TRẠI HÈ HÙNG VƯƠNG LẦN XVI ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH – LỚP 10

TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN BẮC KẠN Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)

ĐỀ THI ĐỀ NGHỊ
(Đề thi gồm 22 trang)

LISTENING : 50 points
Part 1. You will hear a phone call between a receptionist and a customer
Questions 1-7
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Enquiry about booking hotel room for event

Rooms
Adelphi Room
number of people who can sit down to eat: 1………………….
has a gallery suitable for musicians
can go out and see the 2………………… in pots on the terrace
terrace has a view of a group of 3……………………
Carlton Room
number of people who can sit down to eat: 110
has a 4……………………
view of the lake
Options
Master of Ceremonies:
can give a 5………………… while people are eating
will provide 6………………… if there are any problems
Accommodation:
in the hotel rooms or 7…………………
Your answer
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Part2
You will hear a photographer called lan Gerrard talking about his career. For questions
8-15,
complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
lan Gerrard - Photographer

The subject that lan studied at university was 8 geography

lan did a presentation on 9_____________________ as part of his final year.
lan worked for a 10_______________________ in the USA for a year after leaving
university.
When he travelled around the USA, lan chose 11______________________ as the theme
for his photographs.
lan says that winter is the season when he takes the best photographs.
When lan came back to Britain, he travelled around by 12__________________________
taking photographs.
lan says he was surprised by how few photographers specialise in shots of 13
______________ communities.
lan's book will be available in bookshops in March next year.
The title of lan's book is 14_____________________
lan has chosen 15 __________________ as the theme for his next tour.
Your answer
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Part 3
You will hear an explorer called Richard Livingstone talking about a trip he made in
the rainforest of South America. Listen and indicate true (T) or false (F) statements.
(10 points)
 Statements T F

16. They went all the way by boat.

17. Richard say that during the walk, they were always both cold and wet.

18. In a deserted camp, they found some soup made from unusual meat and
vegetables.

19. After the meal, they began to feel worried about what they have done.

20. Before leaving the camp, they left the sum of 50 dollars to thank the
host.

Your answer
16 17 18 19 20

Part 4
You will hear an interview with a student athlete called Chelsea Matthews, who plays
soccer for her college. For questions 21-25 choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).

21 What impact does playing soccer have on Chelsea's life?

A She needs private tuition from her teachers.
B She doesn't take part in some other student activities.
C She never gets to travel to other countries.
D She misses out vacation abroad
22 Chelsea had to start planning to be a student athlete at 16 because
A there was much paperwork she had to finish
B there were many requirements that had to be met.
C there were few colleges that offered the course she wanted.
D there was a lot of competition for places in good colleges.
23 When Chelsea and her team-mates finish training, they
A can take a break by going to the movies.
B relax with other sports teams.
C are too tired to do very much except sleep.
 D spend time participating parties
24 Chelsea says if she and her team-mates miss too many classes
A they may get poor grades and have to leave the team.
B they remain have high grades although other students are jeolous
C their professors will complain to the head of faculty.
D the other students are understanding about the reason for their absence.
25 What problem did Chelsea herself have in keeping up with her studies?
A She was away sick for some of her classes.
B She was expected to commit herself to extra training for away games.
C She could be absent from class if she was sick
D She had to study one subject under difficult conditions.
Your answer
21 22 23 24 25

LEXICO- GRAMMAR
Part 1: Choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following sentences and
write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (20 points)
1. The _______ of gases from car exhausts is one of the main causes of air pollution.
A. magnitude B. vibration C. emission D. degradation
2. The criminal _______ guilty by the jury, and the judge sentenced him to nine years in
prison.
A. found B. was found C. is found D. had found
3. I think we ought to see the rest of the exhibition as quickly as we can, _________ that it
closes in half an hour.

A. granted B. assuming C. given D. knowing

4. After a fall in profits, the company decided _________ the hotel business.

A. to pull out of B. to back off from

C. to take out of D. to keep away from

5. I prefer to practice the violin alone in my bedroom as having other members of
the family listen really ......... my style.

