Intensive English CourseBEC

Final Exam – Vantage

Name: ________________________________ Teacher: ______________

Date : ______________ Marks: 100

I. Choose the answers you think fit best according to the text.[8 x 2 = 16]

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

“I started to lose my hair when I was 16. It kept on falling out and my confidence went. The other blokes had great mops of hair. It was the fashion in the Seventies. By the time I was 21 it was so bad that, when I saw this ad in the paper for a private hair clinic, I went along. I asked them how much hair they thought I would lose and they said probably just a little at the corners, and they could fill it in with some hair grafts.

“With these hair grafts I had to have a local anesthetic. It was so painful. They took bits of hair from the side and back, and replanted them into cuts made in the balding patch. The operation is very unpleasant, especially when the anesthetic needles are stuck into your scalp. But more hair fell out, and I need more grafts. Over the next three years, I had more grafts, but it couldn’t keep up with the hair loss. I had all these implants in front, and a bald patch behind. It looked worse than before and my life was falling apart.

“My engagement was called off. My fiancée never commented about my hair, but I just didn’t feel worthy of her. I was so fed up I went to another clinic. This time a salesman “consultant” came to my home. He suggested more grafts, and something called a scalp reduction. I had four of these operations over the next eighteen months. A piece of skin was taken from my scalp, and the skin on either side was lifted and pulled inwards to be joined together with stitches. I had to have a week off work after each operation because I couldn’t even smile. Even now my head feels tight around my temples.

“This time I felt better, and looked better. But the hair loss persisted. It left patches and gaps. All the time the clinic kept promising me a full head of hair. I was drinking heavily. Sometimes as many as nine pints of beer a night, seven nights a week. It was the only way I could relax and feel confident with girls. I became so depressed that I was sent to see a psychiatrist.

“But I kept on with the grafts. This was at the same clinic. In the end I developed scars that wouldn’t go away. They tried twice at the clinic to scrape the scar tissue away, but each time the scars returned. Then they tried steroid injections, but that didn’t work either. Then I started to really worry about the hair at the back of my head. I’d had so

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many grafts that it had been severely thinned down.” [At this point, not surprisingly, the specialists at the clinic decided there was nothing more they could do. They did, however, recommend an expensive hair growth lotion. It had no effect.] “If only someone had listened to me. I feel cheated. Not just financially. I lost my youth living in alimbo, hopping from transplant to transplant. I would give anything to be able to walk down the street with long hair blowing in the wind.

“I mean, things are better now. I have a doctor who has got me off the steroids and tranquillisers I was taking. Then I have cut down on my drinking. I have a girlfriend who is sympathetic, and we get along really well with each other. But, I don’t know, it won’t go away. Only a few months ago, I ordered an expensive wig from another clinic, and then cancelled. I still have to use this spray-on scar camouflage and a hair thickener every morning. I cut my own hair. I mean, I just couldn’t go to a hairdresser. And I always wear a hat when I’m out of doors.”

01. Why did he choose this hair clinic?

A. It advertised.B. His hair was falling out.C. His friends had a lot of hair.D. He wanted to be in fashion.

02. The implant operations were not successful because

A. in the end his hair looked unnatural.B. his life was going to pieces.C. of the anesthetic.D. he needed more grafts.

03. He had this tight feeling at the side of his head because

A. his girlfriend had left him.B. he couldn’t smile.C. hair had been implanted..D. skin had been taken away.

04. He could only feel confident if he

A. had a full head of hair.B. took steroids.C. drank to excess.D. saw a psychiatrist.

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05. What did he develop after so many operations?

A. deep depression.B. permanent scars.C. thin hair.D. a steroid dependence.

06. When they decided there was nothing more they could do, the specialists

A. gave him his money back.B. offered him free cosmetics.C. sold him a liquid hair restorer.D. advised him to massage his head.

07. Looking back, he felt he

A. should have had better advice.B. had wasted his youth.C. had been very foolish.D. had been unlucky.

08. At the present time, he

A. has made a complete recovery.B. is self-conscious about his hair.C. is dependent on his girl-friend.D. visits a hairdresser regularly.

II. Read the following personal letter. Complete the formal letter which follows, using no more than one or two words in each space. Do not repeat any words from the personal letter. [11 x 2 = 22]

Dear SarahWhat a ghastly trip I had!I have to write to the travel operators and tell them off. You’d think they could get the facts straight in their recent booklet. But no. The hotel rooms were supposed to be three-star, and I was supposed to get all my meals. At least, that’s what they promised, but I even had to pay extra for dinner, and the Mediterranean was nowhere in sight. What a dump that hotel was, providing nothing, not even a swimming pool. I told their man on the spot but he just said that everything in the brochure was kosher and correct, and it was all my fault for not checking. But I did! No doubt about it. I want all my money back. Slim chance, though. Oh, misery!

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LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Dear Sir

I write to (1) ..................... about the package tour to Marbella booked through your

company on the 15th July for the period 10-16 September. The holiday is advertised on

page 34 of your (2) ..................... brochure.

The (3) ..................... given in the brochure completely misrepresented the reality.

According to your brochure, (4) ..................... should have been three-star, with full

board, and double room with (5) ..................... . However, the hotel I stayed in had no

stars at all. It was an ordinary pension. The room itself was cramped, even though it

contained only one single bed. It faced away from the sea on to a noisy and crowded

main street. A (6) ..................... had to be paid for an evening meal.

To make matters worse, the hotel had no (7) ..................... : no swimming pool or private

beach, both of which were promised by your misleading brochure.

On top of everything else, when I took the matter up with your (8) ..................... , Mr

Greg Morton, he did nothing at all. He said I should have (9) ..................... the details of

the brochure when I booked. In fact, I did so, as far as I was able, by asking my travel

agent for confirmation. He assured me I could rely on the (10) ..................... of your

brochure. He was wrong.

