and mountains, through open
countryside. It’s not popular among my friends, but I love it. My dad took me and
my brothers out running when we were little, and then when I was about fifteen, I
joined a hill running club, called the York Merlins.
There are some excellent runners in the club. When we do our practice runs, I’m
always a long way behind them. But that doesn’t bother me. They’re all really nice
and often give me advice. What I love is being outdoors and finding all these
beautiful places I never knew were there.
We race against other clubs at the weekends. In these races, runners are told where
to finish, but not how to get there. You need a good map and compass so you don’t
get lost. Everyone starts together at the beginning, but later in the race you often
find yourself running alone.
Anyone can enter these races – you just get there in the morning, pay your £5, and
run. There are no T-shirts or medals for the winners. The most you get is a piece of
cake! Often there are international hill running champions taking part, but they are
just as friendly as everyone else.
That doesn’t mean it’s an easy sport. Last weekend I did a race in heavy rain and
high winds, and I was asking myself what I was doing out there. But I got to the
end, and that was an amazing feeling.
1 Jay’s first experience of hill running was with
A a club.
B some friends.
C his family.
2 How does Jay feel about the good runners in his club?
A He’d like to be as fast as them one day.
B He doesn’t mind that they are better than him.
C He thinks they should help slower runners improve.
3 What does Jay say is important in the races he enters?
A listening to the instructions
B staying close to other runners
C being able to find your way
4 What do we learn about the races from the fourth paragraph?
A They don’t have big prizes.
B They are only for local runners.
C They are free for some people to enter.
5 What does Jay say about the last race he did?
A The bad weather made it dangerous.
B He was very happy when he finished it.
C It wasn’t as difficult as some races he has done.
23
26.Juan Sala – underwater scientist and film-maker!
When Juan Sala was young, he lived with his family just five minutes from a quiet
beach in the south of Spain. He spent all day in his summer holidays swimming
and snorkelling there. He loved watching television programmes about underwater
adventurers in the evenings. Even then, he dreamed of filming and studying
unusual fish and other interesting creatures under the sea. But he didn’t actually
begin to do that until he was in his twenties.
Juan describes a normal work day on his 45-metre boat: ‘I get up before everyone
else. I have breakfast and jump in the sea as soon as I can. I usually work
underwater three or four times a day. I collect and film anything that looks
interesting.’
‘After that, I make notes about my work on my laptop and have a meal. After
dinner, I’m usually so tired I immediately go to bed. My friends sometimes invite
me to go to a party, but I’m always asleep by the time the fun starts.’
‘I work hard, but I don’t need holidays. I have such fun every day! My friends
often say that they would like to have a job like mine. They need to pay a lot of
money to spend their holiday in interesting places, but they don’t get the chance to
see so many unusual creatures.’
Juan is planning to do some underwater filming in the Queensmen Islands soon.
‘I’ve never visited those islands, but I know a lot about them,’ he says. ‘I’ve
always wanted to go there. I’d like to study the strange plants and creatures that
live underwater in that part of the world. It’ll be a very exciting project!’
1 How old was Juan when he made his first underwater film?
A He was a young boy.
B He was a young adult.
C He hasn’t made a film yet.
2 During his work day, Juan
A watches films about unusual fish.
B spends three or four hours underwater.
C looks for interesting things to film.
3 What does Juan do in the evening?
A He eats and then goes to sleep.
B He has fun at a party with his friends.
C He invites his friends for dinner and then goes to bed early.
4 How does Juan feel about holidays?
A He often takes holidays because he works so hard.
B He only goes on expensive holidays with his friends.
C He isn’t interested in holidays.
5 Juan is excited about his next job
A because he loves going to the Queensmen Islands.
B because it will be a new experience for him.
C because he doesn’t know anything about that part of the world.
24
27.My city
Pop singer Charlotte Bond talks about living in London.
I live in the centre of London. I love it because there’s always something
happening and there are people around whatever time it is. Famous people like it
too – they often come here for the restaurants and shops.
I’ve lived here all my life. When I was little, I had singing lessons at a place near
where I live now. I was afraid of the teacher at first, and some of the songs we did
together were quite hard to learn. But she was good at what she did and I learned a
lot of things that have helped me in my career.