A. restricts B. impedes C. obstructs D. cramps

6. Ann's injuries took a long time to ..... completely and she has been left with several
scars.

A. cure B. remedy C. heal D. treat

7. Mr. Parris said he’d like ……………….. by Monday, if that’s possible.

A. the report finished B. finished the report
C. the report will be finished D. have the report finished
8. I always get ……………….. in my stomach before visiting the dentist.
A. worms B. butterflies C. crabs D. hedgehogs

9. ______ was caused by breathing impure air was once a common belief.
A. Malaria B. That malaria C. Why malaria D. Because malaria
10 ______ at home requires only three types of chemicals, several pieces of simple
equipment, and running water.
A. For the development of film B. To develop film
C. When film is developed D. In developing film

11. His appearance at the reception with the late Mayor’s widow caused something of a
__________.
A. confusion B. rumour C. wonder D. stir
12. A boycott of other countries’ sporting events appears a politically more expedient
form of protest than trade _________.
A. treaties B. actions C. blocks D. sanctions
13. He gave such a ________ speech that some people actually fell asleep.
A. long-range B. long-term C. long-winded D. long-standing
14. She wants me to carry out a special ________for her.
A. assignment B. assessment C. assertion D. persistence
15 She found the movie ________ funny.
A. comically B. jokingly C. humorously D. hilariously
16. He crept in ____________ his parents should wake up.
A. unless B. lest C. otherwise D. whereby
17. They threatened to cancel the whole project ____________.
A. thick and fast B. at a stroke C. on the whole D. of
set purpose
18. “Thank you very much. I haven’t been to ____________ party for ages,” said the
woman.
A. so enjoyable a B. the so enjoyable C. a so enjoyable D. so enjoyable

19. No one really knows who composed this piece of music, but it has been ___________
to Bach.
A. identified B. associated C. referred D. attributed
20. Too many hotels have been built and this has ___________ down prices, making
holidays cheaper.
A forced B. cut C. slowed D. reduced
Your answer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Part 2. Put the words in the brackets in the correct forms ( 10 points)

1. Human faces are all built pretty much the same: two eyes above a VARIETY
nose that’s above a mouth, the features ______ from person to person
generally by mere millimeters.
2. The abolitionist movement began in the 1600s when the Quakers in SLAVE
Pennsylvania objected to _________ on moral grounds.
3. This part of the law is only ________ to companies employing more APPLY
than five people.
4. The architects have made_____________ use of glass and IMAGINE
transparent plastic.
5. Improved safety measures in cars can be _________________ as PRODUCE
they encourage people to drive faster.
6. The car broke down, which was an ______________ start to the PROMISE
holiday.
7. The people of this country will continue in their struggle for DEPEND
__________.
8. Taking the wrong antibiotic, or taking it _____ could compromise REGULARITY
your immune system.
9. The sad condition of the horses suggested a long period of TREAT
__________ and neglect.
10 I know he's_________________, but I wish he'd leave us alone MEAN

Your answer
1 vary 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10

READING: 60 points
Part 1: Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits
each gap. Write your answers in corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points)
Since retail sales of our new product line have fallen (1) _____ in the last few weeks, we
are going to ask our customers to complete feedback forms to see why this is happening.
I’d particularly like to know if our marketing (2) _____ has been alienating our (3) _____
customers. In all (4) _____ , it is the result of a general economic dip but we need to make
sure as several customers have (5) _____ objections about the (6) _____ campaign we’ve
been running. (7) _____ mind that the campaign has been successful in attracting new
customers, I do not want to lose long-term ones, some of whom I am (8) _____ certain are
already looking for alternative products. In fact, social media these days can (9) _____ a
great risk to a company’s reputation as it is very easy for one person (10) _____themself,
to tell the world about a company’s failings.
1 A. relatively B. fairly C. slightly D. reasonably
2 A. placement B. technique C. launch D. strategy
3 A. loyal B. devoted C. dependable D. responsible
4 A. possibility B. likelihood C. prospects D. luck
5 A. put B. posed C. raised D. realised
6 A. advertising B. promoting C. selling D. publicising
7 A. Don’t B. Never C. Forever D. Doesn’t
8 A. adequately B. effectively C. pretty D. greatly
9 A. give B. pose C. make D. offer
10 A. as B. for C. by D. with
Your answer:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only
ONE word in each space. (10 points)

THE LIMITS OF MAGIC IN HARRY PORTER

“Harry Porter” is a series of novels written by British author J.K. Rowling. The
novels chronicle the (1) ________ of a young wizard, Harry Porter and his friends
Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before publishing the first “Harry Porter” novel, J.K. Rowling
spent five years establishing the limitations of magic; determining it could and could (2)
________ do. “The most important thing to decide when you’re creating a fantasy world”,
she said in 2000, “is what the characters CAN’T do.” (3) ________ instance, while it is
possible to conjure things out (4) ________ thin air, it is far more tricky to create
something that fits an exact specification (5) ________ than a general one; moreover, any
objects so conjured tend not to last.

