PRACTICE TEST FOR THE NINTH GIFTED STUDENTS - NUMBER 12

PART A. LISTENING

SECTION 1.
You will hear an interview between a young woman who has applied for a position with a company and the personnel officer of the
company. As you listen, fill in the form below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or TWO NUMBERS for each
question.

Name of applicant ……………………….

University attended ……………………….
Subject ……………………….
Year of graduation ……………………….
Work experience
Last position ……………………….
Years ……………………….
Salary …………….…….….
Previous work ……………………….
Years ……………………….
New job’s salary ……………..……….

SECTION 2.
Answer the questions by writing ONE word.
1. Who is Mike talking about? ________________
2. What was the first complaint about Mike? ________________
Circle the appropriate letter.
3. Mike often talks about
A. his difficulties at his house B. finding a place to live
C. the parties he went to D. his friend’s house
4. Mike wants to move, but he wants to live
A. alone B. in a quiet place C. near the school D. with his parents
5. How many people live in Tom’s house besides Tom?
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5
6. The expenses which Tom and his housemates share do not include
A. food B. rent C. light D. heating
7. If Mike goes to live with Tom, he will likely have
A. more food B. more expense C. more noise D. more freedom
Write ONE word or ONE number in each of the spaces provided.
8. What DAY is it when Tom and Mike are talking? __________________
9. On what DATE will Jane leave her room? __________________
10. When is Mike moving into the house? __________________
SECTION 3.
You are going to listen to a talk about Student Coach Cards. As you listen, fill the missing words in the blanks. Write NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or A NUMBER for each question.
If you are a student in 1. ______________________education or aged 2. _________________, you can get a Student
Coach Card for only 3. £_____________________. It will save you 4. ______________________% off standard fares throughout
Britain on National Express and Scottish Citylink services. You even get this 5. _____________________on Midweek Returns. It
also entitles you to 6. _______________________% off some continental services and to discounts on some Oxford Citylink and
Invictaway services. A Student Coach Card lasts for a full 7. ________________________months with no restrictions. Student
Coach Cards can 8. ____________________ at Student Travel 9. ___________________, many National Express and Scottish
Citylink agents by 10. ______________________simply by completing the attached coupon.
PART II – GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY (6/20 points)
I . Circle the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions. (1.0 point)
1. You look exhausted. ………………a long way?
A. Did you run C. Have you run
B. Have you been running D. Had you been running
2. “Would you be willing to travel as part of your job?”
“…………………………”
A. That would be great B. I don’t mind it C. I’d rather not D. A, B or C
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3. There are only two seats left, and I don’t want to seat near the door. I’ll take. ……………….
A. each other one B. other one C. another one D. the other one
4. . ……………….two and one half hours to climb to the top of the Empire State Building.
A. Typically taking it B. Typically takes it C. It typically takes D. To take it typically
5. Alfalfa is ……………….for livestock.
A. a primarily grown crop C. a crop grown primarily
B. grown primarily a crop D. a grown crop primarily
6. I really like Venice because it is. ………………unique city with a lot of manmade rivers.
A. the B. an C. a D. no article
7. Children often dream of being a Spiderman or a Batman, . ………………characters in films.
A. imagine B. imaginary C. imaginative D. imaginable
8. . ………………the newspapers have revealed so far can justify the action taken by the Army.
A. Nothing of that B. Nothing that C. Nothing as D. Nothing what
9. When you go out, will you get me ………………of Newsweek?
A. a copy B . an edition C. a paper D. a publication
10. They said they could order it for me because they didn’t have my size in………………
A. shop B. hold C. store D. stock
II. Give the correct form of the words in brackets to fit in each numbered space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
(2.0 points)
Modern advertisements contain (0)……hidden…….messages, (1. IMPLICATE) ……………….……. in the advertisement
showing the pretty girl in the new car or the (2. SMILE) ……………….……. children round the packet of washing powder is the
message that if we buy the product, we also achieve (3. succeed) and happiness. It is a subtle approach since it seeks to (4.
EXPLOITATION) ……………...……….our secret dreams, and it is inescapable since advertising is ubiquitous. They brainwash
us into (5. BELIEF) ………..…………….that we can realize our ambition quickly and easily.
On the other hand, defenders of advertising say that it is (6. BENEFIT) …………………. Advertising is informative.
Advertisements tell us about useful new (7. PRODUCTIVITY) …………………. They (8. BRIGHT) …………………..our lives
with color and music. Whether for or against advertising, most people would agree that some kind of watch-dog body, appointed by
the (9. GOVERN) ………………….or by the advertising industry itself, is necessary to maintain the standards of (10. HONEST)
………………….and to discourage the more blatant types of misleading advertisements.
III. Read the text below. Some of the lines are correct and some have a word which is incorrect. If a line is correct, put a
tick (√√) in the space provided next to the number. If the line has an incorrect word, underline and correct it. (1.0 point)
Watching television and go for a walk are the most popular 0. going
leisure activities in Britain. But although longer holidays and 00. √
shorter working hours have gave people more free time, women generally 01. ……………
have little free time than men, because they spend time 02. ……………
on domestical work, shopping and childcare. 03. ……………