When friends visit me now, I enjoy taking them sightseeing. You can get a bus
around the city, but we prefer to walk. I’ve got a little car and I love driving, but
there’s so much traffic here, and it’s hard to find parking spaces.
One building I love is the Natural History Museum. They sometimes hold parties
there, and last December my band and I played at one. I’ll never forget it. When I
go to exhibitions at the museum with my friends, I tell them all about that night
and how amazing it was.
Soon I’ll be leaving London to go on tour with my band. We’re playing in lots of
new cities and I can’t wait to explore them. We’ve sold lots of tickets, which is
great. I’ll be away from my family for six months, but they’re coming to see me
sing, so it’s fine.
1 What does Charlotte love about the centre of London?
A It is always busy.
B Famous people often visit.
C The shops are very good.
2 How does Charlotte feel about the singing lessons she had?
A She’s surprised she can remember them.
B She’s sorry she didn’t try harder.
C She’s glad she did them.
3 What does Charlotte think is the best way to see the city?
A by car
B on foot
C by bus
4 Why does Charlotte love the Natural History Museum?
A She had a special experience there.
B She thinks the building is beautiful.
C She enjoys visiting the exhibitions.
5 What does Charlotte say about going on tour with her band?
A She hopes lots of people will buy tickets for her shows.
B She feels excited about seeing new places.
C She’s worried she’ll miss her family.
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28.A round-the-world trip
Alice Woods and her brother Luke went on a special holiday.
When I was 16, my parents decided to take me and my brother Luke out of school
for six months to travel around the world. They wanted us to visit lots of different
countries and have new experiences. They said we were old enough to do that kind
of trip and believed it was better for us than spending six months in the classroom.
We both had to continue with our studies during the trip, so nearly every day we
had online classes in subjects like maths and science. Our parents also made sure
we studied the history of the places we visited, and when we had time, we went to
museum exhibitions or read guidebooks.
We did some fantastic things on the trip, like sailing along the Mekong River in
Vietnam and visiting the Taj Mahal in India. Luke enjoyed travelling around the
Amboseli National Park in Kenya. He’s interested in wildlife and loved seeing the
elephants. I enjoyed that too, but for me the best part was visiting the Rocky
Mountains in Canada. We camped there for a few days and the views were
amazing!
It was a great trip, but now we’re home again, I’m happy to be back at school and
spending time with my classmates. Everyone asks if I missed things while I was
away – like my favourite food or having my own room – but I tell them not really.
It was an adventure and I enjoyed everything about it.
1 Why did Alice’s parents decide to take the family on a round-the-world trip?
A They were a little bored with life at home.
B They believed it was a good way to learn new things.
C They wanted to visit other countries while the children were still young.
2 Alice says that most days she and Luke
A visited an exhibition.
B read a guidebook.
C did lessons on the internet.
3 What is Alice doing in the third paragraph?
A explaining how to plan a trip
B describing some activities they did
C giving advice to people who enjoy travelling
4 Which place did Alice enjoy visiting the most?
A the Taj Mahal in India
B the Rocky Mountains in Canada
C the Amboseli National Park in Kenya
5 How does Alice feel now that their trip has finished?
A glad to see her friends again
B happy to eat meals cooked at home
C pleased to be back in her own room
26
29.Peter Minor and his ideas factory!
By Sally Ward
Peter Minor, the well-known games developer, spoke to me recently about the
success of his company. River Run, his latest computer game, will be in the shops
on Monday.
I was lucky enough to be able to try it last week, and I believe it’s even better than
his last game, Underground, which is great fun, too. River Run has fantastic sound
effects and the players get a lot of action.
At 28, he manages a team of more than 100 people, but Peter never dreamed of
working with computer games when he was younger. It’s unusual for him to work
less than 12 hours a day, but he doesn’t mind because he loves his job. Peter and
his managers are always thinking of new projects.
Computer games developed by Peter’s company are played all over the world,
including Asia. His computer game Underground was very popular in Japan last
year. I’m certain players everywhere will love River Run just as much. I know I
can’t wait to have it at home!
Peter comes up with ideas for new games all the time. But it takes about three
years before the game can be sold in the shops. Many of his ideas come from
‘testers’. These are young people in the town who are invited to come and try the
games. Then they say what they enjoy about the games or what else they want to
be able to do.
