Reading Comprehension Test

/ CODE: _____________
VIII TIME: 20 min

07. 2011. MAX. 8 points / MIN 6
READING COMPREHENSION TEST
Life in the fast lane
Between studying for school exams, including business studies, 14-year-old Dominic
McVey has set up his own company, Scooters UK. The business, which imports motorized
scooters and skateboards from the United States, has already made a profit of over
5,000 on sales of the equipment.
To start the business, Dominic used his savings from birthday and Christmas money and
cashed in some investments that his father had made when Dominic was born. I realised
the potential for the business when I noticed that a lot of inner-city streets were closed to
cars or they were chock-a-block with traffic. I thought there would be a great market for
these scooters and skateboards, particularly now that more restrictions on cars in town
centres have been introduced.
You can take a smaller one with you on a train in a backpack and then unfold it and use it
when you get into town. Men in suits are riding them up and down Wall Street in the USA
and it is my aim to get them to do the same in this country. I approached the American
manufacturer and, after doing some research into their company and the scooters, I was
allowed to become their UK distributor.
I ride them around town in busy areas and usually end up with a crowd of people running
down the street wanting to know where to buy them. Recently he went with his mother
on a sales trip to Paris. He went out with 500 leaflets and came back with none.
In the early stages Dominic had to overcome a few obstacles. When he tried to open a
business account at his bank, they thought it was a joke. This really upset me. I think
people should take children more seriously. Now that he has succeeded in setting up the
business Dominic wants to expand it. He also plans to open a showroom for his scooters
in the city of London, right by some traffic lights so people stop and look. His idea would
then be to sell the business and look for further opportunities to make money.
Circle the most appropriate option:
1. Dominic McVey
a) started his business upon finishing his business studies
b) has already earned five thousand dollars in his own business
c) runs his business in spite still being a student
d) started his business in North America
2. This business was started

a) partly by investing the money Dominic was saving
b) as soon as Dominic was born
c) by his father
d) although Dominics father had other investments in mind
3. He got the idea about such business

a) because all the streets in the inner-city were closed
b) because he was forbidden to use a car himself
c) thanks to the traffic jam in the city centre
d) because there wasnt such a market in his town
4. Dominic wants
a) to make people start using smaller scooters
b) to try selling scooters and skateboards on trains
c) to see men in suits from Wall Street riding along the streets in his country
d) his countrymen to follow in the footsteps of American businessmen
5. The American manufacturer

a) did some important research in connection with scooters
b) started business cooperation with Dominic
c) gave Dominic a position in their company
d) wanted Dominic to work for their market
6. His business is so good that

a) lots of people show interest in his scooters
b) he sometimes cant get rid of people in the busy areas
c) his mother must help him run it
d) he recently sold 500 scooters in Paris only
7. Why was Dominic upset?

a) He realized he wasnt good enough for such a serious business.
b) Nobody considered him capable of running that business at first.
c) His attempt to open a business account wasnt taken seriously.
d) Because he wont be able to expand his business.
8. Dominic wants to sell the business

a) in order to open a showroom
b) because he has had enough of it
c) so as to start a new one
d) to draw more public attention
/ CODE: _____________
VIII TIME: 45 min
07. 2011. MAX. 30 points / MIN 25
I Circle the correct option (a, b, c or d)
1. Its a really nice model. How long ________ this car?

a) have you b) are you having c) have you had d) do you have
2. You said wed have ________ students than last year, but you see, there are
actually twice ________.
a) fewer... as many b) less... so many c) less... as much d) fewer... so
much
3. Im afraid Im going to have to go to bed Ive got an absolutely ________

headache.
a) painful b) splitting c) itching d) hurting
4. Youre joking! Shed never do that. It ________.

