UNIT 3.

BECOMING INDEPENDENT
I. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the sentences
1. The total ____ of nuclear weapons would hopefully give the world something to celebrate.
A. extermination B. ellipsis C. elimination D. exception
2. The ____ of hard work bringing positive results is perhaps out of favour now in the modern world.
A. abstract B. opinion C. concept D. belief
3. Overconfidence due to overnight success can take us quickly down that ____ road to failure.
A. sticky B. oily C. slippery D. slithery
4. The preparations for the Olympic Games are on ____ according to the committee in charge.
A. goal B. progress C. target D. aim
5. Following years of intense training, the accomplished athlete ____ the medal triumphantly.
A. took off B. ran off C. went off D. carried off
6. Having worked his fingers to the ____ for many years, he eventually saw the fruit of his hard work at the age of fifty.
A. end B. edge C. bone D. nail
7. There was a wonderful ski ____ way up in the mountains, suitable for the whole family.
A. lodge B. pension C. hostel D. house
8. The lucky survivors of the freak storm related their ____ tale to the eager journalists.
A. challenging B. gruelling C. harrowing D. saddening
9. The heat of the summer sun had caused the area to catch fire, leaving behind only ____, smouldering tree trunks.
A. blackened B. deadly C. smoky D. dried
10. She was ____ an array of questions during the interview.
A. put up with B. put over C. put forward D. put through
11. The boss was ____ with the new employee over his qualifications and ability to perform his job well.
A. at a loose end B. at odds C. at a loss D. at a standstill
12. They have terrible management. But if they could ever ____ together, they would be an unbeatable company.
A. set their show B. do their number C. put their play D. get their act
13. —Would you like a cup of tea? —I'd love some tea, but I don't want to put you ____ at all.
A. up B. into it C. out of it D. out
14. These days everybody wants to get on TV as an expert. Even scientists and doctors have jumped on the ____.
A. buckboard B. hackney cab C. bandwagon D. stagecoach
15. I advise you to ____ clear of the casinos.
A. stray B. steer C. stick D. veer
16. A meeting of EU foreign ministers should go some way ____ clarifying the situation.
A. to B. into C. towards D. by
17. It was poverty that had ____ him to crime.
A. brought B. driven C. induced D. compelled
18. The sudden, tragic death of the young princess sparked off a feeding ____ in the media.
A. spasm B. turmoil C. frenzy D. fever
19. In the hands of a reckless driver, a car becomes a ____ weapon.
A. lethal B. fatal C. mortal D. deadening
20. That boy's always been in trouble. Sooner or later he's going to ____ in prison. Mark my words.
A. wind up B. grow up C. turn out D. live up
21. Through ____, small businesses have become the victims of greedy bankers.
A. no fault on their own B. not their own fault C. no own fault of theirs D. no fault of their own
22. The police officer described the crime without a _____ of emotion in his voice.
A. pinch B. grain C. trace D. speck
23. _____ the fish with salt before you put in it the oven.
A. Spread B. Squeeze C. Slice D. Sprinkle
24. The city zoo is _____ and houses thousands of animals.
A. minute B. immense C. countless D. abundant
25. In his first session with the therapist, Bill _____ out his feelings.
A. flooded B. poured C. broke D. stirred
26. There was a wonderful _____ of summer fruits at the local market.
A. portion B. crop C. handful D. array
27. From the way she’s _____ at that sandwich, I’d say she doesn’t like it.
A. nibbling B. consuming C. chewing D. devouring
28. Simon's business has been on the _____ for some time and I understand he's going into liquidation.
A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds
29. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not out of the _____.
A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods
30. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at _____ with popular culture.
A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length
31. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt like I had really put down _____ here.
A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits
32. The party was already ______ by the time we arrived. Everyone was singing and dancing.
A. in full swing B. up in the air C. over the moon D. under a cloud
33. The entire staff was thrown off _____ when the news of the takeover was announced.
A. composure B. disarray C. stable D. balance
34. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day ______ yet.
A. situation B. work C. job D. place
35. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality and service.
A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat
36. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a cup of coffee with a friend or
seeing a good film at the cinema.
A. sheer B. simple C. normal D. plain
37. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in the earth's ozone layer.
A. front B. back C. side D. fore
38. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television pictures of it.
A. base B. down C. home D. back
39. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second ______ to you within a
couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
40. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______.
A. self-assured B. self-centred C. self-conscious D. self-evident
41. The inconsiderate driver was _____ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.
A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined
42. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the _____ stars whose careers are likely to rocket in the future.
A. out and about B. up and coming C. down and out D. in and out
43. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has_____ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
44. How do you calculate the distance to the horizon? As a _____, it’s 7 miles + 1 mile per 100 ft above sea level.
A. trick of the trade B. golden rule C. free hand D. rule of thumb
45. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not _____.
A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand
C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels
46. The headmaster at my last school was was a stern disciplinarian and made sure we _____ the line.
A. drew B. faced C. touched D. toed
II. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the sentences
1. If you ____ in arriving late, you'll be fired.
a) persevere b) insist c) prevail d) persist
2. The committee chose him because he ____ the right man for the job.
a) was felt to be b) felt that he was c) was felt that he was d) felt that he were
3. Through ____, small businesses have become the victims of greedy bankers.
a) no fault on their own b) not their own fault c) no own fault of theirs d) no fault of their own
4. ____ the difficulty of the task, I shall be lucky to complete it by the end of the year.
a) Regarding b) Presuming c) Given d) Accepted
5. Sue's life is a mess. And she seems quite unable to ____ herself together.
a) put b) push c) pull d) build
6. The doctor gave me pills to ____ the pain.
a) relieve b) lighten c) calm d) rid
7. Look! The wasters charged us for four desserts when we only had two. We've been ____!
a) ripped up b) torn off c) ripped off d) torn up
8. This development is highly desirable, ____ because it marks the return of the UN to the area.
a) not least b) not less c) no less d) not last
9. We started off walking ____, but after an hour we had slowed down to a snail's pace.
a) heartily b) sharply c) briskly d) crisply
10. All the other people at the meeting, without exception, were wearing suits and ties. In my jeans and tee-shirt I stuck
out like a ____ thumb.
a) sore b) swollen c) throbbing d) wounded
11. I know you're pressed for time, Harold, but do you think we could ____ in a quick meeting before lunch? .
a) crush b) nip c) press d) squeeze
12. The windows don't fit very well. It makes the room awfully ____.
a) breezy b) ventilated c) winded d) draughty
13. The new airport was constructed in the ____ of fierce opposition from environmentalists.
a) nose b) teeth c) tooth and nail d) fangs
14. Harry ____ down Sue's phone number and address on a scrap of paper and thrust it into his breast pocket
a) spotted b) dotted c) slotted d) jotted
15. —How much butter do you want, Mrs Russell? —Half ____ will do, thank you.
a) of a pound b) pound c) the pound d) a pound
16. Andrew was talking so much that none of the other participants in the discussion could get a word in ____.
a) sideways b) sidelong c) edgeways d) obliquely
17. Back in 1979r the revolution was in full swing. ____, not the slightest trace of it remains.
a) Later thirty years b) Thirty years onwards c) Thirty years away d) Thirty years on
18. —There's something I have to tell you. You see... I... I... I...
