nivel b - actividades de lecto-comprensiÓn b1

Universidad Nacional de La Pampa - Facultad de Ciencias Humanas

Evaluación de Competencias Comunicativas – Educación Secundaria

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Servicio Externo de Lenguas Extranjeras

(Adapted from Champions, Student’s book 2, p. 60-61)

NIVEL B - ACTIVIDADES DE LECTO-COMPRENSIÓN

B1 Read the magazine article and do the exercises below.

a. ANSWER these questions:

1. What nationality was John Watkins?

2. What was his job?

3. When did he make his predictions ‘for the next hundred years’?



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4. Tick the things he predicted from the list:

Mobile phones miniskirts

Hotter summers X-rays TV the Internet New materials Physical changes to the body

5. Did he predict any negative changes?

b. Say whether the following statements are T (true) or F (false):

1. Most of John Watkins’s predictions were correct. (___)

2. If people want to communicate with the rest of the world they need to use wireless telephone systems. (___)

3. Americans are taller nowadays than at the beginning of the 20th

century. (___)

4. The alphabet has changed in the last 100 years. (___)

B2

Read the following passage and do exercises a) and b) below.

Fourteen-year-old Neil Atkins talks about working on a house-building

project in the United States

I got involved in the house-building project through my Uncle Brian. We went to

spend some time with him in the United States for six weeks during the

summer holiday. He was helping out on the project and asked me to come

along. At first I wasn’t interested. I was enjoying watching lots of new channels

on TV! But after a while I got bored and went along to see what he was doing.

I realised that what he was doing was really great!

He was helping out for an organisation that builds houses for people who can’t

usually afford them. Instead, the organisation buys all the wood and bricks and

things that are needed to build a house. It lends the family the tools and hires

some guys who know how to do the job. They also get people like my uncle,

who aren’t builders but who just want to help out in the community, to do the

more simple building jobs. Although the family eventually pay all the money

back to the organisation, they can do it over many years, and it’s much cheaper

than buying a new house.

I helped out with moving dirt and preparing tea. It was a bit disappointing that

I wasn’t allowed to use the tools and do jobs like cutting wood and nailing

things together, but I understand why they do it. At the moment I do design

and technology at school, so I know I could do it right if I was there. Some

people had no idea how to use a hammer correctly! But if I go back next year,

I’ll be able to do it, because I’ll be fifteen then.

(Adapted from http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_for_schools_reading4.html)



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a. CHOOSE the best answer:

1. Why was Neil’s uncle involved in the building project?

a. He lent the family his tools.

b. He is a qualified builder.

c. He enjoys helping out other people.

d. He wants to build his own house.

2. Which of the following is true about the building project?

a. The organisation provides free homes for poor people.

b. The project was filmed and shown on television.

c. No experienced builders were needed to build the house.

d. The future owners helped to build the house.

3. Neil was surprised that…

a. his uncle had such good building skills.

b. some adults didn’t know how to use tools.

c. he wasn’t allowed to cut wood.

d. houses are so expensive in the USA.

4. Neil will be able to use the tools next year because…

a. he is planning to study design and technology.

b. he will be old enough.

c. his uncle is going to teach him how to use them.

d. there will be fewer people on the project.

5. What might Neil write in his diary about his experience?

a. Building the house was okay, but it wasn’t as fun as watching

American TV!

b. I learnt a lot of useful things for my design and technology course

from working on the building project.

c. I really enjoyed building the house. It gave me the chance to use my

design and technology skills.

d. Building the house was better than watching TV, but I wanted to do

more building work.

b. MATCH the words with their meaning:

1. after a while a. return

2. afford b. some time later

3. eventually c. pay the price

4. go back d. finally



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B3 This is a selection of letters from a problem page in an International English Language magazine. Read the text and do the exercises below.

This Month's Letters

See this month's problems and questions submitted to us by learners of English:

0 ( I ) I study English for 6 hours per week in secondary school. For 1 hour each week

we have conversation classes with a native speaker of English where we talk

about topics such as drugs, politics and culture. I know it's a really good

opportunity to practise my spoken English, but I’ve never made a contribution

to the discussion. It's not that I don't have an opinion, or that I'm shy, but

more that I don't have the vocabulary to express my views. I feel really

frustrated at the end of the lesson. Nobody else in the group seems to have the

same problem.

