TEXT 1

1 Thinking of taking a holiday? Read the texts below about holiday adventures.
Which text, A, B, C or D, talks about ... ? (7 x 2 = 14 points)
1 participating in a group experience ..........
2 trying hard to succeed in difficult conditions ..........
3 combining different forms of transport ..........
4 a natural phenomenon ..........
5 the cost of the holiday ..........
6 an opportunity to help solve an environmental problem ..........
7 reports of other holiday-makers about their experiences ..........

A Swim with Whale Sharks in Australia C Survivor Island Expedition in Tonga

Would you consider swimming alongside a shark? If you’re looking for both a physical and
Most probably not, but if you’re in Western psychological experience, then welcome to
Australia’s Ningaloo Marine Park between March Survivor Island in Tonga. This is not your typical
and early July, don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel adventure holiday! You’ll be abandoned on a
with a whale shark. It’s hard to believe that whale deserted island with five other participants and an
sharks are harmless when you discover that they expert guide for an entire week, having to make do
have 3,000 tiny, sharp teeth, weigh up to 40 tons with what the island has to offer. In order to build a
and are around 10 metres long. However, many shelter, make fire and gather water and food, you’ll
people who have swum near them describe them need to innovate, create and work together as a
as gentle giants. team.
Whale sharks are in fact the world’s largest fish and Not everyone is cut out for life on Survivor Island.
are vulnerable to extinction from fishing by humans. This experience forces you to step out of your
Ecotourism is a way to protect these giants, as it comfort zone and tests your resilience. But, if you’re
can provide people with income from working with someone who wants to test your survival skills and
them rather than from hunting them. So, if you want to push limits – this is the adventure for you!
to take a challenge and do a good deed, go for it!
D Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
B Heli-Biking in New Zealand Have you ever seen glowing lava at night? Felt the
New Zealand is a popular country for adventure hot steam coming from a steam hole? Walked on
activities and now has something new: heli-biking. lava fields? The Kilauea Volcano Tour will give you
You’ll have a fun-filled day enjoying a scenic all of these – and more.
helicopter flight to the top of a mountain trail before Kilauea is the biggest accessible active volcano in
hopping onto a mountain bike and making your way Hawaii and receives nearly three million visitors a
on a twisting, downhill path. The routes vary, with year. It has been spilling out huge quantities of
the highest drop being at 6,000 metres, leading on crimson, slow-moving lava almost continuously
to breathtaking scenery as you bike down with an since 1983. After dark, see the glow of the clouds
adrenalin rush. and landscape – a scene like no other. This one-of-
The drawbacks of this sport, however, are that the a-kind experience involves hours of uphill hiking,
helicopters can’t fly in bad weather and it’s but is well worth the effort!
expensive. But, if the weather is fine and you have
money, then this is an opportunity not to be missed.

1
2 Complete the sentences. (3 x 2 = 6 points)
1 Whale sharks are harmless despite ............................................................................................. .
2 If the weather conditions aren’t good, ....................................................................................... .
3 The Survivor Island Expedition isn’t suitable for .................................................................... .
3 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (5 x 2 = 10 points)
1 an act of kindness (Text A) ...................................................
2 disadvantages (Text B) ...................................................
3 manage (Text C) ...................................................
4 suits (Text C) ...................................................
5 unique (Text D) ...................................................

ANSWER KEY ( TEXT 1)

1 1 C 2 C 3 B 4 D 5 B 6 A 7 A
2 1 having 3,000 tiny, sharp teeth, weighing up to
40 tons and measuring around 10 metres long
2 you can’t go heli-biking
3 people who don’t like to leave their comfort zone /
test their resilience
3 1 a good deed 4 is cut out for
2 drawbacks 5 one-of-a-kind
3 make do
 TEXT 2
Read the text and answer the questions that follow.

Stop Making So Much Noise, Please!

I Not everyone feels comfortable in noisy places like restaurants, subways, shopping centres, school
II hallways and other places where people gather. However, most people find ways to adapt to these
sounds, as these places are hard to avoid. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for me – I can’t stand the
III
sound of people drinking coffee, clicking their pens or even touching their hair. These “noises” drive me
IV crazy and can bring on a major panic attack or feelings of anger. I have what is called “misophonia”, a
disorder resulting in an extreme sensitivity to – in fact a hatred of – sounds such as eating, moving
around and breathing. This disorder is caused by changes in the brain in certain people and is most
likely hereditary.
Before I was diagnosed, getting through each day was a huge effort, with most of my time spent trying to
avoid social situations. I didn’t like hanging out with friends because I couldn’t concentrate on any of the
conversations, especially if people were eating and drinking around me. In addition, my schoolwork
suffered as I could barely concentrate in class and even more so during exams. Though I couldn’t see
what someone was writing, I felt like I could hear every word being written down. The quiet exam room
only made me more aware of the rustling of the papers and the clicking of the pens.
After years of suffering, I discovered an online forum for people with misophonia. On it were helpful
coping strategies such as taking short breaks during the day and finding safe places in order to relax
and alleviate the distress. Another tip was to take some form of exercise like Pilates, which helps to
calm down the nervous system, thus lessening sensitivity to sounds. Meditation is another way of
relaxing and teaching yourself to take control. Additionally, letting people know about the condition
reduces anxiety and promotes understanding from others, who might otherwise be confused by your
behaviour. Lastly, the forum gave me a very practical suggestion that when all else fails, you can always
use a good set of earplugs or earphones!
Although I haven’t been cured, I now know how to manage my life by using all of these strategies – and
I hope to help other misophonia sufferers in the future.