—Come on, ____ it out. I haven't got all day.
a) gob b) hawk c) spit d) hiss
19. Poor people often fall ____ to unscrupulous money lenders.
a) prisoner b) scapegoat c) prey d) sacrifice
20. The discussion didn't solve any of our problems, but at least it ____ the air.
a) cleared b) fixed c) cleaned d) graced
21. The school principal proposed that Edward ____ a scholarship.
a) be awarded b) were awarded c) is awarded d) can be awarded
22. If the door has jammed, there's no point in trying to force it open. You'll probably just ____ the handle off!
a) gouge b) pluck c) wrench d) drag
23. Will the present management be criticised as incompetent and wasteful? The company ____, a spokesperson said.
a) hopes it not b) hopes not c) does not hope d) does not hope it
24. —So how did he react when you told him you wanted a divorce? —He didn't ____ an eyelid.
a) blink b) wink c) bat d) flicker
25. They're going to hold the vote ____.
a) one week on Friday b) on Friday in a week c) in a week on Friday d) on Friday week
26. As a result of washing the jeans in very hot water, they had ____ to a child's size.
a) faded b) shrunk c) reduced d) dwindled
27. We have an early flight so well have to get up at the ____ of dawn
a) crack b) cleft c) rift d) chink
28. There are poisonous snakes in the area so it is essential to be on the ____ for any signs of movement in the
undergrowth.
a) guard b) outlook c) alert d) alarm
29. There's some kind of crisis at the factory. The boss wants me to go down there and ____.
a) work it off b) sort it out c) straighten it on d) screw it up
30. Many Europeans want nuclear weapons ____ entirely.
a) eliminating b) be eliminated c) eliminated d) that should be eliminated
31. It's very foolish to think you can go into any kind of negotiations unprepared and simply play it ____.
a) off the cuff b) hands down c) by ear d) on the wing
32. He declared that working in the same office as hers was ____ in a small cupboard with a swarm of killer bees. Perhaps
he was exaggerating slightly.
a) like to be trapped b) like being trapped c) like trapping d) as to be trapped
33. He left the office early on the unlikely ____ that he had a sick friend to visit. Of course, it may have-been true.
a) excuse b) motive e) claim d) pretext
34. Sylvia hadn't eaten anything for 4 hours, so it wasn't surprising that she ____ in the middle of the gym class.
a) passed out b) passed away c) threw out d) threw off
35. ____ received his prize than he left the podium.
a) As soon as he had b) No sooner had he c) As soon had he d) No sooner he had
36. I thought I saw something moving in the shadows, but there's nothing there, it must have been a ____ of my
imagination.
a) production b) figment c) vision d) fabrication
37. Far from finding the Job too demanding, she seems to ____ the challenge it presents.
a) relish b) savour c) cherish d) luxuriate
38. The former minister's diaries, ____ from perfect, provide the most accurate version of the events leading up to Mrs
Thatcher's downfall that we have.
a) when far b) while far c) far however d) whereas far
39. Good teachers don't ____ their pupils, but treat them, as far as possible, as equals.
a) pin down b) talk down to c) stoop down to d) play down
40. I soon got the ____ of the new machine.
a) hang b) sway c) string d) drift
41. We're going to have to ____ out a lot of money next year to have the roof repaired.
a) stock b) knock c) fork d) club
42. He still suffers from occasional bouts of a rare tropical disease which he ____ while on military service in Borneo.
a) gained b) infected c) incurred d) contracted
43. He didn't intend to make a speech. If asked to, he would make a few remarks ____, but that was all he would do.
a) off the cuff b) on the off-chance c) off and on d) off his rocker
44. It seemed to me to be the first time my father and I ____ an almost normal conversation.
a) would have b) have had c) might have d) had had
45. The government has announced that it intends to increase military spending and to ____ on education.
a) rip off b) crack down c) knock off d) cut back
46. We walked through a park, ____ had been uprooted in the storm. It was a scene of utter desolation.
a) whose most trees b) most of whose trees c) most trees of which d) that the most trees
47. Reporters often investigate the lives of celebrities simply on the ____ that they might discover something scandalous.
a) upshot b) up-chance c) off-chance d) off-shot
III. Give the correct forms of provided words to complete the passage
Book review: Hide and seek
Emma and her friends are pursuing a holiday game – surveillance of a (1. suspect) suspicious bookshop - when she
realises that one of its rare customers is her Uncle Jim.
He callously draws her into a web of (2. deceive) deceit and crime, manipulating her (3. affect) affetion for him and
attempting to (4. alien) alienate her from her friends, whose characters are persuasively drawn by Coppard. When Emma
finds her life in danger, things take a dark and (5. compel) compelling turn - her (6. confine) confinement in the cellar of a
derelict house is stunningly handled.
This book reveals the (7. minute) minutiae of family life, the bonds of childhood friendship and warns that adults aren’t
always the (8. protect) protectors they ought to be. A vital and convincing read.

Book Review: Yaxley’s Cat

Unusually, Robert Westall uses the (1. view) viewpoint of a mature woman for this (2. chill) chilling story of rural prejudice
and (3. persecute) persecution. Rose, to escape from her (4. material) materialistic life and her smug husband, rents Sepp
Yaxley’s cottage with her two children. A (5. ferocity) ferocious cat, and bizarre items found in cupboards, reveal the
answer to why Yaxley disappeared; but the newcomers’ presence arouses local (6. hostile) hostility to the point where
their own lives are at risk. By the end, the threatening violence is controlled, but Rose feels just as dismayed by the (7.
method) methodical ruthlessness of her teenage son. Utterly (8. grip) gripping.

Harry and Connie

It was never the most secure of (1. bring) upbringings. Harry was earning barely enough to sustain the whole family, and,
although he handed over the (2. major) majority of his salary at the end of each week to Connie, he still managed to fritter
away what little he had left. Connie did her best to keep things on an even keel. She had seven mouths to feed on a basic
income of 52 a week, and as a consequence, she was noted for her (3. thrift) thriftiness. ‘“Save a little, spend a little” was,’
said their son, ‘one of the constant refrains of my childhood’, leaving him with a (4. life) lifelong ‘horror of debt and a
steely determination to pay my own way’. In spite of such (5. sober) sobering moral lessons, Harry still somehow
managed to contrive on (6. count) countless occasions to stun Connie with his (7. capricious) capriciousness.
One reason why Connie was prepared to tolerate such behaviour was the fact that, deep down she had always valued his
(8. force) unforced charm and his (9. ebullience) ebullient sense of showmanship. Although she was never happier than
when she had the time to sit at the piano and sing her favourite songs, she was, their son recalled, ‘(10. temperament)
temperamentally reluctant to perform in public’. The quixotic Harry, in contrast, was an instinctive performer and talented
enough to take his amateur song and dance routines on to the local club circuit. Connie, for all her (11. found) well-
founded fears about their future, loved and admired - and perhaps even gently envied - that (12. tame) untamed and
indomitable sense of fun.