Katalin

1 ( )

I'm a 24-year-old business student from Malaysia and I've been attending

English classes at night school for the past 5 years. Up to now I've been a good

student. Last month I went to Britain to visit my relatives over there and it was

awful. Nobody could understand my pronunciation and I couldn't understand

them either. What went wrong? My English teacher is very good and I always

score the highest in grammar tests.

Fazlinda

2 ( )

I'm writing to ask your opinion on a matter which is really annoying me. My

English teacher never corrects my mistakes when I am speaking. Isn't that her

job? How am I going to improve otherwise? Also, she's always telling me that

now I'm an advanced student, I should forget all the rules of grammar that I

learnt when I was younger.

Gunther

3 ( )

Can you help me? I really want to speak English the right way, with the correct

accent. Do you have any good ideas? I have a particular problem with sounds

like 's'. I plan to work in the UK in the future and nobody will take me seriously

if my English pronunciation is not good enough.

Jose

4 ( )

I am working as an au pair in London looking after 2 small children. I love my

job but the way that English people speak is a little puzzling. For example, I

often hear them say things like 'more friendlier', whereas I thought it should be

'more friendly'. It also seems to be common for them to say 'we was' instead of

'we were'. Can you explain this? Would it be impolite of me to correct them?

Lana



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5 ( )

I am an intermediate student of English (I have been studying it for 3 years).

I'm quite good at reading and writing, but listening is very difficult for me. My

teacher suggested that I listen to the BBC World Service every day in order to

improve my listening. The problem is that it's hard for me to understand every

word. Do you have any ideas about how to make listening to the radio less

difficult? I like to keep up with the current news in particular.

Yuki

6 ( )

I have studied English for 5 years at school but for the past 6 months I have

been doing self-study using the Internet and books to improve. There are lots

of materials to choose but I'm not sure what is best for me and how I should

use them. I really would like to take the FCE examination but don't know how

to study on my own. Should I take a course in my local school - which is a little

expensive for me now - or is it possible to prepare for the exam doing self-

study?

Paula

7 ( ) Could you please give me some advice on a problem I have at the moment with

my English studies? I decided to go to the UK to improve my English but the

college I am studying in at present is full of people from my own country.

Although the teachers tell us we should only try to speak in English with each

other, it is very difficult to do this, especially in our free time when we go out

together. I am worried that my speaking will not improve.

Maria (Adapted from http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/tests/tsindex.htm)

a. MULTIPLE MATCHING: Choose the most suitable heading (A-I) from the

list below and match it with its corresponding letter (1-7). There is an example at the beginning (0).

A. Trouble with teaching methods.

B. Make it easier to comprehend. C. Join a class or learn alone.

D. Communication breakdown. E. Should I point out mistakes?

F. Awful grammar. G. Objective: perfection. H. Surrounded by my own language.

I. Unable to express myself.

b. EXPLAIN the meaning of the following words or expressions as they are used in the text. They have been underlined in the text.

1. a native speaker of English

2. I always score the highest

3. annoying

4. puzzling

5. I have been doing self-study



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TWIN SISTERS!

NIVEL B - ACTIVIDADES DE PRODUCCIÓN ESCRITA

B1. Part 1

a. CIRCLE the correct option:

1. I have …………… finished with the newspaper.

a. still b. already c. yet

2. If I want to pass my exam, I …………… study harder.

a. will have to b. would have to c. had to

3. …………… people eat very healthy food.

a. Very little b. Very less c. Very few

4. A social networking site is ……………. you can meet new people.

a. while b. why c. where

5. Which one is correct?

a. If you wouldn’t tell me, I’ll scream! b. If you don’t tell me, I’ll scream! c. If you didn’t tell me, I’ll scream!

6. I forgot …………… the lights before I left. a. to turn off b. put off c. turned off

7. The room can't be dirty. She …………… . a. is just clean it b. have just cleaned it c. has just cleaned it

8. …………… is your house from here?

a. How long b. How much c. How far

b. Read the text below and CIRCLE option A, B or C:

Something very strange happened to Tamara. She never (1) ………… she had a twin sister

until she started university!