Surveys showed that more men read newspapers than 04. ……………
woman, and a slightly higher proportion of adults read Sunday newspapers 05. ……………
than read day morning national newspapers. 06. ……………
More people are take holidays abroad nowadays. By 1971, only 07. ……………
36 per cents of adults in Britain had been abroad on holiday but, 08. ……………
by 1983 this proportion had risen to 62 per cent, nearly 09. ……………
fifteen millions people. 10. ……………
IV. Fill in each space provided in each sentence below with one phrasal verb given in the box. Each phrasal verb can be
used ONCE only. There is one extra that is unnecessary. (2.0 points)
passed away, do without, take in, came round, made up,
carried away, break out, run out, put up with, keep up, brought in
1. Don't smoke in the forest. Fires .................................easily at this time of the year.
2. I am so tired that I can’t ……………………………what you are saying
3. I'm afraid; we have ....................................of apple juice. Will an orange juice do?
4. Your website has helped me a lot to .........................................the good work.
5. On hearing the news, she fainted and it was half an hour before she …………….again.
6. His mother can't ..........................................his terrible behavior anymore.
7. As an excuse for being late, she ...........................................a whole story.
8. I got .....................................by his enthusiasm.
9. I just cannot ..................................my mobile. I always keep it with me.
10. She was very sad because her father ....................................last week.
PART III - READING (5/20 points)
I. Read the text below then circle one answer (A, B, C, or D) that best fits each space. (2.0 points)
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 GREEN PEACE
Greenpeace is an independent organization that campaigns to protect the environment. It has approximately 4.5 million
members worldwide in 158 countries, 300,000 of these in the United Kingdom. (1) ...............in the North America in 1971, it has
since opened offices round the world. As (2) ...............as its campaigning (3)................, it also has charitable trust which (4)
............... scientific research and (5) ...............educational projects on environment issues. Greenpeace (6) ............... in non-violent
direct action. Activists (7)...............public attention to serious threats to the environment. The (8) ...............issues on which the
organization is campaigning include the atmosphere (global warming), the (9) ................ of the rainforest and toxic (10) ...............
being emitted from factories.
1. A. Built B. Produced C. Invented D. Formed
2. A. long B. well C. good D. far
3. A. occupation B. job C. work D. position
4. A. funds B. pays C. rewards D. earns
5. A. commits B. engages C. undertakes D. enters
6. A. accepts B. believes C. holds D. depends
7. A. get B. pay C. take D. draw
8. A. current B. recent C. immediate D. next
9. A. ruin B. extinction C. destruction D. downfall
10. A. waste B. litter C. rubbish D. leftovers
II. Fill in each numbered blank from 1 to 5 with ONE suitable word. Write the words in the spaces provided. (1.0 point)
Exercise is good (0).......for.........our body, but do you know that exercise is also good for our mind? A recent research has
indicated that (1).............................. exercise makes our mind feel better. Doing exercise (2)..............................our mood and gives
us the confidence to encounter whatever difficulty that we meet in our life. Some studies show (3)...............................it also
enhances the functioning of your brain. When we are physically active, our body releases (4) ..............................known as
“endorphins”. These chemicals are our body’s (5) ............................... painkillers and stress reducers. They diminish anger, anxiety,
and depression and produce a sense of well-being. Meanwhile, other studies have reviewed that even short time of moderate
exercise can improve our outlook on life and make us less anxious. Whether we take a ten-minute walk, do a little jumping, or
cycle around the block, we will feel the benefit both physically and emotionally.
III. Read the passage and circle the the correct answer (A,B,C, or D) to each of the questions below (2.0 points)
In the United States and other developed countries, air- conditioning is so common that it is difficult to remember what life
was like before it existed. First invented in 1902 in Buffalo, New York, air- conditioning keeps homes, cars, offices, and shopping
centers cool and dry, all at the push of a button. While many may consider air- conditioning one of life’s necessary luxuries, few
are aware of how air- conditioning has changed many aspects of the way we now live. One of the first areas where air- conditioning
had an impact was industry. In the early 1900s, factory owners began to use air- conditioning to create better conditions for the
storage of supplies. Before long, however, they realized that air- conditioning was also useful on the factory floor, as it resulted in
higher production levels. Air- conditioning has undoubtedly been important factor in the growth of industry, since it allows
manufacturing to continue at the same pace year round even in the warmest climates.
Air- conditioning next became common in movie theatres, offices, and stores. Then, after the end of the Second War World,
smaller, less expensive air- conditioning units became available, and this made air- conditioning affordable for private homes.
Many of the returning soldiers and their new families moved to the suburbs outside America’s major cities with a desire to put the
war behind them and live the good life. Air- conditioned homes were part of that life, and this led to a number of important changes
in the American society. One big change was in architecture. Formerly, homes were built with high ceilings and second stories so
that hot air could rise away from main living areas in the summer. With air- conditioning, inexpensive one- level homes could be
