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Ready for Advanced Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits the gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 THE The Turbaned Tornado For the world's oldest marathon man, (0) _________ final finishing line is approaching. Two months short (1) _________ his 102nd birthday, Fauja Singh has decided to call (2) _________ a day. He will hang up his racing shoes after completing the 10km race to be held in conjunction with the annual Hong Kong Marathon. The great-great grandfather, who comes from the Indian state of Punjab, but lives in Ilford, first took up competitive running at the age of 89. Recently (3) _________ , he has admitted that age (4) _________ well be catching up with him. He said that racing is getting very tough for him and he feels he must retire on (5) _________ high. However, he also expressed fears that when he stops running, people will (6) _________ longer love him. He believes that old age makes you become (7) _________ a child and you want attention. Singh might be worried, but attention has certainly never been something he has lacked. Indeed, the turbaned Sikh has been used in high-profile advertising campaigns. Singh intends to keep running for at (8) _________ four hours a day. He still wants to inspire the masses and maintain his personal health.

Reading and Use of English Part 3 Word formation For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 DETECTION Echolocation A (0) _________ technique normally used by dolphins to locate objects

DETECT

is being adopted by blind people. Through uttering high-pitch clicks they are able to locate obstacles with remarkable (1) _________ . ACCURATE The system is based on animal sonar techniques and helps humans form mental maps of their (2) _________ . When the sound waves hit

SURROUND

an object, energy is reflected back to the ear to enable a blind person to decode its size, (3) _________ of structure and distance. The image obtained basically combines these (4) _________ .

DEEP

CHARACTER

Scientific (5) _________ has shown that the process is similar to what

EVIDENT

happens with vision in normal- (6) _________ people, who rely on

SIGHT

patterns of returning light in order to actually see. In fact, neural (7) _________ believe that the same parts of the brain used in visual

SCIENCE

processing are also being deployed by blind people using this technique. The World Access for the Blind organization is trying to spread the technique to help blind people navigate their environment with increased (8) _________ .

EFFICIENT

Reading and Use of English Part 8 Multiple matching You are going to read a newspaper article about going on a training camp. For questions 1–10, choose from the sections (A–D). The sections may be chosen more than once. In which section are the following mentioned? 1.

consuming more than usual without feeling guilty

2.

an additional perk of the training experience

3.

an initial stimulus at the beginning of the training season

4.

the lie of the land helping someone move rapidly with little physical effort

5.

the flexible nature of the triathlon

6.

the pleasure of being allowed to snooze a little longer than expected

7.

an intention to improve on a past achievement

8.

a change in terminology relating to some sports equipment

9.

rushing in order to be ready on time

10. a feeling of self-satisfaction which was short lived

Tri, tri and tri again: get race-fit in the sun

How does a self-confessed rookie get ready for the London Triathlon? Sign up for a training camp in Greece, says Edmund Vallance A ‘Good for you’, said a close friend, sinking his gnashers into a juicy burger, when I told him I was going to Greece to train for a triathlon. I wasn’t feeling hugely confident about my own fitness. I enjoyed swimming, but tended to avoid running whenever possible. And I hadn’t owned a bike since the eighties when they were called ‘racers’ rather than road bikes. So why sign up to train under the searing Mediterranean sun? Firstly, the race I would be taking part in – a sprint triathlon – was one of the shortest: a 750 metre swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run. And as a complete rookie, the prospect of some professional guidance courtesy of Neilson’s triathlon training camps

offered reassurance and comfort, with the bonus of some balmy Grecian weather. Guests receive professional one-on-one coaching in swimming, running and cycling at Neilson’s Retreat Beach Club in Sivota, and finish the week with a bona fide race: The Sivota International Sprint Triathlon. B Open to all abilities, the retreats can serve as a complete introduction to triathlon fitness, or get you race-fit for your next ironman. The camp caters for small groups of adults. Classes take place outside – in the pool, by the beach, or on the coastal roads surrounding the hotel. Sivota is the official training camp of the London and Blenheim triathlons – I’d signed up for the former and was treating the week as a dry run for the London race. The deal was done; I was ready to face the challenges of the week ahead. Day one started promisingly, with a 9am lie-in. However, it wasn’t long before I was wondering what I’d signed up for. I hadn’t competed in a sport for 20 years – what had I been thinking? Still, at breakfast, I could at least feel justified in loading up on carbs. C A 1.5km morning swim in the emerald sea put me in better spirits. Our camp was small, which meant that everyone received plenty of attention from the expert coaches. We were scheduled for a three-hour bike ride to a mountaintop village, so I gulped down some lunch and prepared myself. Freewheeling down a winding coastal road, I really started to enjoy myself. Our coach demonstrated how properly to negotiate a turn. By jutting out my knee and swapping my weight from one leg to the other, I found I could manoeuvre around the bends without wobbling. That evening, I caught up with some fellow tri-campers over some food. Fifty-two-year-old Michael told me he raced about once a month over the summer, and had signed up for the camp to kick-start his training. ‘As long as you can swim a few lengths, ride a bike without stabilizers, and jog without falling over, you can do a triathlon.’ D Day two started with a 2.4km swim. We set off with the training director and camp founder, a ninetimes UK champion, so when he suggested ways of improving my technique, I listened carefully. By following his instructions, I found that I moved more quickly through the water. I was almost smug, until Rich cruised past me like a turbo-charged dolphin. After the swim, he explained the benefits of triathlon and the background of the camp. ‘You don’t need to do heaps of training in any one discipline; you can switch around. So you’re much less likely to get injured. We’re open to every level: beginners, veterans – we get the full spectrum.’ Eventually, when it was all over I felt fantastic. I won't tell you my race time. Let’s just say that it wasn’t particularly noteworthy. In any case, I’ll be attempting to beat it at the London Triathlon in July. And who knows, maybe in a year or two, I’ll be up for the challenge of the ironman.

Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 BEEN How the smell of freshly baked bread influences behaviour Its ability to sell a house has long (0) _________ an old wives’ tale, but now scientists believe the smell of freshly baked bread (1) _________ people display greater kindness towards strangers. Researchers have found that people (2) _________ be more likely to help passers-by if the aroma was in (3) _________ nostrils.

The scientists wanted to test the long-held view that behaviour could perhaps be altered (4) _________ smell. They recruited eight volunteers and asked half to stand outside a bakery and half to stand outside a clothes shop. The participants rummaged (5) _________ their bags before dropping a glove in front of a stranger. The researchers, observing from around 60ft away, found that 77 per cent stopped to help recover the lost item where the smell of fresh bread was strong, while only 52 per cent (6) _________ so outside the clothes shop. They said that their results, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, ‘show that, in fact, spontaneous help is offered (7) _________ in areas where pleasant ambient smells are spread. This experiment confirms the effect ambient food odours have (8) _________ altruistic behaviour.’

Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key word transformation For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given. Here is an example (0). 0

Staying up studying until 3am was a mistake, because I was too tired to do the exam well. HADN’T I __________________________ until 3am, because I was too tired to do the exam well.

The gap can be filled with the words ‘wish I hadn’t stayed up’, so you write: Example: 0 WISH I HADN’T STAYED UP

Write only the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS. 1

I learnt a lot about time management from my ex-boss. FOR Had __________________________ my ex-boss, I wouldn’t know so much about time management.

2

It was impossible not to laugh when the lecturer started talking about the wrong slide. HELP I __________________________ when the lecturer started talking about the wrong slide.

3

After all the work I’ve put in, it’s hard not to feel annoyed about Anna getting the promotion. GRUDGE Considering all the work I’ve put in, it’s hard __________________________ for getting the promotion.

4

I can’t believe how quickly you have reached the top position in the company. RANKS It’s incredible how fast you __________________________ of the company.

5

John never hesitates when it comes to helping less experienced members of staff. WILLINGNESS John always __________________________ less experienced members of staff.

6

I didn’t have enough time, so I made a lot of mistakes in the report.

PRESSED I wouldn’t have made so many mistakes in the report if I ______________________ time.

Reading and Use of English Part 7 Gapped text You are going to read an extract from a newspaper article about a different choice of lifestyle. Six paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A–G the one which fits each gap (1–6). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

My (very) early retirement at 33 Cast your eyes over your workplace. You might see 100 or so people. Statistically, five of your busying or bone-idle brethren will have departed this world before they reach retirement age. Could be you. Could be me, I thought. So at the age of 33, I decided to retire. Last August, I gave up my job as a journalist, rented out my London flat and moved to the south-west of France with my girlfriend. Hectic city life and economic blues were swapped for country walks and fireside chats. 1- … Even the Office for National Statistics backs up this notion. The healthy life-expectancy of the average UK male is 74. This is very close to the recently-hiked state pensionable age. Besides, in these times of austerity who knows how long we may be forced to work. The solution seemed obvious, if a little risky: retire now and work later. Youth is wasted on the young, they say … but surely retirement is wasted on the old. 2-… These are not work-shy layabouts or trustafarians, either. They are ambitious professionals in the prime of their life. As for me, I have worked hard. I started as a journalist at 17 and had not stopped since. Early shifts, night shifts, weekends, Bank Holidays and Christmases: check. 3-… Any doubts, fortunately, were allayed when it transpired that with careful budgeting and income from my flat, a simple, stress-free life in France was a realistic possibility. Simple being the operative word. With a tight budget, the customary trappings of London life would have to be forgotten. We found a cosy farm house near Toulouse and travelled down in our beaten-up VW camper. Stress has been reduced to a minimum. Last winter was spent indulging in the local produce, walking and reading books by the wood burner. Now the summer promises the chance to perfect my game of bowls with the locals in the village square, to lounge by the pool and take leisurely suppers on sun-baked terraces. 4-… Certainly those who have also opted out share that view. Yvonne and Iain Morton live in the next village and gave up their jobs as IT consultants in the City for the French life. They began an ambitious building project in 2003, converting disused tractor sheds into a home. In 2009, when Yvonne, 43, took redundancy, they moved here fulltime. Iain stopped work 18 months ago when he was 43. 5-… ‘It’s relatively cheap to live here. We have an income from rental flats in London so we don’t need to work. Iain takes on contract work now and then to keep his hand in or if it’s an opportunity to work with people he really likes. And I know I can always do the same.’ I am not as fortunate. For us there are still risks. Work is certainly not guaranteed if I decide to return to London 6-… Still, for the moment it is surely worth it for the sweltering Monday afternoons when I can sit by the pool with a glass of chilled sparkling water in hand, listening to the rustle of hazy vineyards. Normally at that time I would be slumped at a desk, listening to the hack and whirl of the coffee machine. Now honestly, which would you prefer?

A Such plans aren’t something older generations understand, though. When I told my dad, I think he just couldn’t understand why I wanted to do it at this time of my life. He’s worked in the same office for his entire career and couldn’t understand the concept of this break. B Working in the City had been full-on, constantly being on call and seeing more of Heathrow than home. The time had come to jack it all in. Now life for them consists of growing vegetables, skiing in winter or swimming every day in the summer.