Tamara (2) ………… in Mexico. Her parents could not look after her so she went to live

with a family in Manhattan. (3) ………… Tamara was twenty years old, she started

university in Long Island. She enjoyed her university life. One day she (4) ………… home

from class, and a student greeted her: - “Hello Adriana!” - “I’m not Adriana,” said Tamara.

This happened to Tamara again and again. People Tamara (5) ………… kept calling her

Adriana. It was strange. One day, when a woman called her Adriana, Tamara asked “Why

do you call me Adriana?” The woman replied, “You (6) ………… my friend Adriana. You

have the same face and hair. Is Adriana your sister?” Tamara said that she did not have a

sister. But she was curious about Adriana. Finally, she asked (7) ………… for Adriana’s

email address.

Tamara wrote to Adriana and she (8) ………… that they both had the same birthday, they

looked the same and they (9) ………… from Mexico. When Tamara went to live with the

family in Manhattan, Adriana (10) ………… to Long Island to live with a family there. It had

to be true! They were twin sisters!



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(1) a. knows b. knew c. has known

(2) a. born b. were born c. was born

(3) a. When b. While c. During

(4) a. were walking b. walked c. was walking

(5) a. knew b. was knowing c. didn’t know

(6) a. look like b. look as c. look for

(7) a. no one b. anyone c. someone

(8) a. find b. found out c. finds out

(9) a. were b. had c. was

(10) a. moved b. was moving c. moves

Part 2: Choose one of the following and WRITE A STORY in about 80 to 100

words.

1. You ran into the gym and mysteriously found yourself in a forest. You were

granted one superpower! Narrate your journey home. Begin your story with

these words:

You’ll never believe what happened to me as soon as I ran into the gym!

2. Write a story beginning with these words:

Late that night, Margot closed the book she was reading and turned out the light. The

last thing she needed was a crying little brother.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

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B2. Part 1

a. TICK (√ ) the correct answer:

1. Michael is not ................ his sister.

a. so clever than b. as clever than c. so clever as

2. I have arranged ................ dinner with Barbara on Thursday.

a. to have b. having c. have had

3. The guy ................ we met at the concert is a friend of my brother’s.

a. which b. whose c. that

4. Going to the cinema is not ………………. going to the disco.

a. as popular than b. so popular that c. as popular as

5. Which is correct?

a. He’s probably lost her number.

b. He’s lost her number, probably.

c. He’s lost probably her number.

6. Which is correct?

a. I didn’t do that if I were you.

b. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

c. I wouldn’t do that if I be you.

7. If I were rich, I ................ buy a house on the beach.

a. Will b. would c. should

8. I have not got ................ lemon juice for the lemon pie!

a. little b. too much c. enough

9. We ................ the children to the zoo tomorrow.

a. taking b. are taking c. have taken

10.The whole park ................ by the fire last night.

a. destroyed b. is destroyed c. was destroyed

b. Read the text below and CHOOSE the right word for each space. There is an

example at the beginning.

Easter Island

Easter Island is a small triangle of rock situated in the Pacific Ocean. It’s about

2,000 miles (0) ……………… the nearest city. Easter Island is (1) ……………… for its

statues. Hundreds of these huge, stone faces can be (2) ……………… all over the

island. Who made them? How (3) ……………… they move these giant pieces of

rock? What happened (4) ……………… the people who lived there? Studies show

that people (5) ……………… arrived on the island about 1600 years ago. They had

a very advanced culture. They made many objects and they had their (6)

……………… written language. However, the number of people on the island grew

and grew (7) ……………… it reached about 10,000 people. Soon there were too

many people and there wasn’t (8) ……………… food to eat. A terrible war started

and (9) ……………… of the statues were broken. When western explorers (10)

……………… the island on Easter Day in 1722, the huge rock statues were the

only sign that a great society had once lived there.