It is also impossible to resurrect the dead. Dead bodies can be enchanted to (6)
________ a living wizard’s bidding, but these bodies remain mere puppets and have no
souls. It is also possible via the rare Priori Incantatem effect to converse with ghost-like
“shadows” of magically murdered people. The Resurrection Stone also allows one to talk
to the dead, but (7) ________ brought back by the Stone are not corporeal, (8) ________
do they wish to be disturbed from their peaceful rest.

Likewise, it is impossible to make oneself immortal unless one makes (9)________

of a mystical object of great power to sustain life. If one were to possess the three Deathly
Hallows, it is fabled that they would possess the tools to become the “master of death”.
However, (10) ________ a true “master of death” is to be willing to accept that death is
inevitable.

Your answers:

1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

Part 3. For questions 1-10, read an extract from an article on a model and choose the
answer A, B, C or D that fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10 pts)

A new wave of music and arts projects has emerged, focusing on someone who may seem
for some a dubious source of inspiration. Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the
Philippines, is currently becoming the subject of musicals, song cycles and shows on a
worldwide arena.

When the Marcos regime collapsed in 1986, and Imelda and her husband Ferdinand were
exiled in Hawaii, they carried with them allegations of embezzlement, corruption and
human rights abuses. Imelda had spent the last twenty years living off a seemingly endless
supply of funds, living an exotic and glamorous lifestyle and rubbing shoulders with
powerful figures worldwide. In 1972, when the superstar couple’s popularity was fading
and they were at risk of losing their power, Ferdinand Marcos instated martial, leading to
an era of chaos and plunder, and what is described by some as the second most corrupt
regime of the twentieth century. Ferdinand and Imelda fled in 1986 to escape the People’s
Power Revolution, Imelda leaving behind some 2000 pairs of shoes.

After her husband died in Hawaii due to ill health, Imelda stood trial in the United States
on behalf of her husband. Following that, she returned to the Philippines to face seventy
more counts of corruption and tax evasion. She has now returned to congress in the
Philippines, her make-up and gowns as flawless as ever.
So what makes Imelda Marcos such an appealing muse? Undoubtedly, Imelda Marcos’s
resolute character which has withstood exile, legal battles and the wrath of her enemies
makes her an appealing heroine, but film-maker Fenton Bailey attributes her iconicity to
her sense of glamour and style, and her role as a cultural trend-setter. And like so many
women who let nothing come between them and their goals, she has gained a certain
iconic status, particularly among homosexuals, not unlike that of Judy Garland and Lady
Gaga.

And now the story of Imelda Marcos can be seen in the format of a musical, an artistic
genre which is quite befitting for this flamboyant, entertaining figure of beauty and
glamour. ‘Imelda – A new musical’ has played in Los Angeles and New York. The artistic
director of the musical, Tim Dang, realizes that the musical glosses over the darker aspects
of the Marcos regime, but wanted to portray Imelda as a person with all her faults on
display, leaving the audience to come to a verdict. However, despite the glitz of the show,
reviews were mixed, stating the ‘the serio-comic spoof... had a vacuum at its center’.

The story of Imelda Marcos has also been immortalized as a song cycle, ‘Here Lies Love’
written by David Byrne and Norman Cook, in which Imelda comes across as both a hero
and villain. Their reasoning was to try to understand the story of how people can attain
positions of such power and greed. They were also inspired by Imelda’s love of dancing
and clubbing, and how her own style of music could be incorporated into their own.
Byrne adds that their story is not black and white – the couple were very popular at first,
and Imelda headed a lot of public works in the Philippines and added much to the nation’s
sense of culture and identity.

At the Cultural Centre of the Philippines, a tour named ‘La Vida Imelda’ led by Carlos
Sedran describes the life of Imelda Marcos, the cold war and martial law, while also
portraying the glamour of the Imelda lifestyle. He describes it as an eternal story, in which
her extravagance can be seen as either distasteful or in some ways estimable.

