Read the text and decide which answer best fits each gap.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
GPS, or Global Positioning System, is a remarkable invention. Using a simple receiver, it is now possible to know your exact location on Earth at the press of a button, possibly making the simple map and compass .
The of GPS was developed by the US military and the system was set up by them. It is based on a network of 24 satellites in orbit around the Earth. Using radio signals, the hand-held receiver calculates the distance to the satellites and is then able to figure where the user is to a few metres.
There are practical applications of this system. For example, it was used during the of the Channel Tunnel, connecting England to France, to make sure that the two ends of the tunnel met in the middle. Car companies are currently ways of including GPS equipment in every car, so whether to turn right or left at the next junction could soon be a thing of the past.
Read the text and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only ONE word in each gap.
Measuring time
The idea of the day as a unit of time is clearly a part of nature. Even the earliest humans must have aware that time was divided into alternating periods of light and dark. Exactly when people began to divide the day up into smaller units that they could measure time more accurately, however, remains uncertain.
According historians, it was the ancient Greeks first came up with the idea of the hour, and calculated how many of these made up the typical day. The Greeks are also believed to invented the minute, the subdivision of the hour into smaller units.
Generally speaking, the calculations of the ancient scientists have proved remarkably accurate, even nature itself isn't always completely regular. Slight variations the Earth's orbit around the sun mean that occasional adjustments to measured time are necessary. For example, in 2015 is called a leap second was added to official time.
Read the text and use the word given in capitals at each gap to form a word that fits in each gap.
Sudden storm
A massive clean-up operation is now underway in the southwest of the country after a (POWER) storm unexpectedly struck the region. Among the worst affected were coastal areas, where many small boats were sunk or destroyed, though, (FORTUNE) , there are no reports of anyone missing or seriously injured.
In many towns, however, there was (EXTENT) damage to property, with trees and fences blown over. In one street, almost every house had its roof blown off, leaving many families (HOME) until repairs can be carried out. The windy conditions also affected transport links, leading to the closure of motorways and the (CANCEL) of nearly all rail services.
Further inland, where the monthly average (RAIN) is about 80 mm, over 100 mm fell in just a few hours. This resulted in several rivers bursting their banks and flooding huge areas of (AGRICULTURE) land. Some villages were (TEMPORARY) cut off by the rapidly rising water, although communications have now been restored in most places.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
I haven't seen a good film for months. (SINCE)
=> It's a good film.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
"Can you lend me some money, Marta?" asked David. (BORROW)
=> David asked Marta some money.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
Tommy expected the ride to be more exciting than it actually was. (NOT)
=> The ride Tommy had expected.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
My dad didn't go abroad until he was thirty. (WHEN)
=> My dad first went abroad.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
The strong winds caused the tower to fall over. (KNOCKED)
=> It was the strong winds over.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
The gardens are open each day for visitors to enjoy the flower displays. (THAT)
=> The gardens are open each day the flower displays.
You are going to read an article about an extract from a novel. Choose the answer which you think fits best according to the text.
FREEDOM AT LAST?
Tina was in her room, anxiously biting her nails. Her parents were downstairs and she could hear a little of what they were saying. She didn't need to hear all of it, anyway. She knew what they were discussing from the bits that floated upstairs to her room. She heard her mum say, 'Well, it's in a very nice location, anyway.' Her father's response was too quiet to hear.
Tina rolled over on her bed and stared at the ceiling. For weeks she had been asking her parents for permission to go on holiday with her friends while her friends did the same. In the beginning, they had refused without even discussing it, but Tina knew that that was just the first round in a long process. Like all parents of teenagers, they started from the safest position, the one that caused them the least worry. Tina felt she couldn't blame them for that, but they had to be persuaded over time to change their minds. She had finally got them to the point where they were seriously considering her suggestion.
Just then, she heard her mother's voice calling her. 'Tina. Come downstairs, dear. We want to talk to you.' Tina got up and slowly went downstairs. Her heart was beating quickly. This holiday was something that she and two of her friends had been planning for months. They had finally agreed on a destination - Cornwall. It was far enough away that it would feel like a real holiday, but not so far from their hometown that getting permission would be impossible. At first, they had made a list of exotic places that they would love to visit, but they soon realized that there were limits to how far parents could be pushed. They had also calculated how much money they thought their parents might provide, and realized that their budget would never cover a trip to France, Spain, or any of the other countries that had been on the list. So, they had decided on Cornwall, with its golden beaches and clear water.
They chose a small resort on the north coast, which Tina's friend, Amy, had been to with her family, and with the help of the internet, they planned all the details. They knew that they had to have the answers to any objections their parents could come up with. Amy and Lauren's parents had agreed, but Tina knew they were much more laid-back than her own parents. Everything depended on the conversation she was about to have with them.
When she got downstairs, her mum was sitting on the sofa and her dad was standing by the window. Her mum spoke first. 'We've been talking about this holiday, Tina. We understand that you're sixteen now, and important for you to do things with your friends. And it's not that we don't trust you, but ...'
'You have to understand, love,' her dad said, 'that we've been looking after you for the last sixteen years, and it's difficult for us to let you grow up. We know that you're quite sensible and that you're not affected too much by peer pressure, thankfully, so we've decided that you can go ...'
Tina jumped up excitedly. 'Awesome! Wait till I tell Amy and Lauren! Thanks, Mum. Thanks, Dad. You won't regret it! Oh, I'll need clothes, and a new suitcase, and ...'