I write to you in the expectation of a (11) ..................... of the £650.00 I paid.

Yours faithfully

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III. Choose from the list the best phrases to fill the spaces. Some of the phrases on the list are unsuitable. [6 x 2 = 12]

HEART DISEASE

Few arguments create greater passion among medical experts (1) ......................

Throughout the seventies, the link seemed to be irrefutable. The work of Ancel Keys in

America showed (2) ...................... His work was supported by studies of Japanese

migrants to the United States who developed the heart disease pattern of their adopted

country. By the end of the eighties, however, a reaction had set in. Some doctors refused

to accept any connection between diet and heart disease. They have argued

(3) ....................., although unlikely to cause physical harm, could lead to malnutrition,

particularly among children. They are appalled (4) ..................... . Come between some

doctors and their bacon and eggs and feelings will run high.

The nutritionists have fought back. They remain convinced (5) ...................... One doctor

argues that a fibre-rich diet is only of use to those who suffer from diabetes. Rubbish, say

the nutritionists, and go on to point out (6) ...................... At least one in seven takes

laxatives. And dietary fibre is of proven value in the treatment of constipation.

A. that sugary, fatty foods lead to preventable ill health

B. that a poor diet can make unhealthy people

C. that diets which cut back on dairy produce

D. that heart disease correlated in different countries with dairy food consumption

E. that serious malfunction may occur

F. than the postulated link between diet and heart disease

G. that a different attitude is needed by the medical profession

H. that over one third of British adults are constipated

I. that breakfast should be under attack by the spectre of disease

J. that not more attention is paid to it

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V. Some of the lines in this exercise are correct; others have a word which should not be there. Which lines are correct? Which are wrong, and what is the unnecessary word. [10 x 1 = 10]

01. A policewoman can often get a confession out from a suspect

02. by giving to him tea and sympathy. If a suspect is a young person of 16 or 17,

03. she can act be as a mother. In fact, policewomen make regular patrols

04. of night spots and discotheques looking there for young people

05. who have run away from home. But they are also employed for more dangerous work.

06. A big-time gambler called as Russian Robbie was shot dead

07. and robbed of many several thousand pounds. To help

08. find the killers, a policewoman disguised up herself. She had a description

09. of one of the wanted men, and knew he was called Joe. She went on

10. from the door to door in a rough slum area. She said Joe had left her with a baby,

was her boy-friend, and she was trying to find him. A lot of dear old ladies told her she should lead a better life. But she did find the flat where the men were hiding. They were arrested.

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Writing 1 [20 Marks]

Imagine recently there was a Football match. You were the captain for your team and

your team won the match and got the cup. Write a letter to your best friend describing

the match. Make sure you include the following in your letter: (Write about 150

words)

a. When and where was the match

b. Number of teams played

c. How did you feel as a captain

d. Your advice to other players

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Writing 2 [20 Marks]

• You are a regional sales manager for an international company. You have been asked to go to a

meeting at your company’s head office. You cannot go, so somebody else will go in your place.

• Write an e-mail to Erica Young, who is organising the meeting:

• apologising for not being able to go to the meeting

• explaining why you cannot go

• saying who will go.

• Write 40 – 50 words.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

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Good Luck!

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Keys

Exercise I01. A02. D03. D04. C05. B06. C07. B08 . B

Exercise II

1. complain

2. current, latest

3. description/ information

4. The accommodation

5. bath/shower/sea view

6. surcharge/ supplement/ supplementary charge

7. facilities

8. representative/

agent

9 confirmed

10. accuracy

11. (full) refund

Exercise III.

1. F. than the postulated link between diet and heart disease2. D. that heart disease correlated in different countries with dairy food Consumption 3. C. that diets which cut back on dairy produce4. I. that breakfast should be under attack by the spectre of disease5. A. that sugary, fatty foods lead to preventable ill health6. H. that over one-third of British adults are constipated

Exercise IV.

1. out 2. to 3. be 4. there 5. Correct 6. as 7. many

8. up 9. on 10. the

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I. Read the following passage about Derek’s problem and answer the questions that follow: [5 x 2 = 10]

Hi, My name’s Derek. I’m a Project Manager and a few months ago I joined a successful company to work on a specific project for them. I’d been out of work for some time and was really pleased to find this opportunity, as it’s in am area that I’ve had a lot of experience in and that I feel confident about.

My problem concerns my boss. I’d been told before I arrived here that she was both very power-hungry and two-faced and it didn’t take long for me to realize just how true this was. On the one hand, she’s very smiley, but on the other hand she doesn’t listen and she loves ordering people around. The result is that I always feel belittled after I’ve spent any time with her.

At the same time, I’m aware of the precariousness of my situation. This is well-paid work and frankly, I need the money. The result is that every time I feel like being honest with my boss and telling her that I think her behaviour is unacceptable I bite my lip. In fact, I’ve been biting my lip for six weeks now.

Tomorrow is the end of this particular project and we’re having a de-briefing meeting. We’re supposed to talk about which aspects of the project were successful and which weren’t. This is my problem – I don’t want to put my future employment at risk, but I really don’t want her to get away with thinking that her behaviour is acceptable. I really want to tell her that I think she’s a bully.

I know what the meeting’s going to be like. All the other employees are ‘yes men’. If I say something hostile, they won’t back me up. So I’ll be left alone to put my opinion forward.

So: what should I do? Should I speak out? Or should I bite my lip and let her carry on thinking she’s a fantastic manager and a fantastic person?

1. What work is Derek currently doing?_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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2. Describe his boss:_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. How does Derek feel when he’s with her?_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4. Why hasn’t Derek told his boss about the problem?_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

5. What is Derek’s dilemma now?_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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