C There is also a question mark about successful repatriation. If a post is found, how to overcome the daily grind of self-doubt, to tolerate the early mornings and put up with the old drudgery once more? D Fear – and yes, OK, a tinge of weariness – was the catalyst. I worried that I was wasting the best years of my life blinking at a computer screen. And that when eventually I did pack up work, I would have hours to kill but only aching, weary joints to strike a feeble blow. E And what was it all for? I got halfway up the ladder and realized I’m afraid of heights – or to be precise, professional responsibility and the attendant drudgery. At this point I went through a good few sleepless nights considering a lifestyle change. However, I was determined to relish temporary freedom. F Not everyone goes along with this and many will think us foolhardy, as did some of our friends and family, not to mention bosses. But I’ve discovered we’re not the only ones who’ve chosen to live like pensioners, decades before our time. Having been in France for six months, we’ve met others like ourselves and received news of friends back home who’ve likewise ditched high-powered positions. G Our friends joke about this saying we are a ‘bit young to be living like pensioners’, but we counter that by telling them the daily grind seems a generation away.

Reading and Use of English Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). A appears

Example: 0 D grows

B produces

C manifests

The science of a smile Recent research has shown that people can sense a genuine smile before it even (0) _____ on a face, but a forced or polite smile does not (1) _____ the same signals. In tests, strangers getting to know one another not only exchanged smiles, they almost always (2) _____ the particular smile type. But they responded much more quickly to their partners’ genuine smiles than their polite smiles, suggesting that they were anticipating the genuine smiles. Data from electrical sensors on participants’ faces revealed that they (3) _____ smile-related muscles when they expected a genuine smile to appear but showed no (4) _____ activity when expecting polite smiles. No two interactions are the same, (5) _____ people still manage to smoothly coordinate their speech and nonverbal behaviours with those of another person. Polite smiles typically occur when sociocultural norms dictate that smiling is (6) _____ . Genuine smiles, on the other hand, occur spontaneously, and are indicated by engagement of (7) _____ muscles around the eye. It is hoped that the study could help those who find social interactions (8) _____ . 1

A divulge

B conduct

C diffuse D transmit

2

A balanced

B adjusted

C matched

D equated

3

A engaged

B embraced

C adopted

D forced

4

A alike B parallel

C similarD such

5

A yet

C likewise

6

A presentable

B moreover

B appropriate

D besides

C adequate

D convenient

7

A specific

B characteristic

8

A undependable B perplexed

C distinguished

D exact

C tricky D sensitive

Reading and Use of English Part 3 Word formation For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 INVOLUNTARY Tourette’s syndrome Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological condition which affects 300 000 people in the UK, manifests itself with (0) _________ ‘tics’. These can be VOLUNTEER anything from blinking, to saying words out of context. One common (1) _________ is that sufferers simply shout out swear words – this is

CONCEIVE

only true for one in ten. There is currently no known cure, although half of children with TS will find their tics fade as they reach (2) _________ .

ADULT

Treatment is difficult as symptoms can come and go naturally. TS is sometimes treated with medication, however this can have (3) _________ DESIRE side effects. There is a growing (4) _________ for non-pharmacological

PREFER

treatments such as habit (5) _________ therapy.

REVERSE

(6) _________ support is vital for children with TS. Although it doesn’t

EDUCATE

affect intelligence, it can be (7) _________ . For example: being told not

DISRUPT

to do something by a teacher could lead to a/an (8) _________

CONTROL

compulsion to do it. Try not touching any part of your body for the next hour – the growing urge to do so is similar to the feeling of someone with TS trying to control a tic.

Reading and Use of English Part 5 Multiple choice You are going to read an article about the artist Ron Mueck. For questions 1–6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Artist at work: Ron Mueck It has taken Ron Mueck two years to complete three new sculptures for the show at Foundation Cartier in Paris next week. This he has done almost completely silently. Ron Mueck doesn’t speak when he is working. He listens to other people talking on the radio, and to the background of noises that filter in from the north London street outside: sirens, footsteps on the pavement, buses. This is what he has always done, but his army of fans and critics wouldn’t know that, because Mueck doesn’t give interviews, won’t talk about his influences or his processes, and eschews the media, leaving his work to speak for itself. Which it does in the form of giant sculptures of humans crowding into gallery spaces (like A Girl, an enormous newborn), or shrunken versions of people in perfect proportion (Dead Dad, a small sculpture of his deceased father, sprouting Mueck’s own hair). Whatever their size, his works become vortexes, sucking all the air into their clay and resin frames, their force to be lifelike uncannily strong. They are less sculptures than versions of humanity, with their flabby folds of skin, hair sticking out of pores, hard toenails and tangible sheens of sweat. Now, for the first time, the public can see Mueck at work, despite his intense regard for privacy. With the strict clause that there would be no interview, the artist allowed his friend and colleague, the photographer Gautier Deblonde, to film him making his new sculptures. Deblonde’s documentary – his first, and showing as part of the new exhibition – will cause rumblings in the art world and beyond: his access to Mueck is unprecedented and spans two years, a couple of days each week in the studio. Deblonde worked on the film like a photographer – static camera on tripod – and never created scenarios, just filmed Mueck working. ‘What struck me was how swiftly they come alive,’ he says of the sculptures. ‘The first part is the clay, and this is almost like the negative of his work: all the details you need to have a human body alive. That’s the first half of the film, and he’s very slow – because he knows when he gets that right, then the sculpture will be good.’ Mueck uses the clay as a mould for the resin, which makes the final sculpture: the clay is destroyed in this process, so it has to be absolutely perfect, or he has to start all over again. Deblonde recalls days of watching Mueck prepare the clay, making what seemed like the same movement again and again. ‘It was quite meditative.’ This is the core of Mueck’s process, hence the solitary daily task – not until the mould is cast does he allow others to lend a hand. The resin, Deblonde says, makes the sculpture more human, but by then Mueck has already given it life: it already has its own feeling and attitude. There has always been a deep poignancy to Ron Mueck’s sculptures, with their microscopically detailed imperfections. His newest works are just as arresting in their immediacy. In one, Mother and Baby, a mother wearily carries shopping bags, her expression blank, as the infant, foetal within the confines of her buttoned-up coat, stares up at her. Young Couple, capturing a man’s sinister grip on his companion’s wrist, draws attention to a silent moment of pain, and suggests a world of it beyond. And then the older pair, Couple on the Beach, where imperfections of age are writ large across their epic proportions – yet within a skin that is terrifyingly alive, there is a sense of peace in their expressions. ‘Fathoming out Ron’s technique is still a challenge,’ Deblonde says of his documentary. It’s far from a step-by-step instruction manual, he cautions. It’s a film about time spent, about the smell and feel of a workshop, about some kind of metamorphosis through remarkable endeavour. ‘You see him giving his all, working on a piece of clay and suddenly this person appears. Somehow, out of his hands, he manages to create an object – alive.’ 1