‘In the past, I didn’t have enough money to buy a new bike,’ he told me. ‘Now I’ve
got my own plane! Everything is possible if you work hard. You can achieve
whatever you want.’
1 River Run, Peter Minor’s latest computer video game,
A is already on sale.
B will be on sale soon.
C is very successful.
2 Sally thinks
A Underground is easier to play than River Run.
B Underground isn’t as good as River Run.
C Underground is more fun than River Run.
3 When Peter was a child,
A he always hoped to work for a computer games business.
B he didn’t like playing computer games.
C he didn’t think he would have a job like he has now.
4 Last year, Underground
A was more popular in Asia than in the rest of the world.
B was the most successful game in Japan.
C was played by a lot of people in Japan.
5 The people who test Peter’s games
A are local people who know how to play computer games.
B help him make new games.
C are Peter and his managers.
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30.Jack Calder
Violin player Jack Calder plays in the Australian band, Ocean Blue.
Jack Calder started playing the violin when he was ten. ‘My music teacher played
and one day he asked if anyone wanted to learn. Some girls put up their hands and
so did I. I didn’t have a violin, but my uncle said I could use his. The lessons were
really hard at first, but playing the violin soon became important to me.’
After leaving school, Jack moved to Melbourne. For a time, he preferred listening
to music to playing it. The rock music he listened to sounded very different from
violin music, so he bought an electric violin, and started putting the things he liked
about rock music into the music he played on his violin.
A year later, Jack met a small group of Melbourne musicians. ‘We all thought
about music in the same way and started Ocean Blue together. A year later, we
were playing lots of concerts, and our music was selling well. But we didn’t want
this to make us different people. We didn’t want to stop being friends.’
Jack meets many people who think playing the violin is an unusual career, but he
doesn’t agree with them. ‘I think it’s the best thing in the world. I guess I’m lucky
that way. The internet has changed music, but when I walk into a violin shop it’s
like entering another world – one where time has stopped. Someone has looked
after these beautiful old instruments that are two or three hundred years old. I think
that’s amazing.’
1 What do we learn about Jack in the first paragraph?
A He was the only person at school to play the violin.
B He learned to play on an instrument that he borrowed.
C He enjoyed playing the violin as soon as he started learning.
2 What is the writer doing in the second paragraph?
A explaining why Jack thought some music was easy to play
B saying why only a few people liked the music Jack played
C describing how Jack changed the kind of music he played
3 What does Jack say about Ocean Blue?
A Nobody in the band liked travelling far to play in a concert.
B The band members were interested in different kinds of music.
C Everyone wanted to stay friends when the band became successful.
4 Why does Jack think he is lucky?
A He meets lots of people.
B He loves what he does.
C He has an unusual career.
5 Jack thinks it is a good idea
A to keep some things that people used in the past.
B to make more music available on the internet.
C to teach more people to play an instrument.
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31.My Love for Photography
By Eliza Brinkman
How did I get interested in photography? People usually think it’s because of my
uncle, the famous photographer Oliver Brinkman. Maybe you’ve seen his TV
show, Picture of the World. However, I started taking photos on a school trip. I
remember my grandma lent me her camera.
When I was 16, I studied photography at college. I remember feeling really
worried about the course. I loved taking photos but I wasn’t sure how good I was.
And sometimes it’s difficult having a famous uncle. People think you’ll be
amazing too!
My first job was at the local newspaper. My neighbour heard that the newspaper
was looking for a photographer and suggested it to me. My mum said I should try
and get the job and I got it! When I arrived for my first day, I found out that an old
school friend was also working there.
After five years at the newspaper, I moved to London and started a job at the
fashion magazine Dream. I loved this job. I worked in a great team; I’ll always
remember how kind they were to me. I went to very interesting places and worked
with some famous models.
I now have my own company, ABC Photography. I have a team of photographers
who take photos for different magazines. My newest project is a photography
course that I’ve started at my company. I really want to use my experience in the
photography business to help new photographers. It’s very exciting!
1 Eliza first became interested in photography when
A she saw her uncle’s photographs.
B she borrowed her grandma’s camera.
C she watched a TV programme about photography.
2 When Eliza started college she felt …
A worried that she was not good enough.
