A2 KET Test #17 - Reading & Writing

Three teenagers talk about their best friends

Sarah, 14

My best friend Emma moved to another city last year, but we are still very close. She is a great cook, and she often makes delicious cakes when I visit her. We both love listening to pop music in our free time. Because we cannot see each other at school, we call each other on the phone every evening. Emma always makes me laugh when I am sad, so she is very special to me.

Jake, 13

I met my best friend Sam at a tennis club two years ago, and we have been friends ever since. He lives in my street, so we walk to school together every morning. Last week, he lent me his camera for a school art project, which was really helpful. Sam is terrible at cooking, but we enjoy buying snacks at a café after playing sports. I usually send him postcards when I go on holiday to other cities.

Olivia, 15

Maya has been my best friend since primary school. She lives next door, but we do not go to the same school now. We love painting pictures in her garden on quiet Sunday afternoons, which is very relaxing. Maya hates sports, so we never play any games. We don't often text each other, but we usually meet at home to chat. We are planning to visit a famous lake together this summer, and I cannot wait!

A Special Football Match

I loved playing football for my school team in Liverpool. However, I was smaller and not as fast as the other players, so I usually sat with the extra players on the side of the field. I practiced hard every week, but I often said to myself, "I'm still not good enough."

One Saturday morning, our team travelled by bus to an important match against another school. Many students and our school principal came to watch, too. Mr. Davies, our coach, told everybody, "Get ready for the game," but I did not think I would play.

During the second half, the score was 1-1. Suddenly, Jack, our best player, fell on the grass and hurt his leg. He had to stop playing, so two players helped him leave the field. Then the coach looked at the bench and called my name because he knew how hard I practiced. "I feel nervous, but I'm ready," I thought.

The last ten minutes of the match were very fast and exciting. Just one minute before the end, another player passed the ball to me near the goal. I kicked it hard and scored! All the students from our school stood up and shouted, "Goal! Great job!"

We won the match 2-1. Our principal gave us a gold cup, and my teammates ran to thank me. "I finally feel like a real member of the team," I said to myself.

Owls are famous birds that live in forests and woods all around the world. There are more than two hundred different 19.1partssideskinds of these interesting birds. Most owls sleep during the day and look for food at night. Because they cannot move their eyes, they must 19.2passholdturn their whole head to see behind them.

Owls also have very 19.3amazedpleasantspecial ears, which help them to find mice in the dark. In fact, an owl can hear a small animal moving from a long way away. When flying, their soft wings move through the air 19.4withoutexceptbefore making any sound. This silent flying helps the hungry birds to 19.5takecollectcatch mice and other small creatures easily. Farmers are usually 19.6afraidboredpleased to have owls near their fields because they stop mice from eating the plants.