2

3

What do we learn about Ron Mueck in the first paragraph? A

He sometimes becomes frustrated by the noise outside his studio.

B

He will only speak to certain members of the media.

C

He prefers not to give an explanation of his artwork.

D

He listens to the critics and takes heed of their opinions.

In paragraph two, what does the writer say about Ron Mueck’s sculptures? A

They are all impressive due to their enormous scale.

B

Their size gives them a totally abstract quality.

C

They are made using a special technique which adds air to the clay.

D

They depict people in a remarkably realistic manner.

What are we told about the documentary? A

It will have an impact on a wide variety of people.

B

Gautier Deblonde found the restrictions on filming frustrating.

C

Only static images of Mueck at work will be used in it.

D 4

5

6

It is surprising as very few other photographers have had the chance to film Mueck.

In paragraph four, what does the writer say about Mueck’s process? A

Sometimes the clay is completely destroyed and Mueck has to begin again.

B

The initial stages are painstaking because attention to detail is crucial.

C

The clay and resin are mixed together to give the sculpture a realistic form.

D

It is only possible to see any lifelike quality when the sculpture is completed.

In paragraph five, the writer explains that A

sometimes the defects in Mueck’s sculptures detract from their strength.

B

Mother and Baby celebrates the joys of motherhood.

C

Young Couple conjures up a wider sense of anguish.

D

Couple on the Beach is so large that some might find it frightening.

In paragraph six, what do we learn about Deblonde’s documentary? A

It enables people to gain a full understanding of Mueck’s method of working.

B

It goes some way towards capturing the essence of Mueck’s work and methods.

C

It fails to illustrate the struggle Mueck goes through when working.

Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 IN Facial recognition glasses coming soon New software from Lambda Labs based (0) _________ San Francisco raises the prospect of never forgetting a face (1) _________ . The software enables a camera to detect faces and then identify them via a screen which sits above the user’s right eye and is visible (2) _________ to them. However, the company has come up (3) _________ pressure from American senators to answer questions the wearable computer raises over privacy. The first version of the software allows users to take photographs and tag them with information on who is in them. Comparisons can then be (4) _________ between subsequent photos and those previously uploaded. Future versions may (5) _________ allow real-time recognition of faces. The company already makes software that allows the recognition of faces in digital photographs, and claims it is in use by 1000 developers (6) _________ work generates 5 million attempts at recognition per month. They emphasize that the product is not yet fit (7) _________ public consumption, and limit its uses to internet searches and finding directions. They argue that the software will remove the barriers (8) _________ social interactions currently formed by mobile phones.

Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key word transformation For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given. Here is an example (0). 0

I’m definitely not going to invite my ex-boss to the party. WAY There __________________________________ my ex-boss to the party.

The gap can be filled with the words ‘is no way I’m inviting’, so you write: Example: 0

IS NO WAY I’M INVITING

Write only the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS. 1

The police said they had recorded the conversation secretly. HAVING The police __________________________________ the conversation secretly.

2

All the pupils were told to write their essays again. SINGLE The teacher __________________________________ of the pupils rewrite their essays.

3

I will definitely lose the race to my sister-in-law. BOUND My sister-in-law __________________________________ me in the race.

4

Jack’s so annoying, he’s forever arriving late for work. KEEP I find Jack so annoying, he __________________________________ up late for work.

5

You should take advantage of all the sports facilities while you’re at university. MOST I recommend __________________________________ all the sports facilities while you’re at university.

6

Many people have criticized the large number of cuts to the budget. DEAL The government cuts have come up __________________________________ criticism.

Reading and Use of English Part 7 Gapped text You are going to read an extract from a newspaper article. Six paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A–G the one which fits each gap (1–6). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

Are ‘emoji’ dumbing us down or enriching our communications?