B excited about studying photography.
C lucky that she knew a famous photographer.
3 Who told Eliza about the job at the newspaper?
A an old friend from school
B her mum
C someone who lived near her
4 What will Eliza never forget about Dream magazine?
A her colleagues
B the places she visited
C the famous models
5 Eliza is teaching photography at her company because
A she thinks her team needs more training.
B she hopes to make more money.
C she wants to share what she has learnt.
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32.Buddy, the Red Panda
Buddy and his brother, Rusty, are red pandas. They were born on 15 June 2013 and
have lived in their own cage at London Nature Centre since 2015. Wild red pandas
live in India, China and other Asian countries, but experts think that there are only
about 2,500 still living in the wild.
Luckily, a lot of zoos and wildlife parks around the world are trying to protect the
red panda. They have to eat special food called ‘bamboo’ which is difficult to buy,
so there are over 50 bamboo plants growing at the Nature Centre for the pandas.
Just a few months after the pandas arrived at the Nature Centre, a terrible thing
happened – Buddy got out of the Nature Centre. He was very clever though
because he stayed close to home, and away from the traffic on the city’s crowded
roads. It took four days for the workers of the Nature Centre to find him!
One of the people who worked at the Nature Centre and who went to look for
Buddy was Trudy Andrews. Trudy’s father, Mr Andrews, told her that birds don’t
like being too close to animals like red pandas and they’ll make a lot of noise to
keep the panda away. He told her to look for Buddy up in the trees. Trudy heard
some birds and looked up and saw Buddy there, just like her father explained.
Everyone was very happy when Buddy arrived back safely, especially Rusty! He
happily shared some bamboo with his brother, who looked tired and was very
hungry.
1 Buddy and Rusty
A lived in China.
B were born on the same day.
C live together with other pandas.
2 The Nature Centre
A has to buy special food for the red pandas.
B gives the red pandas about 50 different types of food.
C grows bamboo for the red pandas.
3 Buddy was lost
A for less than a week.
B far away from the Nature Centre.
C with his brother, Rusty.
4 Mr Andrews
A found Buddy in a tree.
B worked at the Nature Centre.
C knew how to find Buddy.
5 When Buddy arrived back home.
A he gave his brother some food.
B his brother wasn’t very happy.
C he had a meal with Rusty.
30
33.A wonderful year
Ben Jones talks about his year of travel before studying at university.
I always knew I wanted to spend a year travelling before university. I wanted to
see the world, improve my skiing, make new friends from other countries and,
more than anything, try lots of things I’ve never done before.
The first place I visited was France. I’ve always loved the French language and I
wanted to study it. Then, while I was there, I became interested in French food. I
took some cooking lessons at a farmhouse in the French countryside, and learned
to make lots of lovely dishes.
Next, I visited Australia. My cousins live near the river in Sydney, so I had
somewhere to stay. To begin with, we spent a lot of time sailing in their boat. But
then I got a job in a hotel. It was great – the customers and staff were so friendly.
My last country was Japan, where I learned to become a skiing teacher. I planned
to do a three-week course. But when I got there, I saw that I wasn’t actually that
good, so I changed to a seven-week one. The course was amazing and afterwards I
got a job with a skiing company.
The other teachers were very friendly and on our days off, we did activities like
snowboarding. One weekend we even did winter camping. That was quite
interesting, but it was cold, so I can’t say I slept well! Anyway, we’re all planning
to meet up soon and I can’t wait.
1 What did Ben want to do during the year after he left school?
A try some different sports
B have some new experiences
C meet up with old friends
2 Why did Ben go to France?
A to do a French cooking course
B to see the French countryside
C to learn to speak French
3 Where did Ben live when he was in Australia?
A in the hotel where he worked
B with members of his family
C on a boat on the river
4 Why did Ben change his course in Japan?
A He heard about a better one.
B He knew he needed more practice.
C He wasn’t enjoying the first one.
5 What does Ben say about winter camping?
A It wasn’t pleasant at night.
B He would love to do it again soon.
C It was the most interesting thing he’s ever done.
31
34.My fashion blog
17-year-old Jayden Spahn talks about her love of fashion.
