Writing Test for 10th Form Students
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with relevant evidence. Write at least 250 words.
1. Some people believe that exams are an inappropriate way of measuring students’ performance and should be replaced by continuous assessment. Do you agree or disagree with this view?
2. Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion.
3. Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?
4. Reading Comprehension Test for 10 th Form Students
TEXT
Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
The Beginning
The wind stabbed through his heavy wool jacket as though he wasn't even wearing one. Andy struggled to wrap his scarf more securely around his neck and face. Gusts of thickly flying snow hid the sun and made it impossible to look at his watch, so he had no idea what time it was. He was certain of only one thing. Somewhere along the way back to his uncle's house he had taken a wrong turn and was now lost. In the Colorado Rocky Mountains, a wrong turn could be fatal in a snowstorm. Here, the ranchers and farmers strung a rope from the house to the barn to provide safe passage if they had to go outside. Andy had heard about that, but he hadn't been impressed; after all, he was tough. He shook his head in an effort to clear his vision. Even though he kept rubbing his eyes, snow frosted his eyelashes so quickly that he could barely see. The thought that a simple afternoon walk had turned into a life-and-death struggle frightened him. He probably should have listened to his uncle when he reminded him to stay close to home. A sudden slip sent him tumbling down a steep incline. Exhausted, he struggled to his feet and stumbled into a drift of snow already driven high by the wind. Panic drove him to scramble through it, but he discovered that his feet were growing numb. Uncomfortably, he suddenly recalled his last words to his mother as she put him on the plane to visit his uncle for the holidays. "I'll be okay," he had said, rolling his eyes while she cautioned him about the weather. He was more eager to get his first vacation away from home started than he was to listen to her fussing over him. Now he regretted that he had not said something nice to her before he boarded the plane. It looked as though he might not get the opportunity again, and that drove another dagger of cold through his jacket, although he could scarcely feel it. Based on the stories he had heard, numbness was a bad sign. His body was freezing. He fell in the snow and lay there for what seemed like an hour, although he knew it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. He thought of his mother and how miserable she would be if something happened to him. For once, he felt truly guilty. After his father's death, she had worked very hard to take care of him, and he had never thought to show his appreciation. No more of that, he thought. He would change. If he made it through this, he would be a completely different person. All he desired was another chance. In the distance, from what seemed like miles away, he heard someone calling his name. "Here!" he called frantically. "Here!" For him, this would not be the end of the story, but the beginning.
1. Which of the following is an OPINION in the story?
A Andy loses his way in the storm.
B Andy falls down a steep incline.
C Andy hears someone calling his name.
D Andy needs a vacation away from home
2. What happens to cause Andy to have a clearer view of his life?
A He almost dies in the snowstorm.
B He realizes that he misses his mother.
C He discovers that he likes life on a ranch.
D He and his uncle have a long talk.
3. What is the setting for this story?
A a park during a snowstorm
B a city during a snowstorm
C a quiet little town during a snowstorm
D open country during a snowstorm
4. Which of the following words BEST describes Andy's feelings about his mother at the end of the story?
A anger
B guilt
C happiness
D dislike
5. What is the BEST summary of this passage?
A Being lost in a snowstorm makes Andy want to become a rancher.
B Being lost in a snowstorm makes Andy decide to be angry with his mother.
C After being lost in a snowstorm, Andy thanks the men who rescued him.
D After being lost in a snowstorm, Andy decides to change his tough attitude.
6. Read the following sentence from the story. Andy had heard about that, but he hadn't been impressed; after all, he was tough. What does the word impressed mean?
A affected
B changed
C frightened
D interested
TEXT
Read the text and decide which answer (А, В, С or D) best fits each gap.
Arguing vs Quarrelling Oscar Wilde once remarked that he disliked arguments as they were always vulgar and often convincing. What, 0) then, is the difference between an argument and a quarrel? Look the word "quarrel" up in a dictionary and you will find it defined 1)…… an "angry argument". It seems that "angry" is the 2)……….word here. Both quarrelling and arguing involve disagreements 3)……… it is only during the former that we become angry or upset. We may raise our voices or even display aggressive behaviour when quarrelling, 4) ………in an argument, we maintain a 5)………tone of voice and refrain from physically threatening our opponent. 6) ……., should we forget the differences in content. An argument is a discussion or debate in which two or more people put forward different or opposing views. They may not be personally concerned in the issues under discussion. 7)…….., the process is an objective, intellectual one. Evidence and logic may be used 8) ………to support the speaker's point of view and possibly to convince the other(s). A quarrel,9)…., is personal, bound up with the ego and the participants' sense of self. A quarrel may result from a clash of personalities, may hurt the participants and may be sincerely regretted afterwards. 10) ……that there are hot-tempered people around, they may get carried away in an argument 11) it degenerates into a quarrel, but it should, 12)……speaking, be a dispassionate exchange of views rather than a shouting match.