A few years ago, during a mildly flirtatious text message exchange, I was sent a picture of a ghost followed by a picture of a balloon. ‘Ghost balloon,’ she noted, as an afterthought. I was stunned by these tiny images that magically appeared among the familiar forms of the Roman alphabet. ‘Tell me how to do the ghost balloon?’ I pleaded. She told me to enable a character set called ‘emoji’ on my phone, which I did, and I sent her back a picture of a ghost, and a picture of a balloon. ‘Ghost balloon,’ she replied. ‘What does ghost balloon mean?’ I asked. Her reply was curt and emphatic. ‘Nothing’. 1-… But do emoji have a reductive effect on the way we communicate? Or do they add a richness that conventional language simply can’t convey? The emoji story begins at the end of the 1990s, when an employee with a Japanese mobile network began working on an idea that he thought might lure teenagers to the network. He and his team created 176 characters, 12 pixels square, that took inspiration from manga art and the Kanji characters used in the Japanese writing system, and made them available for use in SMS messages. The cherries, suns, watches, birds and broken hearts were instantly popular, and the two competing Japanese networks rushed to produce their own fullcolour versions. 2-… But with no emoji standard agreed between the networks, a different kind of misunderstanding began to brew; the pictures would only be guaranteed to display properly if the sender and recipient were using the same mobile network. It wasn’t until 2006 that the three networks came to some kind of consensus – and around the same time, Google and Apple prompted the international expansion of emoji by urging Unicode to join the venture. 3-… In October 2010, a hand-picked selection of 722 emoji characters were finally cemented into Unicode across sets such as ‘Miscellaneous Symbols and Pictographs’, ‘Emoticons’ and ‘Transport and Map Symbols’. As far as computers were concerned, this effectively put emoji on a par with the Roman alphabet. A pig now has the code of U+1F437; any device that recognizes Unicode 6.0 and has an emoji font installed will display a pig, if someone is kind enough to send you one. As well as this image you’ll find hand gestures, clothing, meteorological symbols, trains, planes and automobiles – a set of symbols that was thrashed out at great length by committees. 4-… You won’t find much racial diversity among the human characters, either – much to the chagrin of American singer Miley Cyrus, who called for an ‘Emoji Ethnicity Update’ on Twitter, while cultural commentators thought: ‘Actually, she has a point’. 5-… They provide the potential to bridge language barriers and now the utopian idea of a pictorial language that can be understood by everyone has been taken a step further with iConji, a system that features over 1200 symbols and allows construction of simple sentences. But that inevitably involves the establishment of a lowest common denominator, of simplifying language to get the message across. 6-… ‘Ghost balloon’ may have had no intrinsic meaning, but it created an instant association with the person who sent it to me and came to mean something specific. It certainly stimulated the creative side of my brain, ‘I am wrestling with the etiquette of 21st-century communication.’ And I don’t know about you, but that’s something I need to express pretty much every day. Ghost balloon. ®

A Only in Japan, perhaps, would these catch on quite so fast. ‘[In conversation] we tend to imply things instead of explicitly expressing them,’ says Japanese author Motoko Tamamuro, ‘so reading the situation and sensing the mood are very important. We take extra care to consider other people’s feelings when writing correspondence, and that’s why emoji became so useful in email and text – to introduce more feeling into a brevitized form of communication.’ B As a whole though, emoji are still unmistakably Japanese; there isn’t one for cheese, but you will find one for bento box, there’s no Easter egg, but there is a Kadomatsu, the Japanese pine decoration associated with New Year. C They are just unnecessary pictures that add precious little meaning to written communication. Or at least that’s probably what the vast majority of people over the age of 25 think of emoji, but this set of glyphs is now sweeping the Western world. We’re embracing emoji ranging from the angry face to the tomato to the hospital to the ghost, and indeed the balloon.

D One emoji aficionado says the apps on modern iPhones and Android phones allow us to engage a part of our brain which uses symbolic and visual thinking. He believes this is why they have gained so much popularity – they rake in well over $3m each month. E However, emoji is different, it is more about embellishment and added context; it’s about in-jokes, playfulness, of emphasizing praise or cushioning the impact of criticism, of provoking thought and exercising the imagination. F But if you’re not satisfied with the variety of emoji at your disposal, a huge industry exists to embellish and enhance your messages with whatever pictures you like. Line, the dominant message app in Japan with over 100 million users, allows in-app purchases of extra emoji. Meanwhile, other apps have moved into the realm of ‘stickers’: sets of images, a little larger than emoji, that people can buy and send to each other in order to convey emotions that some would say words simply can’t express. G With this additional party they were able to achieve standard handling of computer text, and move towards their aim of guaranteeing that symbols display properly across devices worldwide.

Reading and Use of English Part 1 Multple-choice cloze For questions 1–8, read the text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Example: 0

A trodden

B beaten

C solitary

D lonesome

Tree-house hotels Want to get off the (0) _______ track for your next vacation – literally? Once the (1) _______ province of young boys, tree houses offer adventurous travellers a unique travel experience in an age of roadside motel chains and globe-stretching hotel corporations. Building a hotel in the treetops is (2) _______ a new idea, but the concept has (3) _______; today you’ll find them everywhere from Massachusetts to China. ‘A lot of people had good experiences with tree houses when they were growing up,’ explains Michael Garnier, a builder who has constructed tree-based (4) _______ around the globe. ‘It (5) _______ an adventurous type of person,’ he says. ‘The kid comes out in them.’ Sometimes, it’s the solitude and seclusion (6) _______ by sleeping in nature that attracts people to tree-top hotels. Modern tree houses present a rare opportunity to (7) _______ free of travel’s predictable stops and well-travelled routes. Up in the leaves, you’ll find something unique and exceptional – surely the (8) _______ of any good journey. 1

A confined

B narrow

C lonely

D sole

2

A hardly

B barely

C slightly

D faintly

3

A unfolded

B enriched

C burst

D blossomed

4

A territories

B dwellings

C sites

D berths

5

A draws

B drags

C tows

D hauls

6

A caught

B resulted

C afforded

D tendered

7

A break

B escape

C run

D come

8

A remuneration

B reward

C refund

D return

Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key word transformation For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given. Here is an example (0). 0

My daughter spends the whole day listening to deafening music. IS All ______________________ to deafening music the whole day.

The gap can be filled with the words ‘my daughter does is listen’, so you write: Example: 0

MY DAUGHTER DOES IS LISTEN

Write only the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS. 1

I only realized the potholers were in serious trouble when I heard a terrifying scream from the cave. RANG It wasn’t ______________________ from the cave that I realized the potholers were in serious trouble.