I’ve loved clothes since I was about five. Each morning, I spend time thinking
about what to wear. My mum gets angry sometimes and tells me to hurry up, but I
don’t think it’s something you can decide quickly. It’s far too important.
Last year, after reading a fashion blog by Rachel, a 19-year-old student, I decided
to start one myself. Almost immediately, I posted my first blog. I was really
pleased when friends said they loved it – they especially liked the video I made
called A world of fashion.
I post something new each day. I keep a fashion diary, where I describe what I’m
wearing, and every week I also post a photo of myself in my favourite clothes.
Most people say they like the photos. But, for me, the best part is getting messages
from fans.
My parents think it’s good for me to have a hobby, and I still do all my homework,
so they’re happy for me to do the blog. The only thing they tell me is to be careful
about what I read online. They tell me not to worry if people post things that I
don’t agree with.
I’m not really interested in becoming a fashion model – I think I might get bored
with someone taking my photograph every day! Maybe, when I’m older, I’ll start
my own clothes company, but before that I’m going to do a fashion course at
college. I’m already trying to choose the best one!
1 What do we learn about Jayden in the first paragraph?
A She gets her love of fashion from her mother.
B She chooses carefully which clothes to put on.
C She has many clothes she likes wearing to school.
2 Jayden began her fashion blog after
A she watched a video of a fashion show.
B she talked to her friends about starting one.
C she read a blog written by another teenager.
3 What does Jayden enjoy most about her fashion blog?
A posting photos of herself
B writing things in her fashion diary
C receiving messages from her fans
4 How do Jayden’s parents feel about her doing a fashion blog?
A pleased she is doing something she enjoys
B worried she will spend less time doing college work
C glad she is sharing her ideas with other young people
5 What has Jayden decided to do in the future?
A start her own company
B work as a fashion model
C study fashion at college
32
35.We want to be stars!
by Georgia Broom
I’m in a rock band called The Pink Stars with two other girls from school. We
didn’t really know each other before we started playing four months ago, but now
we’re great friends. We’ve all been in other bands before and love rock music.
Finding a place to practise is a problem, but we’re lucky because my parents don’t
mind if we use a room in our house two or three times a week.
On Saturday afternoons, we usually do different things than our friends from
school. Instead of going to the cinema or a café, we give a concert in a large music
shop in town. It’s great fun! We really enjoy choosing what we’ll wear. Sometimes
we go shopping for something special a day or two before we play.
When we started giving concerts, only our families came to see us. But soon, our
brothers and sisters started inviting their friends. We felt a bit shy when some
classmates came to see us, but we were pleased when they loved our music. Now
other people are beginning to come to the shop just to listen to us! We’re becoming
famous.
This summer we’re going to play at our first open air rock concert. It’ll be
wonderful to be on a stage in front of all those people. I can’t wait!
I sing and play the guitar. I can also play the keyboard, but I don’t like it very
much. Rachel plays the drums and Annie plays the guitar and keyboard. We’ve
written seven of our own songs to upload to our channel. We’ve also got our own
website, so to learn more about The Pink Stars, visit www.pinkstars.com. It has all
the information about our concerts.
1 How long have the girls been friends?
A since they met at school
B since they joined the band
C since they started playing music
2 What do they do after lunch on Saturdays?
A They sing in a big shop in town.
B They go shopping for clothes to wear when they play.
C They go out with their friends from school.
3 Who comes to listen to the band when they play?
A only family and friends
B family, friends and some people they don’t know
C customers in the music shop
4 Why is Georgia excited about the summer?
A She is going to have a long holiday from school.
B She is going to play in a concert.
C She is going to go to her first rock concert.
5 Who can play two instruments?
A only Annie
B Rachel and Annie
C Georgia and Annie
33
36.A path across Canada
Thirteen-year-old Kara Finch writes about The Great Trail – a footpath that goes
across Canada.
The Great Trail goes from one side of Canada to the other. At 24,000 km, it is the
longest trail in the world. The Great Trail project began in 1992 and took 25 years
to complete. It opened in 2017, exactly 150 years after Canada became one
country.
The Great Trail is actually lots of paths joined together. You can cycle, walk or
horse-ride on most of it, but there are parts where the only way you can travel is by
boat. And there are others where the trail is part of the highway, which doesn’t
sound very safe to me.
