5th Year English

1ST TERM TEST

PAPER 1 LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Key: 40 items :2 = 20 pts

SECTION A
You will hear a talk about Sick Building Syndrome, which is ill health that is believed to be caused by buildings. For questions 1-10, complete the sentences. You will hear the recording twice.

SICK BUILDING SYNDROME According to the World Health Organization, Sick Building Syndrome mostly affects people in new buildings.
~ 1 '~ )" 1, 1 ' ~~ l

Sufferers often lack 1 energy It mainly affects people early in the week and when they have been 2 out of/away from the building for a long time. Sufferers often say nothing because they think it is a 3 personal problem. The problem is not simply a question of the building being 4 too hot or having too few windows and too little 5 natural light Buildings most likely to produce the problem are those which have 6 air conditioning and a lot of 7 new materials Experts believe that these lead to poor 8 indoor air quality which is the main cause of the problem. They believe that better 9 maintenance/cleaning? and design would improve existing systems and that the use of different 10 building/furnishing materials would also help to solve the problem.

SECTION B

You will hear a radio announcement about travel problems on the railway. For questions 11 -15, make notes to complete the information. For questions 16-19, put a tick (T) or cross (X) in the box as appropriate.

Listen very carefully because you will hear this piece only ONCE. 11.- Time of accident: 6:55 12.- Kind of accident: derailment 13.- Type of train involved: goods 14.- Name of line blocked: to/from Wales 15.- People injured: none

Trains subject to delay: (Tick where delay predicted; cross where no delay predicted) 16.- from Bath X 17.- from Swansea 3 18.- to Cardiff 3 19.- to Bristol 3

SECTION C
You will hear a radio interview with a researcher, Shirley Grainger, who has been investigating the working situation of actresses. For questions 20-30, answer the questions or complete the statements using one to three words. You will hear the piece twice.

20 ompared to men, the roles actresses play represent people who are younger Who commissioned the survey? 21 the Actor's Union What three places of work did the survey cover? 22 television 23 radio 24 theatre Apart from gender and age, what two areas were investigated?

25 type of role/earnings-pay At what age were male actors busiest? 26 in their 40s In order to be well-paid for radio jobs, what is essential? 27 experience Who do producers criticise for the lack of parts for women? 28 writers Which is the biggest group of people listening to drama in the afternoon? 29 women What TWO courses of action does Shirley Grainger propose? 30 monitoring roles/ avoiding sex stereotyping

SECTION D
You will hear five short extracts in which different people talk about losing jobs. You will hear the series twice.

TASK ONE
Letters A-H list the professions of the different people. As you listen, indicate who is speaking by completing the boxes numbered 31 - 35 with the appropriate letter.

A TV star B secretary C bank clerk D therapist E drama producer

F employer G advertising executive H council employee

31 32 33 34 35

b d g f a

TASK TWO
Letters I-P list different facts about the people speaking in the five extracts. As you listen, put them in order by completing the boxes numbered 36-40 with the appropriate letter.

I appreciates a positive approach J has made financial changes K advocates adopting a routine L was disappointed about monetary arrangements M expects to get a job soon N has come to terms with the situation 0 was given some warning of what was to happen P admits to benefiting from the experience

36 j 37 k 38 l

39 i 40 o

End of Paper 1

5th Year English

1ST TERM TEST

PAPER 2 USE OF ENGLISH

KEY: total 15+25+20= 60 items : 3 = 20 pts

PART 1 CLOZE TEST

For questions 1-15, complete the following article by writing each missing word on the answer sheet. Use only one word for each space.

Chess Tournaments

All tournament chess games are played with a chess clock that (1) is, two clocks joined together. When one player makes his move, he (2) presses a button which/that stops his clock and starts his opponent's clock. (3) Whoever fails to keep to the time limit, no (4) matter what the position on the board, loses the game. Weekend tournaments with a fast time limit and long sessions of play of (5) up to twelve hours a day are very strenuous and result (6) in fatigue and time troubles. The play is quite sharp. Active, attacking chess (7) is the order of the day and it is difficult to maintain (8) any/a sustained, precise defence against such play. A score of the game must be kept as play goes on. Each move is written (9) down/up on a score sheet, which (10) has to be

handed to the tournament officials at the end of each round. The only thought in everyone's head is (11) to win. Talent and youth - that's (12) what is needed for success at chess, with the emphasis (13) on youth. Some approach the board with a slow, purposeful manner (14) without giving you a second glance - you simply don't count. They seem to imply that (15)the outcome is a foregone conclusion for them; you only have to accept it with good grace.

PART 2 LEXIS
1.- Another word for a doctor in formal register: physician 2.- An expression that conveys a rude meaning in a polite way, is an understatement 3.- Coffee can be ground (reduced to small particles so that it can be percolated) or sold as beans that have been previously roasted. 4.- Clear up the debris, repair any serious water and gas leaks and try to get rid of all the mould. It's impossible to live in this flat.(or in other words, this flat isuninhabitable 5.- Try to make the most of your illness by reading and watching the videos you never had the time to watch. 6.- This was a job traditionally thought of as unsuitable for women. That kind of prejudice against woman is called sexism. 7.- Nice tie, impeccable trousers, elegant jacket: such clean-cut appearance is what I like in a son-in-law. 8.- My main problem in this job is the lack of motivation, because, you see, I'm only responsible for answering the phone. It's so boring! 9.- What do you call a time limit for the completion of a task? A deadline. 10.- Describe a house that should be demolished. Use at least 3 adjectives describing the general decay of the building. The house was derelict, completely rundown. The shabby state of the whole building indicated how dilapidated the structure was. It was, in brief, an eerie place that looked like a batterfield, and with a gloomy atmosphere to it. It was tumbledown to the extent that even the roof looked ramshackle from the surroundings, 11.- People would return from the beach slurping their ice-cream cones while we never got one for lack of money. We felt miserable but enjoyed the walk at least. 12.- Another word for a power point: socket 13. The electric cable that connects, for instance, a household appliance to the mains is called a flex 14.- "This house is very good value for money: quite central, in perfect condition, newly refurbished, all mod cons.."