IV. Replace each italicized words with a synonymous one.
It is believed that our inherited (1) genetic characteristics play the decisive (2) role in our being beautiful, attractive and
appealing to other individuals. Although there is no clear (3) theory on what beauty really is and how it works, the results
of a recent scientific research (4) seem to confirm (5) the hypothesis that our facial features are determined (6) by our
brains. Their possible role is to reflect (7) health and fertility as well as genetic superiority - the quality that people,
supposedly (8), share with animals which, like humans, have their own sexual preferences. Most species of birds, for
example, rely on the brightest colours of plumage when selecting (9) their partners (10). To them, the vivid shades (11) of
the feathers indicate the potential partner's genetic fitness to produce healthy children (12).
In humans, similarly, beauty shows (13) our well-being and our sexual attractiveness, but as far as our facial
characteristics are taken into account, people tend (14) to regard as extremely charming (15) the faces with the highest
degree of symmetry. And equally effectively, the facial properties may also indicate the appeal of the whole body.
1. a) indebted b) derivative c) innate d) acquisitive
2. a) vital b) functional c) tangible d) customary
3. a) eminent b) obscure c) indicative d) explicit
4. a) chore b) endeavour c) inquiry d) labour
5. a) bear out b) stand down c) prop up d) make about
6. a) reliant b) conditioned c) implied d) designated
7. a) manifest b) pertain c) survey d) uncover
8. a) plainly b) normally c) allegedly d) mainly
9. a) favouring b) postulating c) referring d) asserting
10. a) counterparts b) mates c) fellows d) accomplices
11. a) dyes b) marvels c) twilights d) hues
12. a) stamina b) progeny c) entity d) forebears
13. a) affirms b) foresees c) displays d) envisages
14. a) incline b) aspire c) anticipate d) declare
15. a) flourishing b) startling c) captivating d) engrossing
V. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the following passage
HYPE
Several weeks before the release of a new film, or the (1) _____ of a new product, the marketing magicians go into
overdrive. They whet the appetites of potential consumers with an advertising (2) _____ that convinces the target market
that what they are promoting is a must see, have or do entity. This is accomplished by using hype, which despite having
negative (3) _____ almost invariably succeeds in boosting sales.
Given that hype is (4) _____ known to involve both exaggeration and falsification, it is rather interesting that people are so
readily hoodwinked by the marketing strategists' representations. It is as if they want to believe the illusion will somehow
create a peak of happiness to revive their flat-lining emotions. Whether that joy is real or imaginary is of little (5) _____
since the stimulation that occurs in the brain is, to all intents and (6) _____ the same.
So, it is not merely a case of hype fooling the consumer time and (7) _____ but one in which it signposts a way to escape
the drudgery of daily routine. As such, hype guides consumers to a product that may (8) _____ their needs and consumer
behaviour gives credence to the existence of hype. It is a symbiotic relationship.
1 A exposure B launch C publicity D entry
2 A procedure B operation C campaign D scheme
3 A connotations B meanings C interpretations D nuances
4 A fully B widely C totally D largely
5 A consequence B influence C difference D association
6 A reasons B causes C explanations D purposes
7 A over B beyond C again D away
8 A achieve B fulfil C complete D attain
CYBER BULLY
Before the advent of social networking, a school bully was more often than not a physically imposing individual with low
self-esteem who (1) ____ enjoyed causing pain and suffering. Together with his cronies, he would actively seek out those
he could intimidate without any fear of getting a (2) ____ of his own medicine from a victim's older brother or relative. To
avoid losing money, a packed lunch or beating, the bully's target had to take evasive action by giving his tormentor a (3)
____ berth at all times.
Nowadays there is a new breed of tormentor - the cyber bully. Although these people do not have to (4) ____ the physical
requirements of their predecessors, they can easily (5) ____ substantial psychological damage on those they set their (6)
____ on. What is more, there is no hiding (7) ____ for the victims as they become an object of derision and ridicule for
every member of the virtual community who has seen an incriminating image or read a damning accusation.
This insidious use of social networks is just one example of the harm they can do. As a result, many observers are not yet
prepared to (8) ____ their praises without reservation.
1 A positively B strongly C fully D perfectly
2 A portion B feeling C taste D spoon
3 A wide B broad C distant D long
4 A follow B attain C gain D meet
5 A pour B inflict C impose D ascribe
6 A aims B objectives C sights D plans
7 A spot B location C area D place
8 A sing B yell C tell D utter
Personality and Preference
'You can't judge a book by its cover' goes the saying, and if the frequency of its use is anything to go by, there are plenty of
people willing to (1) ____ its validity. However, it might be that this saying requires modification since several
psychological studies have revealed strong associations between personality (2) ____ and aesthetic tastes. Although
researchers have guarded against making (3) ____ generalisations, they can, to a fair extent (4) ____ links between an
individual's characteristics and preferences with regard to media.
Through extensive research, psychologists have determined that someone who is social is likely to gravitate towards
songs, magazines and television shows in the public (5) ____. Alternatively, those who are (6) ____ emotional will probably
turn to culture and art for comfort or distraction. Thus, personality (7) ____ tremendous sway over what a person reads,
listens to or watches. So, given these findings, adding 'but the cover of the book (8) ____ the personality of its reader'
might make it more complete.
1 A vouch for B push through C bear with D tie in with
2 A trends B modes C qualities D traits
3 A encompassing B widening C embracing D sweeping
4 A consolidate B establish C formulate D secure
5 A life B light C view D eye
6 A utterly B strongly C highly D heavily
7 A takes B forces C holds D pushes
8 A suits B reflects C concurs D moulds
HISTORY
In spite of their best intentions historians have been unable to report history without incorporating elements of bias and
selection into their accounts. This inability to (1) ____ any subjective input has given (2) ____ to doubts about the reliability
of our knowledge of past events.
Such (3) ____ of the truth occurred during a recent episode of 'Storage Wars' on the History Channel. In this particular
episode, a young couple made the highest (4) ____ for an abandoned storage locker containing two safes. In the safes,
there were a number of coins, one of which was a 1933 Double Eagle that came with a (5) ____ of authenticity. Later in the
programme, while they were having the coins appraised, no (6) ____ of the gold coin was made. As a result, the couple
were said to have made a profit of a few thousand dollars, which was far too low an estimate as the last 1933 Double
Eagle sold at auction (7) ____ over $7 million. This omission may have been justified for a number of reasons, but it
certainly led viewers up the (8) ____ path.
1 A rid B expunge C eliminate D banish
2 A rise B cause C way D over
3 A illusion B image C distortion D forgery
4 A price B bargain C trade D bid
5 A certificate B licence C diploma D memo
6 A comment B remark C mention D reference
7 A took B retrieved C received D fetched
8 A forest B garden C park D country
Mind Control
Over forty years ago, when the plug was (0) ____ on an infamous government-run project on mind control, there was a
collective (1) ____ of relief. Now, nearly half a century later, new research into (2) ____ people's minds is causing concern
that advanced mind-control techniques may be used for sinister purposes.