kept cool in the hottest weather. Additionally, many homes once had front porches where American families gathered in the
evening to escape the heat. Family members could talk to each other and to the neighbors or passby. With air- conditioning,
however, porches disappeared from new houses and people moved indoors instead. Along with other factors, such as the invention
of television, this led to a weakening American’s sense of community.
The rise of air- conditioning also allowed the recreation of large malls with shops, walkways, movie theatres and restaurants
that are comfortable the year round. In surburban America in the second half of the 20th century, the air- conditioned malls became
the prefered place to go for shopping or for an afternoon’s entertainment. Shoppers stopped going to the town or city centers, which
led to the closing of many small family- owned businesses, and to the general decline of down town areas.
1. In developed countries, air- conditioning is ...........................
A. very popular B. difficult to remembered
C. liked by everyone D. expensive
2. Air- conditioning first had a influence on ..............................
A. industrial workers B. industrial suppliers
C. stored supplies D. factory owners
3. Air- conditioning was found useful in factories as it ................................
A. improved productivity B. made the level higher
C. stopped temperature drop D. created favorable condition for customers
4. The word “undoubtedly” in the first paragraph can be best replaced by.......................
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 A. suspiciously B. obviously C. surprisingly D. unfortunately
5. The word “pace” in the first paragraph is closest in the meaning to..............................
A. speed B. rate C. cost D. time
6. During the Second War World, air- conditioning was ............................
A. expensive B. cheap C. popular D. affordable
7. After the Second War World, air- conditioning was considered as an aspect of ..................................
A. luxury B. the good life C. a private home D. a common life
8. The popularity of air- conditioning encourage the formation of ..........................
A. shopping malls B. family owned- businesses
C. agricultural use C. city centers
9. It can be inferred from the passage that in the other half of the 20th century, family- owned shops were …….............
A. air- conditioned B. not air- conditioned C. very popular D. dominating
10. The best title of the passage is....................................
A. Air- conditioning and private life B. The influence of air- conditioning on people’s life
C. The invention of air- conditioners D. air- conditioning and history
PART IV - WRITING (5/20 points)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that it has the same meaning as the first sentence, using the cues at
the beginning of each sentence . (0) has been done as an example. (2.0 points)
0. She was not used to driving on the left.
=>She found it strange to drive on the left.
1. The train journey from Brighton to London took only 80 minutes.
It was….. . . ……………………………………………………....................................................
2. I’ve forgotten that commentator’s name but he’s very well known.
That commentator,……………………………………………………………………………
3. The decorators have finished the whole of the first floor. We
have…………………………………………………………...............................................
4. Keep calm is the secret of passing your driving test.
As long as ..................................................................................................................................
5. I don’t intend to buy a car.
I have .........................................................................................................................................
6. It was only when I left home that I realized how much my parents meant to me.
Not until .....................................................................................................................................
7. We couldn’t have our picnic because of the heavy rain.
The heavy rain made …….........................................................................……………………..
8. He was sorry he hadn’t said goodbye to her at the station.
He regretted…............................................................………………………..............................
9. His disabilities did not prevent him from sailing around the world.
Although .....................................................................................................................................
10. It appears that they sent us wrong information.
They............................................................................................................................................
II. Use the given words to make correct sentences. (1.0 point)
1. Nowadays/ viewers/ watch/ range/ local/ international program /different channel.
...............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
2. When/ Robert/ child/ fond/ chocolate.
...............................................................................................................................................
3. My friend/ live/ Ho Chi Minh city/ not accustomed/ cold weather/ the North.
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
4. The residents/ area/ required/ my factory/ fit/ new filters/ to / chimneys/ so that/ dirt/ smoke/ not/pollute/air.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
5. She/another attempt/ climb /this mountain/ next year.
III. Topic writing (2.0 points)
You should spend about 30 minutes on this task.
Some people say that:
Many people think that children should begin studying a foreign language as soon as they start school.
Do you agree or disagree with the statement above?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Your ideas MUST be presented either in a paragraph (about 150 words) or an essay ( between 220 and 250 words).
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