My father and I spent a day walking along part of the Great Trail that was
surprisingly busy. We were told you don’t usually see bears when there are lots of
people, but we did. It was moving through the trees, quite close to us, and I felt a
little afraid. ‘I don’t think it’s hurry!’ laughed my dad.
At lunchtime, we talked to an old man on the trail. Dad asked him if he thought the
path was going to help Canadians learn more about their countryside. ‘Not really,’
he said. ‘We’ve always loved to be outdoors. But it will bring us tourists from
around the world, which is important.’
In the future, the path will probably change, and new parts may open. We saw
nothing to tell us we were on the Great Trail, which is a shame. I know there’s
information on the website, but it’s good to know when you’re walking on a
special path. They need to add some signs, I think.
1 What is Kara doing in the first paragraph?
A telling tourists how long it takes to walk the Great Trail
B explaining the history of the Great Trail
C giving walkers advice about walking in Canada
2 What does Kara think is dangerous?
A Some parts of the path are on roads.
B You need a boat for parts of the path.
C Bikes and horses share the same path.
3 What does Kara say about the bear she saw?
A It looked hungry.
B It was on the path.
C It walked near her.
4 What did the old man say about the trail?
A People from other countries will come to see it.
B People will go into the countryside more because of it.
C People from Canada will use it to see other parts of their country.
5 What does Kara say should happen next?
A There should be a website about the trail.
B Some parts of the trail should close.
C There should be more signs along the trail.
34
37.The Greek Waiter
Alexis is ten years old and lives in a small village on a beautiful Greek island. Like
all children his age, Alexis has just completed Year 4 in primary school. But
Alexis is different from other children his age. He doesn’t spend the summer on the
beach or playing video games. In the busy summer months Alexis spends his days
in his family’s restaurant. In July and August, the restaurant is very popular with
tourists from all over the world. Because he is the only person in his family who
can speak English, it is his job to look after the tourists when they eat at the
restaurant. He explains the menu to tourists and takes their orders.
Where did he learn his English? There is no school in Alexis’s village, and during
the school year he travels 12 kilometres every day by bus to nearby village to go to
school. Together with his classmates, two evenings a week, he attends English
classes at a language school in the same village. There is no bus service when his
classes end, so his mother picks him up and brings him home. Alexis doesn’t mind,
he enjoys learning English. He wants to be a journalist so he knows languages will
be useful. He is very pleased that he can help his family with their business and the
tourists are very happy that they can order their meal in English. He’s also learnt a
lot about cooking and loves the food at the restaurant!
1 In the summer, Alexis
A plays video games and goes to the beach.
B spends July and August on another island.
C doesn’t have a lot of free time.
2 Alexis helps his family in the restaurant because he
A is a good waiter.
B likes meeting tourists.
C can speak English.
3 Where does Alexis go to school?
A in his village
B in another village
C in a nearby town
4 Where does he learn English?
A in a language school
B in primary school
C at home
5 What does Alexis want to do when he’s older?
A write news articles
B be a language teacher
C have his own business
35
38.Joe Brown: being a writer
I wrote my first stories when I was about 12, but I really didn’t know how good
they were. My friends weren’t interested, but my teacher sent some of them to a
national magazine for children. The magazine didn’t want them, but then my mum
heard about a competition while she was listening to the radio. So I sent in one of
my stories and it won first prize! Then I thought, ‘I can do this.’
During my years at school, I continued writing when I had time. Then when I left
school, I went to university. I didn’t study writing – I studied French and Spanish.
After university, I worked in a bookshop and in a library, but I wanted to write
again. I decided to move to France.
At first, I worked as a waiter. I worked every day except Sunday. I wrote my novel
on Sundays and in the evenings!
I love writing and I’m never bored. You spend a lot of time alone, but this isn’t a
problem for me. I’ve finished my second novel now and I’ve got ideas for another,
but I wanted a break first so I’ve come home to England for a while.
My parents live in London, I have a brother in Liverpool and my sister lives in a
village in the countryside. I’m staying with my parents, but this weekend, we’re all
going to go to my sister’s house to have a family party.
1 How did Joe know that he was a good writer?
A He won a competition.
B His friends liked his stories.
C He wrote for a magazine.
