Mock Exam 4

Reading Comprehension (Part 1)

1. Reading for Gist
Read the five text items 1 - 5. Then read the headlines a -j. Decide which headline a - j goes best
with which text.

a) African priests complain of low living standards in Europe

b) Hardly homesick
c) Mrs. Clinton's anti-religious statements
d) Hillary's spiritual journey
e) High unemployment rate in Russia
f) Bride tries to escape
g) Alcoholism is just one of many problems
h) Bridegroom bolts
i) Boys punishment for smoking
j) Boy banned for chicken 'gun'

1.
A groom who bolted while making his marriage vows in Auckland had to be rescued by police
when his irate bride and prospective mother-in-law chased him into the Street, New Zealand
Press Association reported yesterday.

2.

An eight-year-old boy was suspended for three days from a Kentucky school for pointing a
chicken drumstick at a teacher and saying "pow, pow, pow". Teachers at the school said they had
"zero tolerance" of guns after two boys in a nearby town shot dead four pupils and a teacher in
March 1998. The suspended boy's mother said the punishment was severe.

3.
White males may be king in most places, but not in Russia. In addition to rampant alcoholism,
men there face rising AIDS and tuberculosis rates, as well as the stresses of unemployment and
the military draft. The average life expectancy for Russian men is now 59.8 years, down from 64
just before the fall of the Soviet Union. (For women it's 72.2) "The main problem is what we
call 'unnatural causes'." says demographer Sergey Yermakov. "That includes murder, suicide
and, of course, alcohol. "

4.
Roman Catholic bishops in Africa and Asia have been complaining that too many of the priests
they sent to Europe and America for study and training never come back - despite being ordered
to return. Too often they get accustomed to enjoying the "higher standard of living" that the
Western nations have to offer, notes the Vatican. So the Holy See has issued an order: limit the
number sent abroad, and their length of stay. Violators beware: an "appropriate penalty" in
accordance to church law awaits, warns the Vatican.

5.
Hillary Clinton recently hosted the first White House party to celebrate the end of Ramadan, a
monthlong fast for the faithful. Now Mrs Clinton and daughter Chelsea, who studied Islamic
history at school, are off on an eight-day international trip whose main theme is religious
tolerance. They'll visit the Bosnian city of Tuzla to cheer up American troops and meet with
religious leaders on all sides of the Balkan conflict. Then it's off to Turkey for some sightseeing
and more religious discussion at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Istanbul. The last stop will be
Greece. There Mrs Clinton will attend the "quasi-religious" lighting of the Olympic torch.
Throughout her journey Mrs Clinton will preach "a theme of religious harmony," says a staff.

Reading Comprehension (Part 2)

Reading for Detail
Text 1
Read the following text, then choose the answers to questions 6-8 and mark your answer - a, b
or c- on the answer sheet.

Unskilled and industry face tough time on EU entry

The industrial sector and Cyprus's unskilled workers will be badly hit by EU membership but
the emergence of newer services wi11 help to give a boost to the economy, according to a USbased Cypriot professor. John Kaminarides, economics and business professor at Arkansas
University, and also a visiting professor at the Cyprus University, anticipates a five-year
transition period for the island and believes there will be major repercussions for the social,
economic and cultural sectors, as happened in Greece.
Kaminarides, who was a member, with George Stephanopoulos, of Bill Clinton's election
campaign team, said accession campaign would attract foreigners and multi-nationals to Cyprus,
because of its position between Europe and the East and the fact that it will become the most
eastern part of Europe.
"An American, for instance, who wants to invest in the EU, and also have access to the Gulf,
will think seriously of investing in Cyprus because of the major benefits it will offer, including
the infrastructure and special taxation and good telecommunications system," said Kaminarides.
Manufacturing would be affected, as it was in Greece, but new industries and new sectors in
banking, transportation, telecommunications and knowledge-based industries would emerge.
Although the less qualified individuals will be the ones most affected, there will be new
openings in the construction business and- local builders, carpenters and labourers will be given
new opportunities.
6. John Kaminarides is
a) a Cypriot professor who lives in the USA.
b) professor who anticipates a ten-year transition period for Cyprus
c) of opinion that after the accession even skilled workers will be badly hit.
7. Cyprus will offer
a) no benefits at all for investors.
b) major benefits for investors.
c) cheap labour force.
8. New openings in the construction business mean
a) a ceremony to celebrate a building being ready for use.
b) vacant jobs for builders, carpenters and labourers.
c) good opportunities.
Reading Comprehension (Part 2)
Reading for Detail
Text 2
Read the following text, then choose the answers to questions 9-10 and mark your answer - a, b
or c- on the answer sheet.
Dine on the Line