-O.K. It sounds too good to be true. Where's the catch? 15.- Many of the old paving stones provide a very uneven surface to walk on. 16.- The manager had the nerve to tell me that the shoes were like that, so they weren't faulty! 17.- The Susquehanna River flows/flowed from New York State into Chesapeake Bay. 18.- It's really pelting/pouring down with rain! It has never rained so heavily before. 19.- I came into my sister in the surgery. She has the same GP as me. (Explain GP:General Practicioner) 20.- You really took me in with your tale of hardship. But now I now you are just a liar. (use a phrasal verb) 21.- When I left the casino my pockets were crammed with money. 22.- I've decided to postpone/put off handing in my notice until I find a better job. Just to be on the safe sade, you know. (phrasal verb or synonim) 23.- As I won't be able to attend the meeting personally, I'd like you to sign on my behalf. 24.- Stale bread is probably more digestive than very fresh bread. 25.- Idiom that is used as an invitation to someone to behave as if they were in their own home: (4 words) Make yourself at home!

PART 3

REPHRASING AND TRANSFORMATIONS

Transform the following sentences in such a way that the mean exactly the same as the sentence printed before them. The words given cannot be transformed at all (If the word is given in brackets, you can place it anywhere in the sentence).

1.- You'll get a rise in salary after six months (RAISED) Your salary will be raised after six months. 2.- He's not fit to be a carpenter (CUT) He's not cut out for a carpenter 3.- She is very dependable: you can trust her. (LET) She will never let you down. 4.- My bedroom overlooks the park nearby. (LOOKS) My bedroom looks onto the park nearby. 5.- I will always do what you advise. (ADVICE) I will always follow your advice 6.- According to the drama critic of the "Daily News" the new play is a major breakthrough. (REGARDS) The drama critic of the Daily News regards the new play as a major breakthrough. 7.- My mother didn't like my new shoes (DISAPPROVED) My mother disapproved of my new shoes. 8.- I travel by bus only when I have no alternative.

(RESORT) I only travel by bus as a last resort. 9,.- It is a waste of time to try and explain anything to Tony. (WORTH) It is not worth trying to explain anything to Tony. 10.- I remember very few things about my childhood. (SCARCELY) I scarcely remember anything about my childhood. 11.- The rail workers have no intention of calling off the strike. (INTEND) The rail workers do not intend to call off the strike. 12.- They decided to throw the old piano away. (DISPOSE) They decided to dispose of the old piano. 13.- My headmaster advised me to apply for a university grant. My headmaster suggested my applying for a university grant. 14.- The refugees continued to feel unsafe until they had crossed the border Not until the refugees crossed the border did they stopped feeling unsafe/feel safe. 15.- There are more people out of work in this country than ever before. Never before had there been more people out of work in this country. 16.- It is thought that the accident was caused by human error. The accident is thought to have been caused by human error. 17.- He threatened to resign if they did not give him a rise. He warned them that he would resign if they did not give him a rise. 18.- My anxiety was quite unnecessary. I was unnecessarily anxious. 19.- The youngest complained that people were picking on him. The youngest complained that he was being picked on. 20.- Hardly anybody failed to attend the meeting. The meeting was attended by almost everybody.

Year English 1ST TERM TEST PAPER 3 TRANSLATION Key: 20 pts. (3 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 5)

+5

th

Edge cities are a development dating back to the 1950s and which was favoured by white population fleeing from Blackand Spanish immigration, public housing subsidies and about 65,000 km of highways built for the benefit of cars. In the first stage wealthy Americans left the cities in search of a calmer lifestyle on the outskirts, but at that time the town centres remained the place for shopping and (enjoying) leisure. In the mid-90s, however, it has become hard to buy furniture or a car in the heart of the city and

only fast-food restaurants, clothes shops clustered in shopping centres, theatres and museums are still in traditional areas. New places for entertainment, cinemas and night clubs, bowling alleys and thriving business are situated in malls miles away from the old High Street. One of the various reasons given by both companies and individuals to settle in this fashion is repeatedly said to be related to financial and security matters. Families also value the fact that they can enjoy quieter less polluted surroundings, the availability of schools with a lower black and Spanish population and which are better equipped. Reality in the end is, however, not so gratifying. Indeed children have places to play (in) but they have no-one to play with. There are immense expanses of land but no public parks nor sidewalks where you can meet other people. There is enough space to stroll, go jogging or cycle but most people ride exercise bicycles or run on gym equipment. People remain in the seclusion of their milieu and it's only the lights behind the windows or the glow of TV sets 54 hours a week that show signs of your neighbour's life.

End of test