1 Choose the correct answer. (4 x 2 = 8 points)

1 What is the main purpose of the article?
a to describe a personal experience
b to talk about a cure
c to ask for advice
d to give a warning
2 During exams, the writer ...... .
a tried to see what people were writing
b couldn’t use a pen
c couldn’t stay quiet
d couldn’t focus because it was too quiet
3 What type of coping strategy is NOT mentioned in the text?
a taking up physical activity
b discussing the problem with different people
c playing music
d having short rests
4 What tone does the writer use in the last paragraph?
a apologetic
b angry
c optimistic
d hopeless
2 Answer the questions. (5 x 2 = 10 points)
1 In the first paragraph, why does the writer use quotation marks around the word “noises”?
........................................................................................................................................................
2 Why did the writer try to avoid social situations?
........................................................................................................................................................
3 The writer mentions finding “safe” places. What do you think is meant by that?
........................................................................................................................................................
4 What exercises are good for misophonia sufferers? Explain why.
........................................................................................................................................................
5 Does the writer believe it’s a good idea to talk about having the disorder? Why or why not?
........................................................................................................................................................
3 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (6 x 2 = 12 points)
1 meet (paragraph I) ...................................................
2 cause (paragraph I) ...................................................
3 surviving (paragraph II) ...................................................
4 meeting (paragraph II) ...................................................
5 anxiety (paragraph III) ...................................................
6 reducing (paragraph III) ...................................................
ANSWERS KEY
1 1 a 2 d 3 c 4 c
Page 2
2 1 Because for other people, these sounds would barely be noticed.
2 Because focusing on conversations was very difficult.
3 quiet places with no people around
4 Pilates because it calms down the nervous system and reduces sensitivity to sounds, and
meditation because it allows you to relax and take control.
5 Yes, because it reduces tension and helps others to understand you better.
3 1 gather 4 hanging out with
2 bring on 5 distress
3 getting through 6 lessening
 TEXT 3

Read the text and answer the questions that follow.

A New (and Better) World?

I
II Are you someone who enjoys watching films depicting widespread destruction, environmental disaster
III and imaginary new worlds, such as in The Hunger Games? Then you are not alone – millions of young
IV people around the world are also into dystopian and apocalyptic films. Tales of doomsday and
V dystopian societies have crept into all aspects of pop culture – especially onto the big screen, but also
VI into music, video games, books and blogs.
Dystopian and apocalyptic storylines portray the vision of a society after a major disaster, such as
nuclear war or an environmental catastrophe. These events cause civilisations to try and adapt to the
changes and build a faultless way of life.
1
These types of stories about building new societies are not new. People have been creating
stories about the end of life as we know it for as long as we’ve been2around, and many of them have
been made into blockbuster films.
Going back to Biblical times, the tale of Noah’s Ark depicts a new, better world after a flooding disaster.
In modern times, The Hunger Games depicts a future society where America is divided into districts
which produce their own resources for the dictator state in order to maintain peace. In this
novel, the perfect community of the protagonist, Jonas, lacks nothing except freedom and equality.
So, why do these often depressing films appeal to teenagers? Firstly, they can of course 3 be extremely
entertaining and exciting. Secondly, these films can encourage us to think about what the possible
consequences of our irresponsible, wasteful behaviour could be for our planet. Young adults
who are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be in life can identify with them and
their message. 4
The dystopian and apocalyptic film genre is just a recent addition to our fascination with the
end of the world and the quest for a better life. In fact, the only thing that might stop people from
watching an apocalyptic film is, of course, an apocalypse!
5

1 Five sentences have been removed from the text. From sentences A-F, choose the one that fits

each gap. There is one extra sentence. (5 x 2 = 10 points)