There is a danger that these new art forms airbrush out the atrocity which accompanied
the ostentation and glamour. It was a time when democracy was suppressed, political
enemies disappeared, and billions of dollars which could have helped the poverty-stricken
country were spent on the Marcos’s extravagant lifestyle. However, the artists involved
are keen to make clear that the regime also resulted in great leaps forward in the country’s
culture, architecture and infrastructure. The Marcos legacy remains in the form of
hospitals, Heart and Lung Centres, Folk Art theatres and homes for children and the
elderly, notwithstanding that the Marcos couple set their war-ravaged, poverty-stricken
land onto the world stage.

1. Why are Imelda’s shoes mentioned in the second paragraph?

A. To illustrate how little she cared for her personal possessions

B. To illustrate her love of fashion and beauty

C. To indicate how quickly she had to flee the country

D. To illustrate the extravagance of her lifestyle

2. What aspect of Imelda’s character is emphasized in paragraph 3?

A. her flamboyance B. her beauty C. her doggedness D. her forbearance

3. Why is Imelda compared with Judy Garland and Lady Gaga?

A. Due to her status as a gay icon

B. Due to her ambition and drive

C. Because she has created new fashions

D. Because she has triumphed over legal battles

4. The phrase “rubbing shoulders” in the second paragraph mostly means _____.

A. hobnobbing B. abetting C. fostering D. conferring

5. Why was the musical of Imelda’s life criticized?

A. Because it did not portray Imelda’s faults

B. Because the show was too shallow

C. Because it was too glamorous and showy

 D. Because it was both serious and comedic

6. What was it about Imelda’s story that interested David Byrne and Norman Cooke?

A. The ongoing themes of power, greed and music

B. The fact that the story had both a clear hero and villain

C. The reasoning why people such as Imelda become who they are

D. The fact that her musical taste was similar to theirs

7. The word “incorporated” in the sixth paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.

A. inverted B. infused C. integrated D. interbred

8. According to Carlos Sedran, how do people respond to Imelda’s expensive lifestyle?

A. Most people are shocked by it.

B. It evokes both positive and negative feelings.

C. People want to be like her.

D. People realize why she did it.

9. The word “atrocity” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.

A. complexity B. indignity C. mendacity D. barbarity

10. Which of the following is not mentioned in the text as something Imelda Marcos did
for the Philippines?

A. She made health services available to the people.

B. She gave the country a cultural identity.

C. She reduced the levels of poverty for Filipino people.

D. She drew the world’s attention to the country.

Your answers:
 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4. Read the following passage and do the following tasks. (20 points)

Questions 1-5

Choose the most suitable heading for paragraphs A-E from the list of headings
below. Write the appropriate number, i-x, in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
iThe positive correlation between climate and wealth
ii Oher factors besides climate that influence wealth
iii Inspiration from reading a book
iv Other researchers' results do not rule out exceptional cases
v Low temperature benefits people and crops
vi The importance of institution in traditional views
vii The best way to use aid
viii Confusions and exceptions
1 Paragraph A
2 Paragraph B
3 Paragraph C
4 Paragraph D
5 Paragraph E
1 2 3 4 5
Wealth in A Cold Climate
Latitude is crucial to a nation's economic strength.
A Dr William Masters was reading a book about mosquitoes when inspiration struck.
"There was this anecdote about the great Finland yellow-fever epidemic that hit
Philadelphia in 1793," Masters recalls. "This epidemic decimated the city until the first
frost came." The inclement weather froze out the insects, allowing Philadelphia to recover.

B If weather could be the key to a city's fortunes, Masters thought, then why not to the
historical fortunes of nations? And could frost lie at the heart of one of the most enduring
economic mysteries of all-why are almost all the wealthy, industrialised nations to be
found at latitudes above 40 degrees? After two years of research, he thinks that he has
found a piece of the puzzle. Masters, an agricultural economist from Purdue University in
Indiana, and Margaret McMillan at Tufts University, Boston, show that annual frosts are
among the factors that
distinguish rich nations from poor ones. Their study is published this month in the Journal
of Economic Growth. The pair speculate that cold snaps have two main benefits-they
freeze pests that would otherwise destroy crops, and also freeze organisms, such as
mosquitoes, that carry disease. The result is agricultural abundance and a big workforce.

