I.

Reading
Read the text and the questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

James Glossop—Times newspaper’s Young Photographer of the Year

I always loved taking pictures, but the move to becoming a photographer happened when I was at university in
Manchester, where I studied for my degree in English. I was asked to take pictures for a university brochure and I
realised that I could make money doing something I really enjoyed,
After university, I entered The Times newspaper s Young Photographer of the Year competition. The prize for
winning was to actually work for the paper.
Working there is great because I get a wide variety of interesting jobs. From the beginning they got me doing the
big things, like political conferences and international golf tournaments. For example, I recently travelled around
Greenland for 11 days for a story on climate change.
I mix with the best photographers and journalists in the profession, people perhaps 20 years older than me, and I
have to be at the same level as them.
I can be a serious person and that comes across in my work - which can be a bad thing if you want to make the
newspapers readers smile! When you take photos of people, they need to be able to trust you. People seem to trust
me more because I work for The Times, and the editors there trust me, in turn, to do a good job.
In Scotland, where I’m based, I’m hoping to be on the Royal Rota, which means I’ll be one of the few
photographers allowed to take pictures of the Queen and her family when they visit. But, generally, I’m not
interested in famous people. I like ordinary people who invite you into their house and show you their world—like
the hunters and fishermen I met on my trip to Greenland.
1. What is James trying to do in this text?
A. advise young photographers about how to get a job
B. explain how winning a competition is helping his career
C. describe his techniques for taking good photographs
D. show how challenging his job at the newspaper is

2. While James was at university he discovered that

A. he wasn’t interested in studying English any more.
B. he enjoyed taking photographs.
C. he couldn’t take the kind of photographs he wanted to.
D. he would be able to earn money from photography.

3. What does James say about working for The Times newspaper?
A. The journalists can take a long time to get a story.
B. He prefers working on international issues.
C. He was given main events to photograph from day one.
D. It’s difficult working with the older, more experienced professionals.

4. James believes his serious character can have an effect on

A. the people who look at his photographs.
B. the kind of jobs he is given.
C. the people he takes photographs of.
D. the way he gets on with his colleagues.

5. Which postcard might James have sent to his parents last month?
A. Having a few problems—when people find out which newspaper I work for, they won’t trust me to
photograph them!
B. I seem to spend every day taking photos of yet another major sporting event—when will they let me do
something different?
C. This is what I love doing—taking pictures of local villagers doing their daily work and letting me see what
their lives are like.
D. It’s been a busy week—I’ve been all around Scotland photographing the Prince and his wife on their tour.

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 I. Reading
Read the text and the questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

The Car
Let me tell you about a young boy who made a model car all on his own. The boy is me, six years ago when I
was just 1 1 and the car was small and simple but in my imagination it was a high-speed, Formula 1 racing car,
speeding along the race track.
It was during the school summer holidays and workmen were building a new drive and garage beside our house.
While watching the workmen I had an idea. I'd build a car to drive into the garage in celebration of the new addition
to our home. I told my mother and drew up complicated plans but I couldn't find the right materials, so I gave up and
spent a miserable couple of days doing nothing. My mother noticed that I'd stopped working and asked me why. I
explained and she suggested that maybe I should change my plans to fit the materials I did have, rather than give up.
And that's just what I did. I found small pieces of wood in my father's workshop and made my car from anything
that was lying around the house. When I found a small engine from an old model plane of mine I added that. The
power came from a battery attached with some wire I found in a cupboard.
By the time the garage was finished, so was my car. I called my family together outside the house, connected the
wires, started the engine and placed the car on the driveway. It was fast and I had to run to the garage to rescue it
before it crashed into the new door. My family began to clap and I smiled proudly. Thanks to my mother I learned
the value of seeing a project through to its end. Soon I was making plans for my next project: a helicopter!

1. What is the writer trying to do in this text?

A. suggest that everybody should try making something.
B. recommend a type of car that is easy to make.
C. explain how he learned not to give up on an idea.
D. give information about where to find good model cars.

2. Why did the writer start building the car?

A. to show the workmen that he could build something too.
B. to pass the time during the school holidays.
C. to give to his mother as a special present.
D. to celebrate the family’s new garage.

3. How did the writer feel about the first car he planned?
A. sad that he was unable to find suitable things to build the car with.
B. annoyed that his father wouldn’t let him borrow any materials.
C. frustrated by how much time he’d wasted on the project.
D. embarrassed by the poor quality of the car plan he drew.

4. What do we find out about the car the writer finally made?
A. It was completed shortly after the garage was built.
B. It was powered by an old electric motor.
C. It went up the driveway too quickly and hit the garage.
D. Its design needed some improvements.