Though such fears may be warranted, there are simpler mind manipulation techniques that lie much (3) ____ to home.
One such technique involves offering an incentive in the form of cash or a (4) ____ of belonging. It is probably the oldest
(5) ____ in the book, but it can be just as effective as chemicals or brain implants. Another less sophisticated way to (6)
____ influence requires the introduction of a stimulus into the environment when the desired beliefs are being triggered.
This method is particularly effective when the stimulus, such as a (7) ____ remark, seems natural.
The shutdown of one government project did not mark the end of mind control as it is part and (8) ____ of daily life.
However, with the new research being so promising, advanced techniques may be about to take manipulation to a whole
new level.
0 A thrown B pulled C removed D taken
1 A breath B sigh C smile D frown
2 A getting to B delving into C looking into D meddling with
3 A nearer B tighter C closer D shorter
4 A perception B sense C feeling D vision
5 A deception B fraud C scam D trick
6 A exert B administer C enforce D place
7 A normal B casual C usual D common
8 A package B portion C packet D parcel
VI. Fill in each blank with a suitable word to complete the passage
Understanding teenagers’ sleeping habits
As we (1) enter adolescence our sleeping patterns change drastically. It is a phase of our lives when we seem to be able
to go into the deepest sleep and not move for hours (2) on end.
As any parent knows, rousing a sleeping adolescent can be, to (3) put it mildly, difficult. Grumpy and uncommunicative
until later in the day, it can be just as (4) much of a struggle to get a teen to go to bed at night, what with homework,
instant messaging, email and general late-night wakefulness. The result is that, at the weekend, the door to their bedroom
remains shut until noon - or even later - while everyone else in the family, up for hours, goes (5) about their business. So
should we be concerned about this antisocial (6) rite of passage? Or is there something more (7) to an adolescent’s sleep
habits?
Relax. There is good news. Landmark studies into the adolescent brain have revealed that a teen’s biorhythms are in (8)
fact just what nature intended. According to new research, daytime sleepiness and late- night alertness are the result of a
change in the sleep/ wake cycle as growth hormones start to work. As one adolescent health care specialist comments,
most parents will be familiar with the situation (9) where ‘the kid who used to jump out of bed now has to be dragged out
just to get on school on time’.
During this time, new brain cells and neural connections or 'wires’, which connect the right and left sides of the brain and
are critical to intelligence, self-awareness and performance, grow (10) like branches on a tree during the latter stages of
sleep. (11) Cut these short and performance is likely to suffer the next day. In other words, if you want to function really
well, the best thing to do it is to get a good night’s sleep. Experts say that the average amount of sleep (12) needed by
teens is 9.5 hours.
THE CULT OF CELEBRITY
Once, children had ambitions to be doctors, explorers, sportsmen, artists or scientists. Now, taking (0) their lead from TV,
they just ‘want to be famous’. Fame is no (1) longer a reward for gallant service or great, perhaps even selfless
endeavour. It is an end in (2) itself, and the sooner it can be achieved, the sooner the lonely bedroom mirror can be
replaced by the TV camera and flash gun, the (3) better. Celebrity is the profession (4) of the moment, a vainglorious
vocation which, (5) like some 18th-century royal court, seems to exist largely (6) so that the rest of us might watch and be
amazed (7) while its members live out their lives in public, like self-regarding members of some glittering soap opera.
Today, almost everyone can be famous. (8) Never has fame been more democratic, more ordinary, more achievable. (9)
No wonder it’s a modern ambition. It’s easy to see why people crave celebrity, why generations reared (10) on the instant
fame offered by television want to step out of the limousine (11) with the flashlights bouncing around them.
(12) Who doesn’t want to be the centre of attention at some time in their lives? Modern celebrity, peopled by the largely
vain and vacuous, fills a need in our lives. It peoples talks shows, sells goods and newspapers and rewards the famous
for – well being famous.
Youth Culture
(1) Though some of the clothes of the 1950s were childish, or at least youthful, they were usually the clothes of good,
well-behaved, conventional teenagers, suitable for a society that was well-behaved and conventional, (2) if not particularly
good. Then, in the early 1960s, a new wave of romantic enthusiasm and innovation - political, spiritual and cultural, or
rather countercultural - broke over the Western world. At first, only a few social and aesthetic radicals were involved in
what presently (3) came to be called the Youth Culture. The majority of right-thinking persons were offended or bored by
the new music, the new art and the new politics, but a shrewd student of fashion, observing (4) what was being worn on
the streets of Europe and America, might have predicted that in a few years youth would be adored and emulated
everywhere; that, indeed, simply to be under 30 would be accounted a virtue.
Cynical social critics have suggested that this worship of the young was homage (5) paid to economic clout. By the mid-
1960s, half of the population of the United States was under 25, and a third of the population of France was under 20. (6)
Since times were prosperous, these young people had a lot of disposable income. And in a commercially sophisticated
society, the tastes, habits, mores and appearance of such people tend to be celebrated and encouraged. Many social
commentators announced that the golden (7) age of youth had arrived in the 1960s. Clothes manufacturers began to
assure consumers that they were wonderful, free, creative people (8) whom nobody could possibly push around, or want
to push around. We had entered an exciting new period of individualism, they said; the autocratic dominance of Paris and
London and New York designers was ended forever. Henceforth, everyone would wear his or her Own Thing.
VII. Read the text and choose A, B, C or D to answer the questions below it
Starting up your own business
My earliest memory is one of incredible trauma. When I was five, my older brother and I crept downstairs on Christmas
morning to light candles on the tree, and his pyjamas caught fire. As he ran around the room in flames, I knew I had to
fetch a bucket of water, but shock rooted me to the spot and I could do nothing. Q1 He's still scarred, and the incident had
a lasting impact on me, too. Ever since, I've been driven by a need to help heal other people. When I was 18, Q2 I started
studying medicine, but I never really got into it. The course wasn't what I'd expected and I took some time out to think
about what I really wanted to do. But before I had a chance to start a new course, I'd fallen in love and was married.
I was sad to give up my studies but I put our marriage first. We had three children, but by the time the third was born, our
relationship was falling apart. After nearly five years, I realised nothing was going to change unless I made it happen
myself, so I persuaded my husband to leave. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
So there I was, 29, on my own, with three young children to bring up and very little money. Things were bleak. I knew I had
to get on with bringing up the children, but there were times I felt I couldn't cope and then I'd go out side, lie on the grass
and cry. My salvation was living in such a lovely place - it was so beautiful that just looking at the landscape was a form
of therapy.
Q3 But back then, nature also supported us on a practical level. I realised that if I saved a few potatoes and planted them,
I could grow my own. I taught myself as I went along, and learned how to use birch leaves and nettles from the garden to
make soups. The children and I would go to the woods to pick blackberries and collect mushrooms and firewood. I also
kept bees for honey. I'd always loved the outdoors, but for the first time I found myself looking at plants and thinking
about what I could use them for. The children still remember those times as idyllic, but I knew I couldn't go on living like
that forever. After a few years, as I built up my confidence, I decided I had to start using my brain again. I considered
resurrecting my medical ambitions, but in the end I turned down a place to study medicine in Dundee as it would have
meant studying 70 hours a week, which was unfair on the children.