0 A particularly и B then C although D say
1 A as B like C by D such
2 A key B basic C code D main
3 A so B while C consequently D but
4 A nevertheless B when C whereas D however
5 A steady B level C plain D monotonous
6 A In addition B Also C Nor D In all
7 A Largely B Admittedly C Particularly D Consequently
8 A In order B in case C in the event D in effect
9 A like B despite C however D no matter
10 A Allowing B Granted C Given D Knowing
11 A so there B so much C so as D so that
12 A generally B usually C normally D habitually
TEXT 5 Which section (A, B, C or D) does each statement 1 – 7 refer to?
Changes in Performance Feedback
1 staff being reminded that it is not essential to restrict feedback to once a year
2 the way in which feedback could identify people suitable for promotion
3 the aim of improving staff communication throughout an organisation
4 the feedback obtained on an employee being linked to requirements for a particular job
5 aspects of a group of employees’ work that were identified as requiring improvement
6 feedback indicating both positive and negative aspects of an individual’s work
7 the participation of less senior personnel in a member of staff’s feedback
A In the past, feedback about your performance used to mean a quiet chat with the boss. But now 360-degree feedback – the system where employees are also given feedback from peers and from the people they manage – is taking root in corporate culture. The system is characterised by greater participation and has grown out of the desire of companies to create more open working environments where people work better together and ideas and opinions are exchanged between teams and across levels of seniority.
B PCs linked to the company IT network are set to become the feedback machines. Many firms introducing 360-degree feedback are using Personal Development Planner software. Feedback on an individual, which is based on a questionnaire relating to attributes needed for that person’s role in the company, is collected using this electronic system. All the information gathered is analysed and the end result is a suggested development plan. The advantage is that individuals make requests for the feedback themselves and receive the results directly.
C Sarah Rains, from the pharmaceutical company Optec, said, ‘Now feedback is available on our network, we encourage managers to choose how they use it. It is a flexible tool and we tell them that waiting for the annual event of a formal appraisal needn’t apply.’ At the engineering company NT, 250 technical managers have been through the feedback process. Jack Palmer, a senior manager there, said, ‘We needed to develop the interpersonal skills of these technicallyminded people. In particular, we wanted to build on their team-working and coaching skills.’
D So, how is the new feedback culture likely to affect you? It could form the basis of your personal development programme, providing pointers to your strengths and also to those areas you need to develop more. Or feedback could be used for ‘succession planning’, where companies use the information to speculate on who has the right skills to move into more senior positions. As yet, few organisations have stretched the role of feedback so far as to link it to salaries. But one thing is clear: the future will bring even wider participation by all members.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with relevant evidence. Write at least 250 words.
1. Some people believe that exams are an inappropriate way of measuring students’ performance and should be replaced by continuous assessment. Do you agree or disagree with this view?
2. Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion.
3. Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?
4. Reading Comprehension Test for 10 th Form Students
TEXT
Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
The Beginning
The wind stabbed through his heavy wool jacket as though he wasn't even wearing one. Andy struggled to wrap his scarf more securely around his neck and face. Gusts of thickly flying snow hid the sun and made it impossible to look at his watch, so he had no idea what time it was. He was certain of only one thing. Somewhere along the way back to his uncle's house he had taken a wrong turn and was now lost. In the Colorado Rocky Mountains, a wrong turn could be fatal in a snowstorm. Here, the ranchers and farmers strung a rope from the house to the barn to provide safe passage if they had to go outside. Andy had heard about that, but he hadn't been impressed; after all, he was tough. He shook his head in an effort to clear his vision. Even though he kept rubbing his eyes, snow frosted his eyelashes so quickly that he could barely see. The thought that a simple afternoon walk had turned into a life-and-death struggle frightened him. He probably should have listened to his uncle when he reminded him to stay close to home. A sudden slip sent him tumbling down a steep incline. Exhausted, he struggled to his feet and stumbled into a drift of snow already driven high by the wind. Panic drove him to scramble through it, but he discovered that his feet were growing numb. Uncomfortably, he suddenly recalled his last words to his mother as she put him on the plane to visit his uncle for the holidays. "I'll be okay," he had said, rolling his eyes while she cautioned him about the weather. He was more eager to get his first vacation away from home started than he was to listen to her fussing over him. Now he regretted that he had not said something nice to her before he boarded the plane. It looked as though he might not get the opportunity again, and that drove another dagger of cold through his jacket, although he could scarcely feel it. Based on the stories he had heard, numbness was a bad sign. His body was freezing. He fell in the snow and lay there for what seemed like an hour, although he knew it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. He thought of his mother and how miserable she would be if something happened to him. For once, he felt truly guilty. After his father's death, she had worked very hard to take care of him, and he had never thought to show his appreciation. No more of that, he thought. He would change. If he made it through this, he would be a completely different person. All he desired was another chance. In the distance, from what seemed like miles away, he heard someone calling his name. "Here!" he called frantically. "Here!" For him, this would not be the end of the story, but the beginning.
1. Which of the following is an OPINION in the story?
A Andy loses his way in the storm.