2

The thieves stole everything so we had to sleep on the beach. ROBBED Having ______________________ up sleeping on the beach.

3

I informed the emergency services straightaway. TO What ______________________ the emergency services straightaway.

4

It’s highly likely they will close the hotel. WELL The hotel ______________________ down.

5

If you don’t get a guide, you will probably have a lot of difficulty. RUNNING There’s a fair ______________________ difficulty if you don’t find a guide.

6

Your granddad seems to have decided to move into a home. IF It sounds ______________________ up his mind to move into a home.

Reading and Use of English Part 6 Cross-text multiple matching You are going to read four blogs in which the writers are talking about the effects a tourist complex has had on the local people’s lives. For questions 1–4 choose from the blogs (A–D). The blogs may be chosen more than once.

Hillside Tourist Resort Blog A The development is far from a major eyesore, and could even be said to complement the backdrop of rolling hills and pines. Certainly a vast improvement on the timber factory and garbage incinerator it replaced! However, there will always be those who hark on about spoiling natural beauty. Evidently they are unable to come to grips with the fact that the locals no longer wish to live in a sleepy backwater. That said, there is an urgent need for the authorities to establish a set of guidelines for dealing with the more unruly types. Tougher penalties should be implemented. This would send out a clear message about what the locals are unwilling to accept. Slapping hefty fines on their heads would put a stop to the disruption caused by a small minority. B The odd incident has been reported, but on the whole the general profile of guests has proved to be pleasantly surprising. In fact some have even been referred to as ‘culture vultures’. This is something which can really be cashed in on, but first funds must be invested in training up local guides, improving their language skills and making sure they can give adequate explanations of the local rituals and monuments. With regard to the aesthetics, there have been no major gripes. Having said that, the issue of the sewage system still needs to be addressed. During the peak season the coves become distinctly murky. This is where the complex must delve into its pockets and inject more back into the community. In the long run they will lose out if they fail to do so, their main selling point being the diving centre. A gesture also needs to be made with respect to supplies. There are more than enough crops on the island to meet the demand and trade of this sort would go a long way towards nurturing relations. C The overall effect is not entirely to my liking, but I have seen far worse. Being tucked away in the hillside means it is not overly obtrusive. Corners were certainly not cut when it came to the finishing touches, the surroundings are positively lush and the cascades add to the atmosphere. That said, it is still somewhat gaudy. With regards to the clientele, I am more than willing to turn a blind eye to the occasional cultural faux pas, but what I simply cannot put up with is the incessant din from dusk to dawn, not to mention the damage done to the urban furniture. There are far too many loopholes in the system as it stands, consequently most of the troublemakers simply slip through the net and live it up at the expense of the locals’ shut eyes. I understand that luring them down to the clubs at the port stimulates the economy, but this needs to be weighed up against the costs.

D On first reading about the complex in the newspapers, many residents had visions of a complete monstrosity. However, the manner in which it blends in is quite remarkable and the carvings on the façade are definitely noteworthy. What I, along with many others, do take a dim view of though is the constant stream of vans thundering up from the docks and then along the lanes. There is no excuse when everything needed is right here on the doorstep. Waste disposal needs to be dealt with too. A good few mutterings have been heard about the nasty odours wafting up from under the boardwalk. With regard to the visitors themselves, they are a fairly nondescript bunch. As long as they have sun and sand they tend to maintain a low profile.

Which writer has a different opinion from the other writers regarding the architecture?

1

takes a similar view to writer C regarding the problem of bad behaviour? 2 expresses a different view to writer D about comments on environmental effects? shares writer D’s opinion on the sale of local produce? 4

3

Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 IN Rare Australian parrot An intrepid Australian bird-spotter has captured the best evidence (0) ______ a century of a live ‘night parrot’, a rare creature that ranks (1) ______ the world's most enigmatic avian species. Most of (2) ______ is known about the species has been gleaned (3) ______ 25 specimens, largely captured during the 1870s. These are now scattered across the world's museums. This rare species appears to have dwindled (4) ______ numbers due to grazing and feral animals. Consequently, an aura of myth and intrigue has grown up around it. Mr Young has refused to divulge the exact nesting site. Not (5) ______ the experts have been let in on the secret. And the recordings of its song have (6) ______ to be handed over. Having invested enormous (7) ______ of time in tracking the secretive bird, he is now seeking private funding to continue his surveillance. When presenting his findings, he said he would (8) ______ go to jail than tell anyone where he found it. What he doesn’t want to see is hundreds of people searching for the birds with night lights.

Reading and Use of English Part 3 Word formation For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 OVERGRAZING Desertification A combination of (0) _________ and deforestation is turning the GRAZE Sahel into a dusty, (1) _________ wasteland. However, awareness is

PRODUCE

being raised by projects such as The Great Green Wall of Africa, a 4800-mile ‘wall’ of trees which is being planted between Senegal and Djibouti. Funding for this (2) _________ project took considerable time and

AMBITION

careful planning. Acacia trees form part of the wall; these are rich in gum arabic, a ubiquitous (3) _________ used in anything from cosmetics to

ADDITION

confectionary. Demand for this gum is currently (4) _________ supply.

STRIP

Consequently, prices are rising and the trees are becoming more and more

(5) _________ standing than felled.

VALUE

The experts openly (6) _________ the threat of climate change but

KNOWLEDGE

believe the key to success is in developing resilience within the ecosystem. The progress of the Green Wall is being monitored (7) _________ by

EAGER

other nations suffering from desertification. It has even been (8) _________ described as a ‘modern-day Silk Road, only green’.