Then I heard about a homeopathy course, which was held one weekend a month in Newcastle. Q4 It was the mid-
Eighties, when homeopathy wasn't so widely accepted, but I had faith in it because my parents had used it . Suddenly I had
an energy I hadn't felt for years because I had regained control of my life. Healing people with homeopathy made perfect
sense because it is based on the relationship between nature and ourselves, rather than being about automatically
prescribing drugs.
For the first few years after I qualified, my surgery was a room in my house. It was exciting - people told their friends
about me, so I never had to advertise, but it wasn't easy working from home. The children were very good but I felt guilty
telling them they had to be quiet, so I started working from treatment rooms at clinics alongside other complimentary
therapists. But before long I found I was working six days a week. It was exhausting travelling between clinics and it
dawned on me that with the money I was paying in rent I might as well have my own place.
Eight years ago, I opened my own clinic in the centre of Edinburgh . Q5 I was totally out of my depth in the beginning and
simply looked around until I found premises and took on the lease. I had no savings; I just planned to pay the rent with the
money as it came in. I had no idea how to run a business back then. I was so naive I didn’t even know you had to pay
rates, until I received a huge bill! But I began to realise that running a business is a creative process, too. I was determined
that my lack of business skills wouldn't let me down, so I taught myself the basics, kept things simple and, when things
went wrong, I learned from my mistakes.
Running the clinic was my dream. I have three treatment rooms and I treat my patients in one of them, while the other two
are rented to other therapists. There's also a shop where I sell natural healthcare products and natural beauty products
that I've made. These days I work six days a week - three days spent treating people and the other three in the shop doing
the accounts and making products.
Q6 I've learned you have to accept the negative things in life and use them to move on. You can't hide from them. It's hard
when things go wrong, but it does help to clear out all the things that don't matter and lets you focus on what does. But
more than anything, I’ve realised that it's worth pushing for what you want, because if you are lucky enough to find work
you believe in, it can totally transform you.
1. What effect did her brother’s accident have on the writer?
A. She blames herself for causing the accident.
B. She felt somehow responsible for the extent of his injuries.
C. She realises now that there was nothing that she could have done to help him.
D. She felt that they were being punished for misbehaving.
2. What initially stopped the writer from following a career in medicine?
A. She decided she would prefer to get married and have a family.
B. She found the course too demanding.
C. She was uninspired by the course.
D. Her husband wanted her to stay home and be a housewife.
3. What happened after the writer split up with her husband?
A. She didn’t have enough money to feed her children.
B. She avoided mixing with other people socially.
C. She reverted to a childlike state herself.
D. She became as self-sufficient as she could in order to save money.
4. What was the writer’s attitude to studying homeopathy?
A. She was unsure what it involved but believed it might make a good career.
B. She was positive about it because she’d had previous experience of it.
C. She naturally accepted it because her parents had a homeopathy clinic.
D. She was worried that people would be negative about it because it wasn’t used much at that time.
5. What does the writer say about her business skills in the beginning?
A. There were more challenges to deal with than she realised at first.
B. She found it fairly simple to deal with the business from day one.
C. She was so well prepared that she managed to deal with problems as they came up.
D. She couldn’t afford to pay her first rates bill.
6. How could one describe the writer’s approach to life?
A. Sensible and carefully planned. B. Insecure and negative.
C. Flexible and positive. D. Unreliable and without commitment.
VIII. 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.
Up, Up, and away
So you think you're inconvenienced by having to put your personal belongings in a clear plastic bag and arrive at the
airport three hours before departure? Imagine how recent security changes are affecting aviation personnel. You don't
need to be a regular viewer of 'Airport' to know that commercial airport staff are accountable for all sorts of situations
both within and outside of their control.
(1) G
Balpa, which has over 9,000 of Britain's airline pilots in membership, wants safety recommendations from pilots to be
taken much more seriously. Many pilots feel that the system is making their jobs more diffi cult rather than improving
security. And, of course, with the recent increase in the terrorist threat, a career in aviation might not be the first thing on
the mind of the nation's graduates.
(2) F
North, from Cambridge, is a first officer with KLM. Her job involves flying from Amsterdam to various European
destinations, checking flight planning and fuel measures. She has wanted to be a pilot since she was very young. "I went
on holiday with my family and was allowed a flight deck visit," she says. "When I saw all the screens and dials I thought,
Wow, I want to do that!"
(3) D
She says one of the best things about being a pilot is "the feeling you get when it's pouring with rain and freezing cold on
the ground, then when you go flying and pop up through the clouds and it's warm and sunny." She continues: "Sometimes,
you have to get up at 2.30 a.m. to get to work and if you are really unlucky you'll get that scheduled six days in a row.
There are rules about how long you can work, but after 14 hours on day six ... it's exhausting."
(4) A
However, despite the cost of training, competition for training positions at flight schools is normally fierce. The RAF offers
university and sixth form sponsorship for certain RAF careers, and you can receive up to £4,000 a year as an
undergraduate.
(5) C
Thirty-two-year-old Zoe Goldspink is a senior flight attendant for Virgin Airways. She trained for 6 weeks at the Horley
Flight Centre near Gatwick Airport, learning safety, security, customer service and medical training. It's a comprehensive
training programme and entry requirements vary from airline to airline. None require a degree but some prefer a European
language, most have minimum GCSE requirements and some like experience in a customer service role.
(6) E
She believes that since 9/11 there are more security measures in place and she doesn't feel personally threatened.
"There's passenger profiling, baggage screening at the airports, and preventative measures onboard like cockpit CCTV
and strengthened cockpit doors. The safety and security of the crew and passengers is the number one priority of all
airlines today.
A. Training as a pilot can be a pretty pricey exercise. Costs vary but potential flyers need to have around £60,000 in
sponsorship or private wealth. Some airlines offer sponsorship, and some offer methods for borrowing and repaying this
money that may be linked to a starting salary.
B. One of the most annoying things is delays at check-in. In high season these can be unacceptably long and many people
get irate at having to hang around. Terrorist threats have added to this problem of course and I appreciate that, but I still
don't see why it takes quite so long. It drives me mad and so I never fly anywhere unless I really have to. I'm also slightly
nervous of flying, so for me it's just a necessary evil.
C. Brunei University is offering a BA and MA in aviation engineering and pilot studies. There are also several aviation
schools, such as Oxford Aviation Training, which offer full flight training as well as post-qualification selection
preparation. All of these courses offer qualifications which are recognised worldwide.
D. North won a flying scholarship with the Air Training Corps (Air Cadets) when she was seventeen and used it to get her
private pilot's licence. She left the RAF when she won a sponsorship with civilian commercial flying school, Cabair, before
joining KLM as a first officer on the Fokker 50.
E. Goldspink says the benefits are obvious. "One minute you can be in New York and then the following week in Hong
Kong or on a beach in Barbados. It does disrupt your social life and sometimes it can be a bit tiring, but there are far more
pluses to the job. I love being cabin crew. It's the endless variety that appeals so much to me."