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(0) for from on by

(1) interested interestingly interesting uninteresting

(2) looked located found situated

(3) have were had did

(4) to with about for

(5) once first just already

(6) only own clever self

(7) so until although because

(8) many some too enough

(9) many few lot enough

(10) invented discovered sailed came

Part 2: Write a text on ONE (1) of the following topics (100-130 words)

1. You are on holiday in Scotland. It is very cold and wet, and the weather forecast says it will get worse. The food at your hotel is terrible, the rooms are

not clean, and you have some health problems, too.

A friend of yours wants to come to the same hotel later. WRITE AN E-MAIL to your friend (100 to 130 words), explain him/her your problems and advise him

to choose another holiday.

2. Read this task and express your OPINION.

You have done some research and found that today’s teenagers have an easier life compared to their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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B3. Part 1

a. Finish the second sentence so that it means the same as the first one:

1. We played badly and we lost the game.

We ……………………………………………………………………… if we’d played a little better. 2. ‘Where’s John? Why isn’t he at the meeting?’

He ……………………………………………………………………… the message. 3. I asked Mary to help me decorate the living room.

I asked Mary if …………………………………………………………… decorate the living room.

4. Nobody will know the result of the election until late tonight.

The result of the election ……………………………………………………………………….

5. I won’t do the job if I don’t get paid.

Unless ……………………………………………………………………… I won’t do the job.

6. Why don’t we go to the cinema tonight?

Tommy suggested ……………………………………………………………………….

7. I hurt my head when I crashed the car because I wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

If ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. Are they coming to the party?

Do you know whether ………………………………………………………………………………………….

9. She was very proud, but she apologized.

Despite ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

10. Last night we had rice for dinner. It was very good.

The rice ………………………………………………………………………………… was very good.

b. Decide what to say in these situations and WRITE SENTENCES. Use the function in brackets to help you:

a. You are a teacher and one of your students is about to light a cigarette in class. (express prohibition)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b. You think a famous actress is about 50 years old, not 35 as one of your friends thinks. (make deductions)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

c. You have received an invitation to a party, but you have already told your sister you are going to baby-sit for her that day. (refuse the invitation)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

d. Your friend Susan can’t decide how to dress for a job interview. (make a suggestion)



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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

e. You were expecting your boyfriend at 6 but he arrived an hour late.

(express criticism) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

c. Read the text below and CHOOSE the correct option to fill in the blanks.

The bus left me and my large suitcase standing near a small hotel on the main road,

and (1) ……………. into the English countryside. I put my hand into my pocket to get the

piece of paper on which I (2) ……………. down how to get to John’s house, but discovered

it was not there. I had left it in the pocket of my other suit. (3) ……………., I thought that

I could remember what John had told me, so I set out, walking in the direction from

which I had come in the bus. (4) ……………. my suitcase in one hand and my raincoat in

the other, as it was one of those days when it is very likely to rain. Unfortunately, my

friend John knew the way to his house so well that he did not realize he ought to give a

stranger (5) ……………. instructions on how to get there. So here I was, walking along in

exactly (6) ……………. to the one that led to his house. The problem was that there were

two hotels (7) ……………. the bus stopped; I should have got off at the second hotel. Now

I was lost, and I was feeling very tired.

1. a. went on his way b. went on its way c. came on its way

2. a. had written b. wrote c. have written

3. a. Although b. However c. As long as

4. a. I am carrying b. I had carried c. I was carrying

5. a. very careful b. very carefully c. very careless

6. a. the right direction b. the wrong direction c. the opposite direction

7. a. at which b. on which c. at where

Part 2: Write a text on ONE (1) of the following topics (140-180 words)

1. You have attended a panel discussion at your school on what methods

governments should use to discourage the use of private cars in the centre of

your city. You have made the notes below:

- make businesses in the city centre pay parking taxes if their employees

park their cars in that area

- improve the public transport system

- make people understand how much better pedestrianized city centres are

WRITE AN ESSAY to publish in the school newspaper, discussing the methods

in your notes and other ideas. You should explain which method/s you think

is/are more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support

your opinion. Use your own words as far as possible.

