Progress test Unit 1

NAME: ______________________________ CLASS: ________

Grammar

1 Decide whether the underlined structures are correct or incorrect. Circle C or I for each
structure.
1 When my brother and I were young, we (a) weren’t seeing our father that often. He
(b) was always going off on business trips abroad and when he was home he (c) would often stay
late at his office.
aC/I bC/I cC/I
2 I (a) would love watching soap operas when I lived at home. And every night, just when my
favourite soap opera was beginning, my brother (b) would start practising his drums! He (c) was
forever driving the whole family crazy!
aC/I bC/I cC/I
3 My best friend Jan (a) is always asking me for help with her maths homework and she
(b) is used to call me right in the middle of dinner! I don’t really mind, but although I
(c) would be quite good at maths in the past, I’m not so good now.
aC/I bC/I cC/I

Mark: ___/9

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the phrasal verbs in brackets and the
prepositions in the box. Where necessary use an object pronoun.

up to on to up

1 I sent the information to the company, but it __________________ (not pass) to the right
department.
2 I can’t remember where I put Rita’s book, but I __________________ (look) later.
3 Your concerns ___________________ (bring) at the meeting yesterday.
4 There are a lot of bullies at school these days. Children should be encouraged to _____ (stand).
5 I found a horrible old photograph of myself! I ___________________ (tear).
6 We’re all going to the concert tonight and I’m really ___________________ (look).

Mark: ___/6

Vocabulary

3 Choose the correct answers.

1 I was quite _____ when I first went to drama school. Everyone else seemed so much more talented
than I was.
A overconfident B overworked C overawed
Progress test Unit 1
2
A B C discouraged
3 When I applied for university I was ______ by the range of courses.
A preoccupied B unnerved C bewildered
4 After the accident Katy became quite _____ and seemed less confident.
A withdrawn B circumspect C traumatic
5 I’ve had this _____ habit since childhood!
A uneasy B inconceivable C ingrained

Mark: ___/5

4 Add a prefix to the adjectives in the box to complete the sentences. There are two more words
than you need.
accessible advantaged charged estimate literate partial replaceable

1 Don’t worry. The decision will be completely _ replaceable__________ .

2 Applicants from estimate___________ backgrounds will be given priority.
3 The percentage of adults who are ____ literate _______ has fallen considerably in recent years
thanks to adult education programmes.
4 The thieves stole items of sentimental value that are completely ___________ .
5 You should never ___________ the value of simple human kindness.

Mark: ___/5

5 Choose the correct adverbs and rewrite the sentences to make them more emphatic.
1 The driver denied causing the accident. (openly / categorically)
_________________________________________________________________________
2 The local people are opposed to the new development. (overtly / staunchly)
_________________________________________________________________________
3 My younger brother refuses to eat green vegetables! (resolutely / promptly)
_________________________________________________________________________
4 It’s believed that global temperatures will rise over the next decade. (supposedly / largely)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5 After crashing the stolen car, the teenagers abandoned it next to the road. (freely / )
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Mark: ___/5

Reading
Progress test Unit 1
6 Read the text and answer the questions.
How late are the latest fashions?
A The shoulder pad
If asked when the shoulder pad made its first appearance on the fashion scene, undoubtedly most of
us would say the eighties, but we would be a long way out! Shoulder pads have been popular at
various times throughout history and often for quite different reasons. In the Europe of the 1500s,
when Spain was asserting its dominance as a global power as well as being a centre of fashion, the
shoulder pad became extremely fashionable. At this point it was seen as a reflection of cultural
austerity, giving a look of solemnity to the wearer, although this austerity did not stretch to the
sumptuous materials used in the clothes! World War Two saw the return of the fashion, but this time
it reflected a cultural inclination for stricter lines and less decoration, echoing a military cut in a time
of economic restriction. More recent trends to wear shoulder pads have reflected a different outlook –
that of showing strength and power. In the eighties shoulder pads were everywhere and signalled
prosperity and a show of power. Back again in recent years they have been seen as a sign of strength
and desire to flout economic hardship.
B Platform shoes
Platforms were a product of the seventies, weren’t they? No, wrong again! In fact, platforms go back
a very long way indeed, to the 1400s! It seems that people have always had a yearning to appear
taller than they are, and to stand out in a crowd. ‘Chopines’, as they were known at that time, were
originally an overshoe that was slipped on over a more dainty shoe to protect it from mud. This soon
became a fashion statement in itself and led to women wearing ridiculously high platforms –
sometimes up to 30 inches! The impracticality of the shoes was obviously not considered as
important as the elevation it gave the individual. It certainly gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘The
height of fashion!’ For the next few hundred years daintiness in footwear prevailed – until the 1930s,
when platforms made a big comeback. This time the height was much more manageable, and top
fashion designers created some very elegant shoes. But platforms really came into their own in the
seventies, when two-inch soles with five-inch heels became quite normal for both men and women.
Designs were colourful, playful and used all types of materials. They were back again in the nineties
and the noughties and it seems platforms have proven that they are probably here to stay in some
shape or form!

Which fashion item…

1 was originally intended to be practical? A/B
2 reflects a sense of determination? A/B
3 is an indication of changing attitudes? A / B
4 has become appropriate for both genders? A / B
5 made people more noticeable? A / B

Mark: ___/10