Her dad held his hand up. 'Hold on. I haven't finished. We think it's time you had a holiday with your friends, without us interfering in everything, but ... well ... we haven't been away for a while ...' Tina froze. She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.
'What your father is trying to say,' her mum said, 'is that we've booked a hotel in the same town. So, you'll have your independence, and we'll be there if you need us! We could even spend some time together if your friends want to. Now, we know you won't think it's ideal, but ...'
Tina sank slowly onto the sofa, a look of disbelief on her face. What was she going to tell Amy and Lauren?
Tina's father explains that _____.
You are going to read a magazine article about herons. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A - G the one which fits each gap. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
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A. Another reason for this increase can be found in the milder winters and the reduction in water pollution. B. Further north the bird is equally widespread, although it is absent from areas of high ground. C. Such nervousness is understandable, given that they have suffered from persecution from fish farmers. D. While heron numbers have increased, it is important not to be complacent. E. However, a hard winter will temporarily set numbers back. F. The commonest hunting technique is to stand still by the water's edge, with only the eyes twinkling as it carefully scans for fish. G. It appears, however, that all is well for the heron at the moment. |
HERONS
Herons are beautiful birds. Years ago, as I walked to work in a fish factory in Aberdeen, herons would always bring a little bit of light to the dark winter mornings. Usually, there would be a couple of them standing on the river's edge. But once dawn broke, the herons would move upstream to quieter stretches of the river.
This natural cautiousness is usual in herons. They prefer to spend the day in areas where they can hunt for fish in peace. They seldom allow close approach and are quick to take to the air when they sense humans are about.
This cruel treatment is now on the decline, and consequently, the latest Bird Atlas estimates there are probably twice as many herons breeding in Britain today as in the late 1960s. This means herons can feed and survive in areas which were previously unavailable because they were either too cold or ruined by poisonous substances in the water.
Weather is probably the single most important factor in the improvement of the heron population. In effect, new areas of habitat have been opened up. The one of 1963 had a notable impact, but surprisingly, there is little to suggest that the same happened in the freezing temperatures of 1979 and 1892.
As well as the UK, similar increases have been recorded throughout Europe. By the early 1970s, the heron had become threatened in many parts of central Europe, but has since recovered dramatically. And if not persecuted, will even breed in city centers, such as happens in Amsterdam.
There are still numerous threats, mostly to do with habitat degradation, which certainly affect populations on a local scale. Drainage of fields and excavation reduce food supplies. The planting of forests, while providing nesting sites, may also reduce the water flow in some water courses and hence fish availability.
The heron lives on fish. On other occasions, a different tactic is adopted, this time slowly stalking through the water, looking intently at any stirrings. If the need arises, the heron will wade deep until the body is afloat, and it can even swim for a short distance. They are such a delight to watch, particularly in the morning when they go hunting in the frost-draped winter semi-darkness.
You are going to read a magazine article about young people who have won prizes for their business ideas. Choose the section that contains the information in each question. The sections may be chosen more than once.
Young entrepreneurs
We hear from four young people who have won competitions for their business ideas.
A. Molly Carluke
My home area is well-known for food and drink, but some local specialties aren't marketed much outside the region. People come here for the seafood, and they're quite taken aback when they get to try the local oatcakes - and that started me thinking. You can buy a similar processed variety in supermarkets, but they don't come up to the standard of the local hand-made ones. I wanted to win the prize because I needed funding to get my idea off the ground. Making oatcakes at home is one thing, but setting up a proper bakery that conforms to all the health-and-safety rules required quite a bit of thought and investment. I think I was aiming too high with the original business plan I drew up, but fortunately my tutor at college was able to bring me down to earth. I'd never have made it without her.
B. Ben Barrington
We've always had dogs at home; they play a pretty central role in our lives. But we're also the sort of people who like to travel - and I'm talking about adventure holidays, not a week at the seaside. Anyway, we take the dogs with us whenever we can, but sometimes there's no alternative to putting them in boarding kennels. We've tried various local ones, but to be honest, we were never particularly comfortable about leaving the dogs at any of them because they looked so messy and disorganized. So my idea was to design a boarding kennel from scratch - with the needs of the dogs as my starting point. My tutor didn't think much of the idea to begin with, because I hadn't really worked out the business side of things - but when I did the research and calculations, both he and I realized that I was onto a winner.
C. Adam Luskey
I was pretty sure that there'd be a big demand for a paintballing centre on the island where I live, but the population isn't really big enough to support the investment. That's what I heard when I asked the manager of one company why they hadn't set one up here. They'd tried on a similar island elsewhere, and the costs had been so high that the local kids couldn't afford the entrance fee. I wasn't convinced that he'd got it right, however, so I did my own research and put together a business plan. I know that winning the prize doesn't in itself mean that I was right, but it brought my idea to the attention of the island's tourist board, who are willing to help me promote the idea. Doing the plan has made me realize that I have talents that I could develop in other ways.
D. Freya Jones
When you're lucky enough live in a place that's both remote and beautiful, you get used to seeing visitors on walking holidays. There's not much to do round here though, so I often wondered how much these people really got out of their visit. That's what gave me the idea of creating audio tours for walkers. I got together people who have lived here all their lives and collected stories of stuff that had happened here over the years, and what to look out for when you're on your walk. Working out how to get good enough recordings without spending a fortune and then how to market the tours online was quite a challenge for me - but the finished product is much more professional than I could ever have imagined. lt was my college tutor who suggested I went in for the competition. I didn't think I stood much chance because mine was such a small-scale project, but the judges described it as refreshingly different. Amazing!