5. What advice might the writer give about making something?

A. Always try to keep to your plans rather than change them halfway through your project.
B. When you start a project you need as much help as you can get, so ask you friends and family to get
involved.
C. Look carefully around you to see what’s available and what things you can reuse for your project.
D. Don’t make a car for your first project—they’re difficult to get right and may not work.

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 I. Reading
Read the text and the questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Working in Fashion Design

I’m James Wilson and I’m the Head of Fashion Design at City College. I’ve had good jobs and bad in the
fashion industry. I’ve worked for big companies and had my own company designing for individual
customers. I first did a Fine Arts degree then moved into fashion and now I’m a teacher, so I'm well qualified
to advise students when they ask me how to get started in a career in fashion. I tell them that first they need to
find out if it really is the job for them.
Going to your local shopping mall is a great place to start. Find the person who organises the fashion
shows that advertise the clothing stores in the mall and let them know that you’re interested in helping out at
the next one.
To get a wider picture of the business, speak to someone who makes and sells their own designs. They’ll show
you the less public side of the business. They might be busy but don’t let that stop you. Find things out! How
many hours do they work? How did they learn to make clothes? What’s the toughest part of their job?
One of my students, Alex, works for Toki, a successful designer. Has he done the right thing by going to
work for someone else rather than starting his own company? ‘Working for Toki has added to what I learned
at college,’ Alex explained. ‘It’s great! Even though the hours are long I can learn from other people’s
mistakes. I’ve learned about tiny but very important points—like the fact that you can’t just design what you
want—you need to listen to your customers.
1. What is the writer trying to do in this text?
A. recommend fashion companies to work for
B. suggest going to college to learn fashion design
C. describe how he succeeded as a fashion designer
D. explain how to discover if fashion design is for you

2. The writer suggests going to your local shopping mall to

A. find a job in a fashion store.
B. see what kind of fashion sells well.
C. ask to be involved in any fashion shows.
D. meet others who are interested in studying fashion.

3. Why is it useful to talk to someone who makes and sells their own clothes?
A. You can ask them lots of questions.
B. They can introduce you to designers.
C. They can teach you how to make clothes.
D. You can show them some of your own designs.

4. How does Alex feel about working for another designer?

A. It’s difficult when you also have schoolwork to do.
B. It’s a good way to learn the small details of fashion design.
C. It’s a mistake not to start your own fashion company straight away.
D. It’s fun because you don’t have to do the same long hours as the designer.

5. What might the writer say about his own career?

A. I’ve enjoyed every single job I’ve ever had working in fashion.
B. The only thing I regret about my fashion career is never working for a large firm.
C. I think I’ve had a wide range of experience in the fashion industry.
D. My Education degree helped when I took the college job as Head of Fashion Design.

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 I. Reading
Read the text and the questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Mary-Jess Leaverland
When 19-year-old Mary-Jess Leaverland sang for 70 million TV viewers nobody back home in England knew
anything about it.
Her victory in the talent show, I Want to Sing to the Stars was seen by five times as many people as watch a
similar UK show, called The X Factor, but they were all from the Chinese region of Jiangsu, as that’s the only place
the programme is shown.
Mary-Jess was in China to study the language as part of her university course when she entered the competition.
A friend had invited her to watch him in a TV quiz show. On their way they
passed the talent show’s studios. Mary-Jess went in, found a producer and sang for him. During the competition she
had classes as usual then went to the studios in the evenings. When she wasn’t on stage she was busy doing her
homework.
Mary-Jess used her £900 prize money to fly home to see her mum. When she returned there were no recording
contracts to sign or concerts to perform in. She told her mum, who’s also a good singer, how amazed she was that
she was chosen as the winner, then the two of them chatted happily about their plans to start singing together again at
clubs around their home town. It was only later that Mary-Jess’s mum thought it might be fun to tell the local
newspaper about her daughter’s win. Yet, within 24 hours, Mary-Jess’s story had appeared nationally and just weeks
later she had a manager, a lawyer and was off to New York with record companies fighting to sign her as one of their
artists. Mary-Jess’s signing career had started.

1. What is the writer trying to do in this text?

A encourage people to watch a particular TV music programme
B suggest how to get a career as a professional singer
C describe someone’s life-long ambition to become world famous
D explain what happened to someone after winning a competition

2. What does the text say about I Want to Sing to the Stars?
A. It’s less popular than another show called The X Factor.
B. It’s shown in several countries across Asia.
C. It’s a talent competition made in China.
D. It’s the most popular TV show in China.