F. But it's not all terrifying, says Kate North. "Exciting, perhaps. Thankfully, confidence in the industry remains strong and it
seems more people are flying than ever before. Obviously, there is increased security at UK airports but that is necessary
for the safety and wellbeing of all passengers. I think most passengers appreciate that."
G. Other than doctors and nurses, there are few people whose hands we put our lives in so readily. We are not in control
of our fate when we are passengers on a plane. Travelling 30,000 feet in the air with nothing for company except an in-
flight magazine, tensions can run high.
IX. You are going to read an extract from a newspaper article about a novelist. Six paragraphs have been removed from
the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap.
Life choices
Would you give up a dull but secure job to fulfil your real ambition? Susannah Bates did.
We last interviewed Susannah Bates five years ago, just after the publication of her second novel in little more than twelve
months. And then it went a bit quiet. Her third tale is now out - so why the long gap? Well, we need to rewind to January
six years ago. In that month, Susannah rekindled a romance with a former boyfriend from her days at university. Her first
book, Charmed Lives, was out not long after - and pretty quickly it seemed life was imitating art.
(1) B
The sequel, also featuring a city lawyer, was by this time pretty much done and dusted and would appear on the
bookshelves the following spring. ‘I’d already done a bit of work on the next one, but not a huge amount. But when I did
get down to working on it, it didn’t come as easily as the others. They came out quite quickly, and then there’s been this
gap.’
(2) G
The successful publication of three novels, with one to come as part of her current publishing deal, certainly vindicates
her decision to turn her back on the law after two years at law school, and a year working in London. Wisdom is about
realising what works for you, and she hasn’t looked back.
(3) C
‘What’s more, when I was trying to get published and taken on by an agent, I was treated more seriously because I was a
lawyer; I suspect because it shows you can put your head down and do hard work. But I eventually decided I just wasn’t
temperamentally suited to it. I came to specialise in banking law. They didn’t ever say you had to be that good with
numbers, but I think it would’ve helped!’ she laughs.
(4) F
Those who stay in the industry do it because they love that side of it. They get a real buzz and think “This deal’s worth
eight million” or “The deal were working on is going to be on the front pages of the business section.” For me, it could
have been eight dollars. Eight million? It wasn’t that big an issue. It didn’t give me the same thrill.’
(5) E
I never thought writing was a realistic option, especially my sort of writing, because so many people fail at it. Maybe it’s
my upbringing, but I really felt it was important, leaving university, to earn money, and I didn’t see how I could ever do that
by writing. I think that was the real explanation, and I wanted to be independent. I also thought that whatever I did, I’d put
my head down and come to enjoy it; I didn’t realise I’d find the law quite so dry!’
(6) A
But that’s all in the past. Thoughts for the future centre on a fourth novel. There’s no title as yet, but there are many
thoughts swirling and settling in Susannah’s mind.
A. ‘I was incredibly naive to think that initial feeling would change, and I took a while to realise I was hitting my head
against a brick wall. Maybe it was because there’s a part of me that likes ticking boxes and jumping through hoops and
getting approval, and there’s a lot of that in the law.’
B. It featured a successful highflying young lawyer who has everything except a life outside the office - until she meets her
beau. Susannah was a lawyer who gave up the law in order to write, and who then met hers. They got engaged as spring
turned into summer, and before the end of the year, were married.
C. ‘It’s as if I suddenly saw the light,’ she says. ‘I’ve got a friend from that time and I hate to think what he’s earning
compared to what I’m earning! But I don’t really regret giving it up. I don’t regret having done it, either; I think it’s a really
great grounding, knowing what it is to be a professional, and I’ve used aspects of that in my writing.’
D. ‘My mother’s quite realistic about decisions and I remember her saying when I was wondering whether to go through
with it; “Write a short story, send it to a magazine, see how it gets on.’
E. To an outsider, therefore, it seems a bit surprising that Susannah joined the profession in the first place. As an English
student at university, she co-wrote a couple of plays performed at a national festival; one was nominated for an award. So
why didn’t she follow a literary star?
F. That department appealed because she liked the amusing people there. ‘You could have fun flicking elastic bands at
everyone or sending a fake email from someone else’s computer, but at the end of the day you had to go back to your
desk and look at those rows of figures,’ she smiles.
G. ‘When I’m working on a novel, I need to shut myself away. It’s quite a sad, lonely activity,’ she laughs. ‘But when life’s
looking up and you’re busy and have someone around, you’re very easily distracted. It took a long time to find my rhythm
again.’
X. You are going to read some articles written by different football players. Choose from the articles (A-E).
Which footballer
1. started playing the sport only because his/her parents insisted? D
2. didn't surprise people with his/her talent? B
3. got injured frequently? C
4. was involved in many activities? C
5. is grateful for the attention? E
6. didn’t enjoy a major victory? B
7. decided against fame and glory? A
8. demonstrated leadership off the field? C
9. doesn’t deny a lack of talent? D
10. was a member of a brand-new team? E
Football players
A. I started playing football seriously at a very young age. I played on teams all year long. But even that wasn't enough.
When my dad would get home from work, we'd pass the ball back and forth until supper. As I got older, I'd invite my three
best friends to come over to my house. They didn’t really like football, but we had an agreement; I'd give them a snack,
we'd watch a little TV, then we would play. One against three, and if I won, they had to play me again. During university I
had a chance to try-out for a professional team in Germany and I thought, 'this is my chance to really make my dreams
come true.' Yet, when I arrived in Germany, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had made a huge mistake. To make a long
story short, Q7 I made the team, but turned them down and returned home. I had realised that my dream wasn't all I had
built it up to be. I had imagined the glory of that life, but what I failed to consider was the fact that I would be doing it all
alone, without my family and friends. So, I came home, finished university, and began coaching football. I love my job, and
I still get to play football. It's more fun now than it's ever been.
B. I come from a family of footballers. My dad played in competitive leagues all his life and my mum was on the national
team. Needless to say, I began playing football at about the same time I began to walk. I played on the top teams since
the age of thirteen. Q2 I was always the best on my team by far but, considering my background, that was expected. My
parents were very committed to my football career and on some level I am very grateful. However, at times, their zeal was
a little overwhelming. It was always in my head that I was playing football mostly to please my parents, which really
stripped the joy of the game from me.
I still remember when my team won the biggest youth tournament in the nation. All my teammates were crying with joy
and were so proud; Q6 I was just happy the tournament was over so I could go home and be with my friends. That's when
I realised that while I may have the talent for the game, I didn't have the passion for it. So at age 16 I told my parents I
didn't want to play anymore. I couldn't believe how supportive they were. I guess I put most of the pressure on myself.
C. Q4 Football was always just one of my extra-curricular activities. I was president of my class at school, a member of
the school orchestra, on the debate team, and in the autumn, I played football. I was a decent player, but definitely not the
best. Tactics weren't my strength, but I was tough! It was always a joke that I chose to go through other players, rather
than around them. Of course, that aggressiveness didn't come without consequences. Q3 I left many games covered in
bruises and blood, but the worst came the summer before my final year in high school when I was seriously injured and
had to have knee surgery. I was devastated because I was supposed to be team captain that year and I was afraid they
were going to take the title away from me. Luckily, Q8 I still got to be captain and I really loved my role from the sideline. I
worked hard at my therapy and was able to play in the last game of the season, which was great, but I had learned that my
talents are best used on the sideline. I've been coaching youth teams for five years now.