C The academics took two sets of information. The first was average income for
countries, the second climate data from the University of East Anglia. They found a
curious tally between the sets. Countries having five or more frosty days a month are
uniformly rich, those with fewer than five are impoverished. The authors speculate that
the five-day figure is important; it could be the minimum time needed to kill pests in the
soil. Masters says: "For example, Finland is a small country that is growing quickly, but
Bolivia is a small country that isn't growing at all. Perhaps climate has something to do
with that." In fact, limited frosts bring huge benefits to farmers. The chills kill insects or
render them inactive; cold weather slows the break-up of plant and animal material in the
soil, allowing it to become richer; and frosts ensure a build-up of moisture in the ground
for spring, reducing dependence on seasonal rains. There are exceptions to the "cold
equals rich" argument. There are well-heeled tropical places such as Hong Kong and
Singapore, a result of their superior trading positions. Likewise, not all European countries
are moneyed-in the former communist colonies, economic potential was crushed by
politics.

D Masters stresses that climate will never be the overriding factor-the wealth of nations is
too complicated to be attributable to just one factor. Climate, he feels, somehow combines
with other factors such as the presence of institutions, including governments, and access
to trading routes to determine whether a country will do well. Traditionally, Masters says,
economists thought that institutions had the biggest effect on the economy, because they
brought order to a country in the form of, for example, laws and property rights. With
order, so the thinking went, came affluence. "But there are some problems that even
countries with institutions have not been able to get around," he says. "My feeling is that,
as countries get richer, they get better institutions. And the accumulation of wealth and
improvement in governing institutions are both helped by a favourable environment,
including climate."

E This does not mean, he insists, that tropical countries are beyond economic help and
destined to remain penniless. Instead, richer countries should change the way in which
foreign aid is given. Instead of aid being geared towards improving governance, it should
be spent on technology to improve agriculture and to combat disease. Masters cites one
example: "There are regions in India that have been provided with irrigation-agricultural
productivity has gone up and there has been an improvement in health." Supplying
vaccines against tropical diseases and developing crop varieties that can grow in the
tropics would break the poverty cycle.

F Other minds have applied themselves to the split between poor and rich nations, citing
anthropological, climatic and zoological reasons for why temperate nations are the most
affluent. In 350BC, Aristotle observed that "those who live in a cold climate...are full of
spirit". Jared Diamond, from the University of California at Los Angeles, pointed out in
his book Guns, Germs and Steel that Eurasia is broadly aligned east-west, while Africa
and the Americas are aligned north-south. So, in Europe, crops can spread quickly across
latitudes because climates are similar. One of the first domesticated crops, einkorn wheat,
spread quickly from the Middle East into Europe; it took twice as long for corn to spread
from Mexico to what is now the eastern United States. This easy movement along similar
latitudes in Eurasia would also have meant a faster dissemination of other technologies
such as the wheel and wriung, Diamond speculates. The region also boasted domesticated
livestock, which could provide meat, wool and motive power in the fields. Blessed with
such natural advantages, Eurasia was bound to take off economically.
G John Gallup and Jeffrey Sachs, two US economists, have also pointed out striking
correlations between the geographical location of countries and their wealth. They note
that tropical countries between 23.45 degrees north and south of the equator are nearly all
poor. In an article for the Harvard International Review, they concluded that "development
surely seems to favour the temperate-zone economies, especially those in the northern
hemisphere, and those that have managed to avoid both socialism and the ravages of war".
But Masters cautions against geographical determinism, the idea that tropical countries are
beyond hope: "Human health and agriculture can be made better through scientific and
technological research," he says, "so we shouldn't be writing off these countries. Take
Singapore: without air conditioning, it wouldn't be rich."
(From IELTS Reading Actual Tests)
Your answer

Questions 6-10
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
passage for each answer.
Dr William Masters read a book saying that a(an) 6 _______________________
which struck an American city hundreds of years ago was terminated by a cold frost. And
academics found that there is a connection between climate and country's wealth as in the
rich but small country of 7 __________________.Yet besides excellent surroundings and
climate, one country still needs to improve their 8 _________________ to achieve long
prosperity.
Thanks to resembling weather conditions across latitude in the continent of 9
__________________ crops such as einkorn wheat is bound to spread faster than from
South America to the North. Other researchers also noted that even though geographical
factors are important, tropical country such as 10 ___________________ still became rich
due to scientific advancement.
Your answer
6 7 8 9 10
Part 5. You are going to read a magazine article about five people who were interviewed
about going on holiday. For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-E). The people
may be chosen more than once.