3. What was Mary-Jess’s reason for going to China?

A. She went there to be in a singing competition.
B. She was there learning to speak Chinese.
C. She was teaching at a Chinese university.
D. She was visiting a friend there.

4. How did Mary-Jess feel when she first returned to England?

A. surprised that she had won the competition
B. annoyed that she got so little in prize money
C. worried about the concerts she would have to do
D. amazed by all the attention from the UK newspapers

5. Which text message might Mary-Jess’s mother have on her mobile phone?
A. Where did I get my talent from, Mum? There are no other singers in our family that I know about.
B. I’ve never sung in front of anyone in my life! Why did I ever agree to be in this competition?
C. I’ve got so much work to do for my teacher! Do you think I should take it with me to the TV studio?
D. A Chinese TV company has offered me my own weekly show! Should I sign the contract, Mum?

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JAMES
My name is James, I'm fourteen, and I moved to this town with my family three months ago. My parents lived
here when they were young, but my brother and I didn't know anyone here except a few aunts and uncles we'd met
when we'd spent a couple of weeks with my grandparents, during school holidays. When I started school, one of my
cousins, Sophie, who was in my class, was very friendly for the first week and I was happy to have a friend in a
strange place. Then, for no reason, she stopped talking to me and I felt very hurt and lonely for several weeks.
In the end I made some more friends and since I got to know them, I've been fine. Now Sophie is having a disco
party tor her birthday next week and she has invited me. I don't want to go. My brother says he heard someone say
she only asked me because her parents said she had to. But my mum and dad say it would be rude not to accept.
Some of my new friends are invited, too. How can I show Sophie that she can't behave so badly towards me without
causing a family quarrel?

1. What is the writer trying to do in the text?

A. explain a problem
B. describe a family
C. offer advice
D. refuse an invitation
2. Who did James know in the town six months ago?
A. no one
B. a few relatives
C. only his grandparents
D. Sophie's friends
3. At the beginning of term, Sophie's behaviour made the writer feel
A. embarrassed.
B. unhappy.
C. grateful.
D. surprised.
4. The writer wants Sophie to realise
A. that he still hasn't forgiven her.
B. that her friends think she behaved rudely.
C. that his parents dislike her.
D. that she has fewer friends than he has.
5. Which of these is an answer to the text?
A. Ask your friends to come with you and we can all have a good time together.
B. Why not go to the party and ask Sophie why she stopped being friendly? At least everyone will know
what's happening.
C. Please phone my parents and explain the situation to them, so that they'll stop worrying.
D. What about cooking a meal with Sophie and inviting all your relatives? That will be a good way to stop
them quarrelling.

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I. Reading
Read the text and questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

The Businessman
There is a story going round at the moment about a well-known journalist who went to interview Jack Parrish at a
smart New York restaurant. The journalist was late, but fortunately, when he arrived, he found the great man was not
yet there. On the way to his table, the journalist noticed a colleague from his paper and stopped to chat to her. After
fifteen minutes, a waiter approached him. 'There's some young man at the door who says he's supposed to be having
lunch with you. I think he's trying to be funny, because he says his name is Jack Parrish!'
But of course it was. The twenty-four-year-old is becoming famous for the fact that he doesn't look like the
owner of one of the world's most successful computer companies. His manner is polite, his voice is quiet and his
clothes are clearly not expensive. Two years ago, when he started his own company, no one had heard of him.
Friends say that he hasn't changed at all. He hasn't even moved out of his parents' house. So what does he do with his
money? It's all used for business. But some people in the computer world are getting nervous -- and they are right. It
won't be long before someone in another company picks up the phone to hear that quiet voice saying that he's the
new boss.
1. Someone could find out from this text
A. how Jack Parrish runs his business.
B. what Jack Parrish said in an interview.
C. how to get a job in Jack Parrish's company.
D. what the writer thinks Jack Parrish will do next.
2. How did the journalist pass the time while he was waiting?
A. He phoned his office.
B. He talked to another journalist.
C. He talked to a man at the next table.
D. He interviewed a woman in the restaurant.
3. The waiter thought the young man at the door of the restaurant
A. was a journalist.
B. was behaving rudely.
C. was not as old as he said he was.
D. was pretending to be someone else.
4. What is the writer's attitude to Jack Parrish?
A. He is more important than he appears.
B. He is a good example for young people.
C. He should be more careful how he runs his business.
D. He would be an interesting person to work for.
5. Which of these headlines does the writer expect to see soon?
A. Too much success too fast -was that the end of Parrish's luck?
B. Jack Parrish doesn't worry about money - he gives it away to old friends
C. And the new owner of our top computer company is Jack Parrish!
D. SPEND, SPEND, SPEND --how Jack furnishes his new million-dollar home