A Narratives questioning society’s mortality are certainly not a new theme.
B Another dystopian work of fiction is The Giver by Lois Lowry.
C However, this attempt at a “perfect” society often goes wrong.
D The idea that humans will one day undergo a day of reckoning has confronted every generation.
E For as long as mankind has existed, there have been rulers.
F Lastly, they are told from a teenager’s perspective through the actions of young heroes.
2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to
support your answers. (4 x 2 = 8 points)
1 Dystopian societies are a popular pop culture theme. ..........
.............................................................................................................................................
2 In The Giver, Jonas has a perfect life. ..........
.............................................................................................................................................
3 The writer mentions an environmental connection to apocalyptic films. ..........
.............................................................................................................................................
4 The dystopian and apocalyptic film genre has been around for a long time. ..........
.............................................................................................................................................
3 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (6 x 2 = 12 points)
1 appeared gradually (paragraph I) ............................................................
2 perfect (paragraph II) ............................................................
3 existed (paragraph III) ............................................................
4 attract (paragraph V) ............................................................
5 understand (paragraph V) ............................................................
6 search (paragraph VI) ............................................................
ANSWERS KEY ( Text 3)
1 1 C 2 D 3 B 4 F 5 A
Page 2
2 1 T Tales of doomsday and dystopian societies have crept into all aspects of pop culture –
especially onto the big screen, but also into music, video games, books and blogs.
2 F … the perfect community of the protagonist, Jonas, lacks nothing except freedom and
equality.
3 T … these films can encourage us to think about what the possible consequences of our
irresponsible, wasteful behaviour could be for our planet.
4 F The dystopian and apocalyptic film genre is just a recent addition to our fascination with
the end of the world and the quest for a better life.
3 1 crept into 4 appeal to
2 faultless 5 figure out
3 been around 6 quest
TEXT 4

Read the text and answer the questions that follow.

Caring About the Elephants

I If you’ve ever been to Thailand or know someone who has, chances are you’ve heard about the
II famous elephant rides there. Up until the late 1980s, elephants were used in the logging industry to
III transport heavy pieces of wood, but this ended when logging became illegal in 1989. As a result,
IV elephant owners were forced to find alternative ways of earning money, and so resorted to training
V elephants to give tourists rides. The training process involves cruel treatment of the animals,
rewarding them with food and water for good behaviour.
Ironically, this time period coincided with the advent of ecotourism, and Thailand was a popular
destination. Ecotourism encourages people to visit and experience an unspoilt area in a respectful
and sensitive manner. It makes sense, then, that as ecotourism surged at a rate of about 20-35%
annually, the awareness and suspicion of the elephant ride phenomenon grew accordingly.
Baby elephants have long been a favourite of tourists and are the easiest to tame, so they are most
at risk of being captured by ruthless poachers. What many people don’t know, and what helps
explain the resulting trauma of both the captured babies and the remaining herd in the wild, is that
elephants are strikingly similar to humans. Both are intelligent creatures with strong social and
familial ties and the ability to remember things and recognise others.
Luckily, the increased interest in ecotourism and sensitivity to the environment has led people to pay
attention to the elephants’ plight. Consequently, this has resulted in successful efforts to educate the
public, specifically potential tourists. What they learn is that although riding an elephant might seem
harmless, it contributes to severe animal abuse. While riding elephants is unfortunately still
practised, it is swiftly losing its appeal and instead, other more elephant-friendly attractions are
gaining in popularity.
Elephant Nature Park (ENP), an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, was established by Thai native Lek
Chailert, and is committed to rescuing elephants and improving their treatment. At ENP, tourists
enjoy interacting with the elephants in ways that are fun for animals and people alike. Lek hopes
that when visitors spread the word about their positive experiences, others will visit and help save
Thailand’s elephants as well.

1 Choose the correct answer. (2 x 1 = 2 points)

1 Elephant rides in Thailand started .......... .
a since elephants were used to carrying logs
b when tourism increased in Thailand in the 1980s
c to provide an activity for the growing trend of ecotourism
d because their owners needed a new way to make money
2 Ecotourism began .......... .
a before the 1980s
b when logging was legal
c in the late 1980s
d very recently
2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to support
your answers. (2 x 2 = 4 points)
1 As ecotourism grew more popular, so did the elephant ride industry. F… as ecotourism surged at a
rate of about 20-35% annually, the awareness and suspicion of the elephant ride phenomenon
grew accordingly.
2 At ENP, elephants are kept far away from people. F … tourists enjoy interacting with the
elephants …
3 Answer the question. (2 points)
Why does the author compare elephants to humans?
To show that elephants, like humans, are intelligent, live as families and are able to remember
events and recognise others.
4 Complete the sentences. (3 x 2 = 6 points)
1 In the training process, elephants receive food and water when they behave well .
2 Not everyone understands that by riding an elephant you are contributing to animal abuse .
3 At ENP, tourists and elephants interact with each other in a fun way .
5 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (6 x 1 = 6 points)
1 in danger (paragraph III) at risk.
2 cruel (paragraph III) ruthless
3 connections (paragraph III) ties
4 unfavourable situation (paragraph IV) plight
5 rapidly (paragraph IV) swiftly
6 tell everyone (paragraph V) spread the word.