2 What did he do when he left school?
A He wrote more stories.
B He studied languages.
C He travelled to France and Spain.
3 When he was a waiter, Joe worked
A most evenings.
B six days a week.
C every day.
4 What is Joe doing now?
A He’s writing his next novel.
B He’s having some time off.
C He’s travelling around England.
5 Joe is going to meet his family in
A a village.
B Liverpool.
C London.
36
39.Rebecca Miles – wildlife presenter
Rebecca Miles has always loved animals. When she was a child, she liked
watching documentaries, TV programmes about real people and events. She also
enjoyed going to the local zoo with her grandparents. Her father was an
environmentalist, someone who works to protect the natural world, and she and her
mother often went on trips with him, travelling to Africa and other parts of the
world.
Rebecca studied zoology at university and began her career at a wildlife centre in
Zambia. She worked with chimpanzees and studied how they live. She was also
interested in learning more about big cats like mountain lions. She made her first
TV programme when she was 27. It was a documentary about tigers.
While she was in Asia, filming the documentary, she met her future husband, Ray.
He was one of the cameramen on the programme. They quickly realized that they
shared the same interests and cared about animals in danger. Now Rebecca and
Ray work together on many different projects.
Apart from Zambia, Rebecca has travelled and worked all over Africa and Asia,
and she and Ray are now planning to take their very first trip to South America to
study mountain lions in the Andes. They would like to show where the mountain
lions live and what they eat. They’re interested in giving people information about
the mountain lions and how to protect them.
Rebecca would like to write a book about her work and her life one day. She wants
to make people think about the world they live in and all the amazing animals that
are in danger. She’d like to show us that we can help even if we never travel to the
places where those animals live.
1 As a child, Rebecca went to Africa
A with her grandparents.
B with her parents.
C only with her mother.
2 Rebecca met Ray
A when she was working in Africa.
B when they were working in Asia.
C when he was presenting a documentary.
3 Rebecca and Ray
A have not been to South America.
B have been to Africa and Asia together.
C have worked in Zambia.
4 In the Andes, Rebecca wants to teach people
A how to give food to the mountain lions.
B how to live next to the mountain lions.
C that the mountain lions need our help.
5 One of Rebecca’s aims is
A to think about dangerous animals.
B to become an author.
C to make people travel more
37
40.A young cheesemaker
16-year-old Pat Tulloch has an unusual hobby. She makes cheese on the family
farm in Australia. She began by making yoghurt with her mother when she was
little. Then she started watching her father’s workers make cheese. When she was
ten, she made some herself for the first time. ‘It wasn’t great,’ she says, ‘but the
workers told me what I was doing wrong and that helped me to slowly get better.’
Pat always needs good milk for her cheese, but she doesn’t have to buy it. Her
mother and father keep 100 cows on their farm. Pat can just ask them when she
needs more. Last year, Pat’s neighbour gave her a young cow to keep and look
after, but it doesn’t produce milk to make cheese yet.
Pat and her family make several types of cheese. Recently they won a prize for one
of them. ‘It’s been great for helping customers find out about us,’ says Pat. ‘Last
month we started selling cheese in New Zealand. People there read about our prize
in a food magazine. Soon we’re going to do some advertisements, too.’
Pat’s next idea is to post some online recipes for cooking with cheese. ‘One of my
favourites is cheese with eggs for breakfast. It’s great! Our cheese is also lovely
with pasta – I hope a restaurant might buy some one day.’ But right now Pat is still
at school. ‘Making cheese is fun and winning a prize for it is great, but doing well
in my studies matters more for now.’
1 Pat learned to make good cheese
A by listening to the advice she got.
B by seeing how her mother did it.
C by practising at home on her own.
2 Where does Pat get the milk for her cheese?
A from her neighbour’s farm
B her father helps her to buy it
C her parents give it to her
3 Pat says winning the prize means
A more people know about her family’s cheese.
B she can be the star of the family’s new advertisements.
C she was invited to visit another country.
4 What’s the most important thing for Pat at the moment?
A writing a new cookbook
B being successful at school
C selling cheese to a restaurant
5 In this article, Pat is explaining
A why her family started making cheese.
B how to win a competition for making cheese.
C how she has become part of a cheese-making business.
38

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