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I. Reading
Read the text and questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Waiter!
I went to the cinema last week and laughed all the way through the new film Waiter! which is set in a restaurant.
American actor Tom Waters plays the worst cook the world has ever seen and he employs one of the worst waiters,
played by Joe Vermont.
The London restaurant where the filming took place does actually exist. Jane Connors, the owner, runs a
successful business with many regular customers. However, although she thinks Waiter! is a good film, she is very
annoyed with the director. When she agreed to the filming, she wasn't told that the film is about a restaurant where
everything goes wrong and the food is disgusting. Although the film might make lane's restaurant famous if it is a
success, she is afraid that people will stop coming because they will think the food and service is terrible - like it is in
the film. Jane is worried she will lose business and may even have to close and start again with a new restaurant.
Having seen the film, I agree that she has a problem. The film company paid her a very small fee, and she has since
asked for more. The best solution, though, is for her to contact the newspapers. I am sure they will be interested in
her story and it will actually help her business in the end.

1. What is the writer trying to do in the text?

A. advertise a restaurant
B. review a film
C. explain someone's problem
D. take someone's advice
2. What do we learn about Jane's restaurant?
A. It is very popular.
B. The food is not good.
C. It is in a beautiful building.
D. The waiters are unhelpful.
3. What did the director not tell Jane?
A. that the film would be a success
B. that the restaurant in the film would be very bad
C. that she would not be paid
D. that she would need to employ extra staff
4. What does the writer think Jane ought to do?
A. open a new restaurant
B. ask the film company for more money
C. improve the quality of the food in her restaurant
D. write to the newspapers
5. Which of these is an advert for the film?
A. Waiter!
Comedy film set in a typical American town.
Laugh at the mistakes of crazy cook (Tom Waters) and mad waiter ( Joe Vermont).
B. Waiter!
Learn how to cook and be amused at the same time at this film made specially for television by
well-known cook, Tom Waters.
C. WAITER!
All the action takes place in a famous London restaurant. Find out the truth about what happens in the
kitchens.
D. Waiter!
Sit back and enjoy the performances of Tom Waters and Joe Vermont in this comedy filmed in a London
restaurant.

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I. Reading
Read the text and questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Living in the Ice Age

I'm a scientist and I arrived here in Antarctica three months ago in December. The temperature is cold but not
unpleasant yet. Since arriving, I've worked with about 60 other people getting everything ready for the Antarctic
winter. It's been a lot of hard work, but it was fun too. However, a few days ago the ship left taking most of the staff
with it, and it won't be back to fetch us until next December. So the hardest thing to get used to is that there are now
just fourteen of us because I'm used to working in a large company.
I'm living on the same work station I was on ten years ago. It was new then and it's still in good condition and
unchanged. The dried food we get is also the same – you forget what real food tastes like after a few weeks. The
people working here with me are all different from then, but I'm always happy getting to know new people. Ten
years ago, we were able to send faxes to friends and family once a month, but today we can send e-mails and talk on
the phone so we don't feel so far away.
Last week we went out exploring for a few days. We slept in our very thick sleeping bags to keep the cold out.
We always have to wear the right clothes and boots for walking on ice and snow. We were joined together by a rope
all the time in case we fell into any holes in the ice. They're too deep to climb out of. The skies were clear and I was
reminded how lucky I am to be here. Soon we will get amazing sunsets too.
1. What is the writer trying to do?
A. persuade people to work in Antarctica
B. complain about his life in Antarctica
C. describe his own experiences in Antarctica
D. suggest ways of improving life in Antarctica
2. What is difficult for the writer at the moment?
A. He is working with a small number of people.
B. There is too much work to do.
C. The weather is too cold.
D. The ship won't return for months.
3. In the writer's opinion, what has improved since ten years ago?
A. The living accommodation is better.
B. The food is more tasty.
C. Communications have improved.
D. His colleagues are easier to work with.
4. What particular danger was there when they were exploring?
A. the cold
B. the holes in the ice
C. getting lost
D. slipping on the ice
5. Which of the following e-mails did the writer send to a friend?
A. I'm getting used to being in Antarctica. Although people had told me what it was like, it's still a shock to
experience it myself.
B. There hasn't been much to do here yet, so I've spent the time getting to know my colleagues and relaxing.
C. It's good to be back here. I'd forgotten how beautiful it is. I'm looking forward to seeing some wonderful
sunsets.
D. I'll send you my news as often as I can. It won't be long till I'm home, as I've already been here nearly a
year.

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