Which person Your answer

1 went away with a relative?

2 learnt how to deal with a local custom?

3 found the atmosphere reduced their usual anxieties?

4 got most pleasure from another person?

5 felt as if they were interfering in people's lives?

6 was surprised by the comfortable conditions?

7 found other people spoilt their holiday?

8 appears interested in the history of the place?

9 hadn't planned their holiday?

10 chose a holiday to find out more about themselves?

Holidays
Many people go away on holiday and discover as much about themselves as they do
about the places they visit.
A. Hugo
 When my eldest daughter, Alice, was ten, she asked for a holiday with me - just the
two of us. I have four children so it can be difficult for Alice to get a word in, and I
understood what she wanted. I decided to show her Venice, because it has such warm
associations for me. I first went there with my wife shortly after we were married, and
Alice was curious to see it.
We arrived at night, which was completely magical. The water gives the city a
sense of mystery. Even if you've been down a street before, the next time you find it you
see something different and that stops you recognising it. So you constantly get lost.
Alice loved Venice. We laughed a lot, and the best thing for me was seeing her
excited face.
B. Maria
I love deserts. I usually travel on my own and with more camera equipment than
clothes. I've been to deserts all over the world but my favourite is the Sahara. During my
last trip I went to Timbuctoo, which is an amazing place. Centuries ago it was at the centre
of the trans-Saharan caravan routes, routes used by travellers and traders who rode their
camels for weeks on end across the Sahara, north to south and east to west. There was
even a university there. Today it's a strange place, rather like a ghost town.
There are tribesmen called Tuaregs who ride through the town on camels, very
proud-looking men wearing blue robes, but although the local inhabitants are very
friendly, I felt curiously out of place. It might I have been to do with the fact that there
were no other travellers or tourists there. I felt almost as if I should not be there, as if I was
an intruder, and the last thing I felt able to do was to take photographs. People's lives
seemed so private.
C. Krystyna
I thought I would try an activity holiday last year as I enjoy the outdoor life. I
usually end up lying on a beach somewhere but I reckoned an activity holiday would help
me discover hidden talents, skills that I never knew I possessed. Perhaps I would turn out
to be a brilliant canoeist, mountain climber or skydiver.
The trouble with holidays like this is that you may not like what you discover. I had
forgotten that I would be with a group of people each day. It had never occurred to me
how competitive some people would be. Whatever we did, they had to be first. First to put
up their tent, first to reach the top of the mountain, fastest cyclist, and so on. They will
also have the loudest voices and make the most irritating remarks. Such daily companions
can come as a bit of a shock if you are more used to quiet conversations with your best
friend.
D. Robin
We arranged to go on safari, staying in one of those extraordinary hotels in the
middle of nowhere in Africa. Our room was luxurious, with hot and cold running water
and a fridge. At night we went out on a lake and when we got back to shore, a row of
lantern lights led back to the main lodge. Then you sat in front of a huge fire and the
guides told stories.
Part of the holiday included a canoe safari on the Zambezi river. In our canoe there
was just my friend and myself and the guide. I'm not terribly athletic and when I got into
the canoe I managed to tip it over and we all ended up in the water. I was quite frightened
because of the crocodiles there. We couldn't turn the canoe upright but the guide was very
calm. He pointed to a rock in the middle of the river and told us to swim to it as fast as we
could, while he went to get help. Then he came back with another canoe, but after that I
refused to go back on the water. I was quite surprised by my reaction. Not that I'd thought
of myself as a particularly brave person, but the shock of what happened left me feeling
very nervous.
E. Daniel
I made a decision at the last minute to go to Jamaica. I booked a package holiday
with a friend which included accommodation in a cottage and all our meals. We had so
much fun - it was one of the best holidays I've ever had.
There are amazing sunsets in Jamaica and you can sit on the rocks and watch the
sun go down. Everyone and everything is very relaxed. The thing you hear most often is
'No problem, man'. At first I thought they were just saying it, but then you realise nothing
is a problem because the whole place is so relaxed. And that attitude makes you relax and
forget about all the things you usually worry about.
We spent one day at a port watching a cruise ship come in. When that happens, all
the shops double their prices and you have to bargain for anything you want to buy. You
look at something and shake your head and they lower the price and you still shake your
head, but you eventually find out at what stage you should agree a price. I bought some
really great wooden statues for half the original price!
( from Richmond FCE Practice tests)