B Andy falls down a steep incline.
C Andy hears someone calling his name.
D Andy needs a vacation away from home
2. What happens to cause Andy to have a clearer view of his life?
A He almost dies in the snowstorm.
B He realizes that he misses his mother.
C He discovers that he likes life on a ranch.
D He and his uncle have a long talk.
3. What is the setting for this story?
A a park during a snowstorm
B a city during a snowstorm
C a quiet little town during a snowstorm
D open country during a snowstorm
4. Which of the following words BEST describes Andy's feelings about his mother at the end of the story?
A anger
B guilt
C happiness
D dislike
5. What is the BEST summary of this passage?
A Being lost in a snowstorm makes Andy want to become a rancher.
B Being lost in a snowstorm makes Andy decide to be angry with his mother.
C After being lost in a snowstorm, Andy thanks the men who rescued him.
D After being lost in a snowstorm, Andy decides to change his tough attitude.
6. Read the following sentence from the story. Andy had heard about that, but he hadn't been impressed; after all, he was tough. What does the word impressed mean?
A affected
B changed
C frightened
D interested
TEXT
Read the text and decide which answer (А, В, С or D) best fits each gap.
Arguing vs Quarrelling Oscar Wilde once remarked that he disliked arguments as they were always vulgar and often convincing. What, 0) then, is the difference between an argument and a quarrel? Look the word "quarrel" up in a dictionary and you will find it defined 1)…… an "angry argument". It seems that "angry" is the 2)……….word here. Both quarrelling and arguing involve disagreements 3)……… it is only during the former that we become angry or upset. We may raise our voices or even display aggressive behaviour when quarrelling, 4) ………in an argument, we maintain a 5)………tone of voice and refrain from physically threatening our opponent. 6) ……., should we forget the differences in content. An argument is a discussion or debate in which two or more people put forward different or opposing views. They may not be personally concerned in the issues under discussion. 7)…….., the process is an objective, intellectual one. Evidence and logic may be used 8) ………to support the speaker's point of view and possibly to convince the other(s). A quarrel,9)…., is personal, bound up with the ego and the participants' sense of self. A quarrel may result from a clash of personalities, may hurt the participants and may be sincerely regretted afterwards. 10) ……that there are hot-tempered people around, they may get carried away in an argument 11) it degenerates into a quarrel, but it should, 12)……speaking, be a dispassionate exchange of views rather than a shouting match.
0 A particularly и B then C although D say
1 A as B like C by D such
2 A key B basic C code D main
3 A so B while C consequently D but
4 A nevertheless B when C whereas D however
5 A steady B level C plain D monotonous
6 A In addition B Also C Nor D In all
7 A Largely B Admittedly C Particularly D Consequently
8 A In order B in case C in the event D in effect
9 A like B despite C however D no matter
10 A Allowing B Granted C Given D Knowing
11 A so there B so much C so as D so that
12 A generally B usually C normally D habitually
TEXT 5 Which section (A, B, C or D) does each statement 1 – 7 refer to?
Changes in Performance Feedback
1 staff being reminded that it is not essential to restrict feedback to once a year
2 the way in which feedback could identify people suitable for promotion
3 the aim of improving staff communication throughout an organisation
4 the feedback obtained on an employee being linked to requirements for a particular job
5 aspects of a group of employees’ work that were identified as requiring improvement
6 feedback indicating both positive and negative aspects of an individual’s work
7 the participation of less senior personnel in a member of staff’s feedback
A In the past, feedback about your performance used to mean a quiet chat with the boss. But now 360-degree feedback – the system where employees are also given feedback from peers and from the people they manage – is taking root in corporate culture. The system is characterised by greater participation and has grown out of the desire of companies to create more open working environments where people work better together and ideas and opinions are exchanged between teams and across levels of seniority.
B PCs linked to the company IT network are set to become the feedback machines. Many firms introducing 360-degree feedback are using Personal Development Planner software. Feedback on an individual, which is based on a questionnaire relating to attributes needed for that person’s role in the company, is collected using this electronic system. All the information gathered is analysed and the end result is a suggested development plan. The advantage is that individuals make requests for the feedback themselves and receive the results directly.
C Sarah Rains, from the pharmaceutical company Optec, said, ‘Now feedback is available on our network, we encourage managers to choose how they use it. It is a flexible tool and we tell them that waiting for the annual event of a formal appraisal needn’t apply.’ At the engineering company NT, 250 technical managers have been through the feedback process. Jack Palmer, a senior manager there, said, ‘We needed to develop the interpersonal skills of these technicallyminded people. In particular, we wanted to build on their team-working and coaching skills.’
D So, how is the new feedback culture likely to affect you? It could form the basis of your personal development programme, providing pointers to your strengths and also to those areas you need to develop more. Or feedback could be used for ‘succession planning’, where companies use the information to speculate on who has the right skills to move into more senior positions. As yet, few organisations have stretched the role of feedback so far as to link it to salaries. But one thing is clear: the future will bring even wider participation by all members.
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