D. Q1 My parents were tired of me doing nothing but play video games so one day they said I was starting football
practice. I protested a bit, but I knew my efforts would be worthless. My parents are unmovable. I have always hated
exercise. I admit it. I am lazy. I went to practice prepared with multiple excuses to sit on the sidelines. I was getting the
flu, I twisted my ankle, I was asthmatic. Yet, when I got there, I could tell by the look of the coach that he wasn't the kind of
man who put up with excuses. There was something in his presence that told me he meant business. So I played the
whole practice. And I really was the most awkward one out there. I never learned to love that game, but being on a team
had some perks; at the end of every game some parent brought snacks. The snacks were undoubtedly the best part. I
stuck with football until high school then became involved with the school newspaper, which really suits me better, Q9
considering I am not the world's best athlete.
E. I've been a professional footballer for fifteen years now. That may seem like a lot considering my age, but older
generations of women did not have the opportunity to play as youths. Q10 So when England decided to start its first
women's national team, they had to recruit from a younger age group. The first five years were quite difficult. The team
had basically no money. We stayed in cheap motel rooms or set up mats on gymnahard worksium floors when we trav -
elled. For a long time, despite our success, we had no fans, no news coverage, nothing. It was definitely frustrating, but I
also believe it is a huge testament to our love of the game. We didn't play for the glory or the fame. We played because we
loved it. Q5 This is not to say we are not enjoying the recent attention being focused on our team; it is sure nice to finally
be recognised, praised and admired for our hard work and talent. We have been through so much together, I feel like my
teammates are my family. I work hard mainly because I know I owe it to them. And we support each other and encourage
each other when one of us has made a mistake or is having a tough time getting through training. I'm a better player and
person because of my teammates.
XI. You are going to read an article about call-centre workers who give advice to people over the phone. Choose from
the people (A-D).The call-centre workers may be chosen more than once.
Which of the call-centre workers says that she ...
1. advises people on the legal background to a problem? A
2. enjoys the variety of things which people call about? D
3. finds the equipment that she works with reassuring? B
4. used to find it hard to work with only a spoken description of people’s problems? B
5. gets back to certain callers within a given period of time? C
6. can arrange for an expert to visit callers at home? A
7. has identified a regular pattern in calls on certain subjects? D
8. helps people to solve unexpected problems at night? A
9. was sorry not to be in direct touch with the people she had the skills to help? B
10. finds some people have unrealistic expectations of the service she can provide? C
11. sometimes has to convince people that their problems will be taken seriously? B
12. sometimes has to correct information obtained elsewhere? A
13. gets the same people calling back more than once? C
14. was initially apprehensive about the type of problems people would call with? B
15. looks forward to the challenge of unexpected individual enquiries? D
A. Claire Lippold, 23, works for the Bat Conservation Trust
I did a degree in biology, and studied bats as part of my thesis. When I saw the ad for this job, I thought it would be
perfect for me. We get about ten thousand calls a year, many from people worried that if they have bats in their loft, they
can’t have any building work done. Q1 They need the right advice, because the law protects bats. We’re contracted by an
organisation called Natural England to Q6 arrange a service whereby anybody with bats on their property can have a
specialist volunteer come out and give information and advice about the creatures they’re living with. Generally, once they
have the information, they’re happy. It’s the sign of a really green environment if you have bats. Q8 In the summer, we get
calls when bats have flown uninvited into people’s houses after dark. We advise turning the lights out, shutting the door,
leaving the window open and allowing the bat to find its own way out. Q12 One of the most common myths we have to
explode is that bats always turn left when they leave roofs. Apparently that was printed in a magazine recently, so we got
a clutch of calls about it. We also get people calling and humming the entire Batman theme tune down the phone. The
jokes are pretty predictable, I’m afraid.
B. Anthea McNufty, 26, works for NHS Direct, the phone-in helpline operated by the National Health Service
Q9 Having worked in nurse training for a while, I found I missed the patient contact I’d enjoyed doing nursing itself . When I
saw this job, I thought of it as a way of getting some of that contact back - without the cleaning up! Q14 I remember the
dread of what the calls might be about on my first day, but they give you so much training before you’re let loose that you
can handle it. Q4 It was a bit difficult not having the physical clues I'd have been able to pick up on the wards.
Q3 But you very quickly get used to working with the computer, it makes you feel safe. Occasionally, there are problems
with the system but you’re never left with a blank screen, and because we’re a national service there’s always somebody
else who can take a call. The most common calls are about coughs and colds, things people can manage on their own,
but I need to look out for anything that will indicate that they might need to go and see a doctor. Q11 People can be too
embarrassed to go to a hospital with what seem like minor ailments, and we do have to reassure them that if they do
have to go in, people aren’t going to laugh at them.
C. Agnes Thomson, 60, works for a major broadcasting company
Yesterday, I got lots of calls relating to weekly programmes, though there was quite a contrast: the radio show for the
blind, ‘In Touch', and ‘Watchdog’ on TV. The 'In Touch' callers had heard of some new equipment and wanted further
details. ‘Watchdog’ is a consumer programme and people generally call me because they have a problem with a product
from a company we've covered on the show. Q13 We have regular callers, some very nice and some not so nice, and you
get to know them. Quite often people phone to complain spontaneously, and Q5 when we call them again within ten days
with a response, which we promise to do in some cases, they've forgotten what made them cross. Television
programmes probably generate more calls, particularly medical programmes or programmes about children. Q10 People
have a sense that we're a general repository of knowledge and wisdom - which we're not! There’ll have been a show that
has covered most things at one time or another so I can always look things up. As a result, I have a lot of what you might
call useless knowledge.
D. Caroline Hickman, 34, works for a company with a wide range of household products
Q2 I really get a lot out of the work. We have such a wide range of products - from beauty and haircare through to nappies
and household cleaners - that no two calls are ever the same. With laundry products, for example, we get lots of specific
queries - people want to know what to use with certain types of material. We can’t always go into details of all the
settings of different brands of machine, though. We also get a lot of calls about skincare from people who want to know
about specific ingredients in our products. Q7 You also get fascinating insight into the country’s lifestyles. For instance,
we tend to get lots of calls about cleaning products on a Monday, presumably because people buy them over the
weekend, then, towards Friday we'll get haircare and beauty because they're planning a night out. Q15 I also long for one-
off problems I can really get my teeth into - the ones that come out of blue. We once had a call from a woman who'd seen
a wedding dress on one of our TV adverts and wanted one identical to it for her own big day. We found that it was still at
the television studio and was available for her to borrow - which she did. It just goes to show that it’s always worth asking!
XII. Read the following passage and complete the tasks below it
Young people - coping with an unpredictable future
Young people here in Asia and indeed in every continent are facing new challenges at an unparalleled pace as they enter
the global economy seeking work. But are the young in all parts of the globe fully equipped to deal with the unforeseen
hazards of the twenty-first century?