ROMANCE

Reading and Use of English Part 5 Multiple choice You are going to read an article about the career of a chef. For questions 1–6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Chef Simon Rogan’s culinary journey Picture a little boy, so fascinated by the exotic kiwis and the star fruit his market-trader dad brought home from the Southampton docks that they sat in the fridge, just gazed at, until they rotted and had to be scrapped. Then picture a superstar chef who won’t use anything that’s grown more than a stone’s throw from his Cumbria headquarters; a man who has made such humble fare as potatoes, onions and rhubarb into superstars, too. Simon Rogan laughs at the memory. As well he might, because today his restaurant empire has made him fêted, Michelin-starred and TV-famous. The boy who would dream of becoming a professional footballer, who only took cookery because he fancied the teacher, Mrs Humphries, is riding high. Most significantly, after years of battling, he has earned the love and respect of his adopted hometown of Cartmel and created there a kind of ‘Roganville’, where he really is top dog. Rogan’s journey encompassed stints with numerous top chefs, but when he started L’Enclume, the first restaurant of his own, he’d been away from the stove for a spell. What had happened? As is oft said about chefs, Rogan had had a few false starts. As a teenager, he parlayed a school-leaver’s job in a Greek restaurant – ‘I was in charge of chips straight away,’ he boasts, displaying his life-long commitment to potatoes – into an apprenticeship in a nearby country-house hotel, while training part-time at catering college. Despite being ‘terrible’ compared to the other students because, Rogan says, ‘I only knew about chips and kebabs, and they were classically trained,’ he gritted his teeth, picked up everything going and came through with flying colours. Soon, hoping to support his own young family in Southampton, Rogan was trying to juggle home and work. Unfortunately though, the long hours took their toll and Rogan’s marriage ended in divorce and he entered a lengthy period of bad luck. He passed through a series of restaurants which failed through no fault of his own. Then, feeling he was wasting his time working for others, he finally decided he’d be better off going it alone. Since then (temp jobs excepted) he has done just that. Everything in Rogan’s empire is owned by him and his partner Penny Tapsell. When you arrive in Cartmel, with its majestic priory and pretty grey-stone shops and houses, it feels designed around L’Enclume. But if the village is proud now of its Michelin-starred jewel, it wasn’t always that way. When he took on the old forge, he says, ‘everyone was waiting to see us fall flat on our faces’. Not least, perhaps, Rogan’s partner Penny. By 2000, the pair were living in Littlehampton, looking for a space to open a restaurant somewhere between Brighton and the New Forest. Eternal southerner Rogan wanted to be near his extended family but nothing was working when, he recalls, ‘I got a call from a recruitment consultant friend. He’d been contacted by the owners of a space in Cartmel and they were looking for a chef.’ Rogan’s first response – ‘Where’s that? Scotland? No way!’ – was quickly tempered after an early morning drive north. ‘I instantly fell in love with the building and their vision. Obviously, it was an amazing place, and despite being covered in scaffolding, it had some good points,’ though, he concedes, being on the south coast wasn’t one of them. He signed that day, but Penny stayed in Littlehampton for three long months, waiting to be convinced that it would work.

L’Enclume opened in 2002 and the food was not unlike what they’re doing now, although perhaps somewhat more classical. Despite a distinct lull during the week, at weekends it buzzed thanks to well-heeled visitors from London and the south-east. That’s the thing about a restaurant surrounded by meadows for miles, there’s a lack of passing trade. Rogan says it was a massive hindrance in the beginning, although now they’re full, the fact that they’re off the beaten track is everything. L’Enclume soon started winning acclaim. But then, disaster struck. Rogan thought what they were doing was great, but they were getting criticized. ‘I was despondent and I fell out of love with it all,’ says Rogan. The chef had been influenced by technology, and what was happening in cutting-edge restaurants abroad. Luckily though, his mentors came to the rescue. ‘They told me to concentrate on what I was good at, and use what was around me. And I took that on board.’ Rogan bought the run-down farm that had been supplying L’Enclume with its produce and decided to keep his menu British, and eliminate anything foreign. The rest, you might say, is history. The restaurant won its first Michelin star in 2008 and Rogan went on to create a colony of restaurants. 1

2

3

4

5

6

The main purpose of the first paragraph is to show A

that Rogan has never been able to resist tasting new types of food.

B

how Rogan tries hard not to waste food in the same way his father did.

C

how Rogan’s modest family circumstances influenced his future.

D

how the origin of the food which interests him has changed.

In paragraph three, what do we learn about Rogan’s past? A

He took up cookery because of the encouragement the teacher gave him.

B

He suffered setbacks that are typical in the catering business.

C

He has worked in restaurant kitchens since leaving high school.

D

He used to show off in front of other kitchen staff.

When Rogan was at college A

his lack of knowledge had a negative impact.

B

his frustrations and temper led to problems with other students.

C

he recognized his shortcomings and worked hard to overcome them.

D

he worked hard to perfect the techniques he had already learnt.

The residents of Cartmel A

were enthusiastic about Rogan’s restaurant right from the start.

B

were not very keen on Rogan’s partner, Penny.

C

were worried the restaurant would spoil the atmosphere of the village.

D

did not believe the restaurant would be a success.

In paragraph seven we learn that A

Rogan was angry at having to drive north at short notice.

B

work was being carried out on the restaurant building.

C

he made the decision to move north and work for a friend.

D

he loved the restaurant building and the location was ideal.

In paragraph nine we learn that Rogan A

decided to convert an old farm into a restaurant.

B

realized his menu was not varied enough.

C

acted on some advice.

D

felt his methods were outdated.

Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Example: 0 COME An expensive nap It was every bank manager’s nightmare (0) ________ true: a German bank employee fell asleep at his computer terminal while making (1) ________ was supposed to be a minor money transfer and inadvertently drained €222m from an account (2) ________ even realizing it. The hapless employee appeared (3) ________ members of an industrial tribunal today to explain his actions. He told the tribunal that he had intended to transfer a small quantity of money from an account but ‘momentarily fell asleep’ and ended (4) ________ transferring €222,222,222.22. He said the error occurred because he dozed (5) ________ with his finger on the ‘2’ key of his computer keyboard. Not (6) ________ a few hours later was the mistake spotted and rectified by bank staff. A colleague responsible for overseeing the bank’s outgoing payments was subsequently sacked for allowing the error to slip (7) ________ the net unnoticed. Yesterday’s case was brought because she claimed that she had (8) ________ unfairly dismissed. The tribunal found in her favour and said she should be reinstated. The employee who fell asleep was merely admonished.

Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key word transformations For questions 1–6 complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given. Here is an example (0). 0

If we get to the hotel before lunch, that will be great. SO If we get to the hotel before lunch, ______________________ better.

The gap can be filled with the words ‘so much the’, so you write: Example: 0 SO MUCH THE 1

A bogus insurance salesman persuaded the elderly lady to pay him a large sum of money. TAKEN The elderly lady ______________________ a bogus insurance salesman and ended up losing a large sum of money.

2

What he told us was a complete pack of lies. GRAIN I don’t think ______________________ in what he told us.

3

The Italian restaurant is way cheaper than the French one. NOWHERE The Italian restaurant ______________________ the French one.

4

When we saw lights flickering in the distance we were extremely relieved. SENSE We ______________________ when we saw lights flickering in the distance.

5

I haven’t been eating properly this week. SQUARE I haven’t ______________________ all week.

6

We didn’t have to pay anything to enter the museum. FEE The museum ______________________ charge.

Reading and Use of English Part 8 Multiple matching You are going to read a newspaper article about working abroad. For questions 1–10 choose from the sections (A–D). The sections may be chosen more than once. In which section are the following mentioned? how being conscious of the outside world can spur on important decision-making the fact that young people’s first jobs after university can present some difficult and unexpected challenges the belief that living in a new environment results in a wish to embrace cultural differences series of mishaps that caused the writer to question an earlier decision the fact that others might have a misconception of the experience some experiences being unpleasant but later turning into a source of entertainment the necessity to stand out if one wishes to be offered a job the need for an element of bravery when starting out abroad a complaint about young people’s lack of practical knowledge of the working world a sense of purpose upon return to university

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Pack your suitcase for a year working abroad A One month into my year interning abroad, I was sitting in a police station giving a statement in broken French, and wondering if this was what my tutors had in mind when they told me I would gain ‘life experience’. Having €300 stolen was the latest in a steady stream of events that had already tempted me to give up, go home, and console myself with the fact that I tried. Fast-forward nine months and I not only know that I made the right choice staying, but that working abroad gives the unique opportunity to educate students in how to deal with the real world. One of employers’ main gripes about the youth of today is that they have insufficient insight into life in the workplace, so it makes sense to seek such experience now. University might offer the chance to learn about and debate things that other people have accomplished, but a year spent working away from this relative safety net allows students to realize their own ambitions. The artificial bubble of campus life bursts onto the big wide world of work.

B After three years of studying, exams and socializing with a set of people not too dissimilar from themselves, students are often stuck struggling for direction or purpose and left simply wondering what’s next. Working abroad teaches us to view education as ever-evolving; learning is not confined to the constructed setting of lecture halls and seminar rooms, but rather can be continued throughout our lives, making us adaptable and responsive to new situations as a result. A placement abroad prepares for this tough jolt into the unknown world of work in a way that no amount of essays or assessments can ever do. Living in another country and culture ensures situations and challenges on a daily basis that are testing but ultimately offer the rewards of independence, self-assurance and motivation. My own experiences taught me to view each (mis)adventure as a learning curve and approach problems with a level head, good judgement and healthy dose of humour. Sure, the initial sense of being lost both literally and linguistically may not have been laugh-a-minute at the time, but every situation led to a solution or encounter with interesting, vibrant new people and a fair few stories to recount back at home. C Being planted into an unfamiliar setting nurtures openness, empathy and a deep-rooted understanding of other ethnic groups. More importantly, it stimulates a desire to celebrate this. Of course, choosing to work abroad isn’t an easy decision. It takes guts and an effort to plunge in head first. Even then, there may be a significant gap between the reality of your life and how friends at home perceive it. Their visions of interning in Paris around a romantic hub of activity and culture might be half-true, but this misses out the less glamorous side of shocking levels of homelessness and realizing that not everyone is in a position to find a ‘quick-fix’ solution to their problems. While the same difficulties, are of course, to be found in England, they are somewhat shielded by the security of campus life. It’s easy to become caught up in the quotidian activities of student life. D Moving to a foreign work environment allows perspective, putting studying into context. With this awareness of wider world issues comes a certain level of maturity which can prompt students to make choices about their own life paths. The struggle for a graduate job in today’s climate is part fight, part intricate dance to showcase and prove your own skills and achievements against a background of hundreds of capable candidates. A year abroad not only highlights a students’ skills but shows employers that they have used them in a transferable context, again and again. Moreover, the taste of work afforded ensures a real motivation to do well and a sense of direction once back in quotidian student life. Working abroad offers the chance to become well-rounded and reflect on your own career aspirations. Interns are three times more likely to find a graduate job, according to a recent survey. In addition to increased employment prospects, the year abroad is an incredible experience of meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new things. Students can expect unexpected but valuable adventures ahead – and yes, giving police statements in another language is included!