a) mustnt be true b) may not be truth c) cant be true d)
wont be truth
5. Oh dear, we/re running ________ time! Were bound ________ be late again.
a) behind... to b) out of... to be c) without... for being d) short of...
for to be
6. If you only ________ more attention, you ________ the answers to all the questions.
a) paid... d know b) pay... d know c) would pay... knew d)
should pay... d know
7. My grandfather had never ________ foot in another country until he was in his 70s.
a) taken b) gone c) put d) set
8. There are over 240 ________ registered soccer players worldwide with fan
participation in the ________.
a) million... billion b) million... billions c) millions... billions d)
millions... billions
9. Speaking ________ English is no guarantee that you will be chosen for the school
project.
a) properly b) well c) fluently d) fluent
10. I cant remember why exactly ________ to go to that place so often.
a) did we use b) used we c) we used d) we would use
II Read the following text. Use the word in brackets to form a word that fits in the
gap in the text. There is an example at the beginning.
Example: There are so many children (child) in the park today.
FAMOUS ME!
I sometimes wish I were a great (1)_____________________ (invent) like Edison or Marconi. My

name would go down in history for having discovered something (2)_____________________ (total)
revolutionary. Perhaps I would also be famous for (3)____________________ (be) extremely
(4)_____________________ (create) with technology. I would be the most famous and respected
(5)________________________ (science) in the world! What a great brain I would have!
I would find (6)________________________ (solve) to the most difficult mathematical equations. I
would be responsible for new (7)________________________ (produce) that would change the way
people live and would be (8)________________________ (benefit) to the whole world. Everyone would
know about my (9)________________________ (late) technological developments and would thank me
for the many great (10)________________________ (achieve) of my life! Yes, that would suit me fine!
III Read the text first. Then fill in the appropriate forms/tenses of the verbs in
brackets in the active or passive voice. Do not use modal verbs in the forms which you
write.
An American tourist had her hand nearly (1)_______________________ (bite) off in Piraeus
yesterday morning. Police said Stacy Elliot, 26, (2)_______________________ (stick) her hand into the
cage to stroke the animal, which suddenly became violent and attacked her. Workers at the Italian
Miranda Orfei Circus said afterwards, We (3)______________________ (must) beat the cat with sticks
to make it (4)_____________________ (back) off. The tiger was waiting to be shipped to the island of
Syros where the circus (5)________________________ (plan) a performance before this incident.
Elliot (6)________________________ (rush) in an ambulance to the Athens Emergency Hospital in
Kiffisia where she has undergone surgery. We (7)________________________ (try) to save her hand,
said a hospital official. Her hand has been badly severed and she (8)________________________
(lose) a lot of blood. The official added that he was not sure whether doctors would be able
(9)________________________ (stitch) the hand back on. As we have heard from the police, the
circus representative, Giorgio Fidanis, (10)________________________ (already / charge) with causing
an accident out of negligence.

VIII
07. 2011.
KEY
READING COMPREHENSION TEST
1c 2a 3c 4d 5b 6a 7c 8c
LANGUAGE IN USE
I Circle the correct option (a, b, c or d) max 10

points
1c 2a 3b 4c 5b 6a 7d 8b 9d 10c
II Read the following text. Use the word in brackets to form a word that fits in the
gap in the text. There is an example at the beginning.
max 10 points
!
1. inventor 3. being 5. scientist 7. products 9. latest
2. totally 4. creative 6. solutions 8. beneficial 10.achievement
s
III Read the text first. Then fill in the appropriate forms/tenses of the verbs in
brackets in the active or passive voice. Do not use modal verbs in the forms which you
write. max 10 points
1. bitten 6. was rushed

2. (had) stuck 7. are trying / have (ve) been trying
3. had to 8. has lost
4. back 9. to stitch
5. had planned/had been 10.has already been charged / is already being
planning charged

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/ CODE: _____________

VIII TIME: 20 min

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

Life in the fast lane

2. This business was started

3. He got the idea about such business

5. The American manufacturer

6. His business is so good that

7. Why was Dominic upset?

8. Dominic wants to sell the business

I Circle the correct option (a, b, c or d)

1. Its a really nice model. How long ________ this car?

3. Im afraid Im going to have to go to bed Ive got an absolutely ________

4. Youre joking! Shed never do that. It ________.

I sometimes wish I were a great (1)_____________________ (invent) like Edison or Marconi. My

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

I Circle the correct option (a, b, c or d) max 10

1. bitten 6. was rushed

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