A Restaurant Car runs on Sundays between March and November offering a traditional roast
lunch served on the 1 pm train from Tenterden and afternoon tea on the 3pm train. There is also
a Buffet Car service on many days.
Thomas the Tank Engine' Children's Birthday Tea Parties are a popular speciality and can be
organised, by prior arrangement, on the 3pm train.
The 'Wealden Pullman' is a luxury dining car train running on Saturday evenings from Easter to
November and features a five-course meal, freshly prepared on the train, and served on the
journey by liveried staff. There are Refreshment Rooms at Tenterden station and a Tea Bar at
Northam Station and Picnic areas at Tenterden, Wittersham and Northam Stations.
Due to limited accommodation, advance reservations for all restaurant car services are essential
and can be made by telephoning 0580 765155 during office hours, Mondays to Fridays.
9. Children's Birthday Tea Parties are popular
a)and are organised every Saturday on the 3pm trains.
b) and have to be ordered in advance.
c) but not everybody can afford them.
10.Meals on the luxury dining car train
a) consist of five courses.
b) are not always fresh.
c) are prepared on the train the day before.

Reading Comprehension (Part 3)

Selective Reading
Read questions 11-20 and then read the advertisements a-1. In which of the advertisements can
you find what you are looking for?
For each of the items 11-20, decide which advertisement goes with the situation described.

11. You intend to study to become a freelance journalist.

12.You are thinking of buying an estate in Spain.

13.You and your children plan a camping holiday.
14.You would like to enjoy turn of the century atmosphere in a Budapest restaurant.
15.It is your dream to study art in Italy.
16.You and your family would like to have a Sunday brunch consisting of Mexican
specialities.
17.You want to work abroad, but you don't speak foreign languages.
18.You are an architect. You'd like to get a job in America.
19.You want to work for a telecom company.
20.

You are looking for a restaurant where you can listen to Gipsy music.

Language Elements (Part 1)

Read the following text and decide which word or phrase a, b or c is missing in items 21-30.

The EU's head office, The European Commission, estimates that old appliances account for
about 6 million tons of waste across Europe, most of which 21. . goes into landfills.
Under the new rules 22. . phased in by 2006, the Commission hopes up to 75% of goods
such as toasters and washing machines 23. .. The industry warned that the new rules which still need formal approval 24. . governments and the full 626-seat European
Parliament - will cost 25. . $ 7.4 billion a year. "We are talking 26. .. a fairly
major cost that will be passed on to the consumer," said Adrian Harris, Secretary General of
Orgalime, an umbrella group 27. . appliance manufacturers. He said retail price increases
28. . from about 50 cents for a small appliance 29. . a coffee maker to $20 for a
fridge.
However, companies were generally pleased the new rules will 30. . each manufacturer
pay for recycling their own waste, instead of sharing costs across the industry.

21. a) at the time

b) presently
c) currently

24. a) on
b) from
c) by

27. a) in the name of

b) represent
c) representing

22. a) due to be
b) due to
c) owing to

25. a) still
b) at least
c) at last

28. a) could range

b) can range
c) range

23. a) can recycle

b) can be recycled
c) will recycle

26. a) on
b) upon
c) about

29. a) as
b) such
c) such as
30. a) do
b) take
c) make

Language Elements (Part 2)

Read the following letter and decide which word or phrase a - o is missing in items 31-40.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to 31. . about the quality of the service and 32. . received on Eagle
Airways flight 711 33. . London to Madrid on July 21st.
The crew were totally 34. . to the passengers. A fellow passenger, an elderly man,
required 35. . and repeatedly pressed the call button. He received no attention
whatsoever. I happened to turn round and saw members of the crew 36. . at the back of
the plane, chatting and smoking! I find this behaviour 37. . Had there been a real
emergency, the crew would have been totally unprepared.
In addition, when the food arrived, it had not been 38. . Apart from being unappetising,
this is extremely dangerous, as inadequate 39. . can result in severe food poisoning.
As I travel by plane frequently, I will seriously reconsider using Eagle Airlines 40. .
unless the situation improves.
Yours faithfully,
Heather Briggs

a) assistant

b) food

f) different

g) indifferent

h) complain i) heating

j) properly heated

k) without

1) from

m) sitting

o) satisfied

Letter Writing

c) assistance

d) polite

n) again

e) unacceptable

You read the editorial article of an English newspaper. The article maintained that only young
English people are really willing to take an interest in welfare problems throughout the world.
Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. The following points should be mentioned in your
letter.

Tell what you have not written letters to the newspapers so far, but this article made you
extremely angry.

Write in brief why you found this article outrageous.

Ask politely why the writer of the article thinks as he does.

In brief write about the attitude of Hungarian youngsters to these questions.

Finally apologise for the slightly heated tone and ask them to put a more balanced
statement.