With the globalization not just of commerce, but all knowledge itself, young graduates in India, Pakistan, or China are just
as prepared for the future as their counterparts in any other nation. Except for one thing, that is. Young people wherever
they are still lack something of paramount importance. There was a time when those companies or nations with the most
knowledge had the edge on their competitors. That is now almost gone.
In future, the success of all nations and companies, and indeed the success of young workers, will depend not on
analytical thinking as has been the case until now, but on creativity and flexible thinking. This will have huge implications
on the way companies and people function.
Knowledge has now become like the light from the light bulb. It is now available to all of us, East and West, North and
South. We can now 'switch it on' in India, China, or Korea as easily as in, say, France or Australia. Knowledge is also
packaged into systems that allow professionals of any kind and level to move around the world in the employ of
multinational companies much more easily than in the past. So it matters less and less where people are from, where
they are working, or where they move to. The same rules and systems apply to all.
With this knowledge-based industry now firmly established, mainly as a result of the Internet, economies and people have
to move on to another level of competition. What will make or break the economies of the future in Asia and the West is
not workforces equipped with narrow life skills, but the more creative thinkers who can deal with the unknown. But the
world is still churning out young workers to cater for knowledge rather than creativity-based economies. Edward de Bono
has long championed lateral thinking and his work has found its way into many companies and conservative institutions.
More recently, Daniel Pink in A Whole New Mind (2005), a book about the mindset needed for the coming century, has
predicted that success in the future will depend on creative thinking, not analytical thinking - more use of the right side of
the brain as opposed to the left.
Knowledge-based professions which control the world like banking, management, etc. Pink argues, will wane as more and
more jobs are replaced by computers, a prospect governments must wake up to or they will have hordes of young people
trained for a redundant world system. The analytical brain types that have dominated job interviews in recent years have
had their day. Those who see the bigger picture at the same time, i.e. those who use the right side of their brain as well or
more than the left or can switch between the two at will, are about to come into their own.
The most prized individuals will be those who think outside the analytical boxes. If governments are sleep-walking into
this situation, young people need not do so, but can prepare themselves for this dramatic evolution. Broadly speaking,
young people are much more flexible and prepared to adapt to new situations than their older counterparts. Their very
familiarity with ever-changing technology and the processes that go with it equips them to be proactive, and to develop
their skills beyond the purely analytical. Take the gigantic leaps that have been made in the economies of South-East Asia
in recent years. Q11 Advanced transport infrastructures and systems for knowledge transfer are more evolved than in
many so-called advanced western countries which are lagging behind their eastern counterparts.
Q12 Businesses, rather than universities, can provide opportunities that introduce elements of unpredictability and
creativity into aspects of training or work experience to teach employees to cope with the shifting sands of the future.
The young will be encouraged to do what they do best, breaking out of existing systems and restructuring the way things
are done. Q13 Older people will need to side with them in their readiness to remould the world if they are to survive in the
future workplace. We may be in for a bumpy ride, but whatever else it may be, the future does not look dull.
Questions 1-7: Complete the summary below using the list of words, (A-K) from the box below.
Young people everywhere are having to overcome new 1) C as they look for work. The ubiquity of knowledge means that
companies and young workers need something else to stay ahead of their 2) K. Workers, no matter where they are from,
can plug into systems. This has huge 3) D. With the end of knowledge-based industries, Daniel Pink has forecast that
success in the future will depend on 4) H not analytical. The power professions like banking, management, etc. will, it is
argued, take on a 5) E as more jobs are carried out by computers. Young people who use the right side of their brain as
well as their left are about to assume a 6) B so more work-based training involving the 7) A of uncertainty is in order.
A. spread G. goals

B. greater role H. creative minds

C. obstacles I. results
D. consequences J. value
E. lesser role K. rivals F. management

Questions 8-10: Which THREE of the following predictions are made by the writer of the text?
A. The role of creative thinkers will become more important.
B. South-East Asia will develop more advanced systems for knowledge transfer.
C. The use of technology will reduce people's creative abilities.
D. Older people will find it hard to adapt to future workplace needs
E. Businesses will spend increasing amounts of money on training.
F. Fewer people will enter knowledge-based professions.
Questions 11-13: Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
11. According to the writer, some systems are more advanced in South-East Asia than in the West because
A. managers are more highly qualified. B. the business environment is more developed.
C. the workforce is more prepared to adapt. D. the government has more resources.
12. According to the writer, training for the developments that he describes will be provided by
A. governments. B. universities. C. schools. D. businesses.
13. The writer concludes that
A. older people will have to be more ready to change. B. businesses will have to pay young people more.
C. young people will not need work-based training. D. university lecturers will not have to adapt their courses.
XIII. Fill in each blank with one of the provided idiom
the tricks of the trade ● a blessing in disguise ● his own man ● a cog in the machine ● the gift of the gab ● a pillar of
society ● another cup of tea ● a mug's game ● a piece of cake ● a feather in his cap
‘Have you heard about Sam? He says that losing his job was probably 1. A blessing in disguise, because he was tired of
being just one of a thousand wage-earners at the firm, just 2. A cog in the machine. He thinks working for someone else is
really 3. A mug’s game, when you can work for yourself. So he’s going to open up his own business now, a computer
shop.’
‘Really! Well, it will be 4. A feather in his cap if he makes a success of it. And I hope he will.’
‘He’s taking Jerry Dobson into partnership with him.’
‘Jerry Dobson, eh? Now he’s 5. Another cup of tea. I don’t like him at all.’
‘Well, he may not be what one could call 6. A pillar of society, but he’s the right sort of man to get a business going. He’s a
good talker.’
‘Oh yes. Jerry’s certainly got 7. The gift of the gab. And it won’t take him long to learn 8. The tricks of the trade.’
‘I told Sam that having his own business certainly won’t be 9. A piece of cake. It’s hard work. But he’s determined to be
10. His own man at last, so I wish him good luck.’

a soft spot ● a live wire ● plain sailing ● a going concern ● a blind date ● a down payment ● a flying visit ● a confirmed
bachelor ● a snap decision ● a bitter pill
‘Hello, Richard! This is just 1. A flying visit. I haven’t got much time. I’m on my way to Pete Marsden’s place. He’s getting
married tomorrow.’
‘That is a surprise. Pete told me that he had become 2. A confirmed bachelor after that sad affair with Judith, and that he
would never marry.’
‘Yes, that was 3. A bitter pill for him. But all that’s forgotten now. He’s marrying an Irish girl called Pat.’
‘An Irish girl, eh? Pete always had 4. A soft spot for Ireland. How did he meet her? Did his brother arrange 5. A blind date
for him with yet another girl from his office?’
‘No, nothing like that this time. They met on a skiing holiday, I think. I’ve never seen Pete so happy. She’s 6. A live wire, I
can tell you.’
‘Well, I hope it wasn’t 7. A snap decision that he’ll regret.’
‘Oh, no. He’s already made 8. A down payment on a new house and his boutique is 9. A going concern, so from now on
everything should be 10. Plain sailing for him.’