2. You work for the city council in Santa Rosa and are developing a project to

encourage environmentally-friendly tourism in our area. You and your

colleagues know that tourism is an important part of the economy. However, it



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can be extremely harmful for the environment. WRITE A LETTER to the Tourist

Office showing in which ways tourism can develop without damaging the

environment. Consider the following aspects:

- Type of transport

- Construction of hotels and other facilities using environmentally friendly

materials: solar panels / water-saving technology / etc.

- Wildlife habitats / Nature reserves can be endangered by mass tourism.

.………………………………………………………………………………………………...

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NIVEL B - ACTIVIDADES DE COMPRENSIÓN AUDITIVA

B1

Part 1: Education

Listen to Part 1 of an interview with Jess about her school life. CHOOSE the correct

answer:

1. Jess goes to a private / state school.

2. It’s a mixed-sex / single-sex school.

3. She is studying ten / eleven subjects for GSCE.

4. Students normally take three / five A-levels.

5. There are / aren’t any compulsory subjects for A-levels.

Part 2: Listen to Part 2 of the interview and match the subjects 1-5, with the

statements a-e:

1. English language, English literature, Maths, the three sciences and ICT

2. Drama and Art

3. Latin

4. Design and Technology

5. Cookery

a. Jess was terrible at this.

b. Her brother dropped this after an accident.

c. These subjects are compulsory for GCSE.

d. Jess really likes this subject.

e. She doesn’t think this subject is useful.

Part 3: Listen to Part 3 of the interview with Jess and answer these questions:

1. What does Jess want to study?

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Which career is she interested in?

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. What does she want to do before she goes to university?

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

(Adapted from Real Life Pre - Intermediate, Student’s Book, page 28)



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B2

Part 1: Eating around the clock

You are going to listen to information about British people eating habits.

1. Say whether the following statements are T (true) or F (false).

a. Breakfast time is usually from 7 to 10 a.m.

b. Most British people only have cereal and tea for breakfast.

c. Sandwiches are very popular in Great Britain.

d. A traditional English tea includes much more than a cup of tea.

e. The British always prepare a home-made dinner and eat together.

2. For sentences 1 – 7, choose the correct answer A, B or C:

1. Somerset Maugham

A. ate three breakfasts every day

B. thought breakfast was the best meal in England

C. ate a very big breakfast every day

2. Most people in Britain

A. have breakfast in a hotel.

B. don’t have time for a ‘full’ breakfast.

C. don’t eat breakfast.

3. At around 11.00 in the UK,

A. schools and offices close.

B. people eat eleven kilos of biscuits.

C. people often have a snack.

4. At lunchtime, people do not usually

A. have a packed lunch.

B. have lunch with their families.

C. have a sandwich.

5. At 5.00 younger children often

A. eat sandwiches and cakes.

B. eat without their parents.

C. have tea in a hotel.

6. Many British families

A. don't eat together very often.

B. eat a takeaway once a month.

C. don't eat ready meals from the supermarket.

7. Many people say that

A. curry is more ‘typical’ than fish and chips in Britain.

B. curry is nicer than fish and chips.

C. there are too many Chinese and Indian takeaways.

(Taken from Real Life Pre - Intermediate, Student’s Book, page 40)



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B3

Part 1: Climate refugees

A – Listen to Part 1 of a radio programme about the Carteret Islands.

Write 1 next to the things below that the report mentions.

B – Listen to Part 2 of a radio programme about the New Orleans.

Write 2 next to the things that the report mentions.

Part 2: Listen to the COMPLETE radio programme again. Mark the following

statements as TRUE or FALSE

a. The Carterer islanders have damaged their environment, so they have to

leave. T / F

b. The islanders cannot feed themselves properly. T / F

c. Soon it will be impossible to live on the islands. T / F

d. Most people who left New Orleans in 2005 have now returned. T / F

e. Bill wanted to return to New Orleans but he could not afford to. T / F

f. Scientists don’t think Hurricane Katrina happened because of global warming.

T / F

(Adapted from Real Life Pre - Intermediate, Course Book, page 78)

Part 3: Gomuls, Whales and Fire on the Mountain Top

You are going to listen to information about the Itelmen people of Kamchatka. Complete the following sentences:

1. Kamchatka alone has more than ………………… volcanoes, and about

……………… of them are still active today. It is a remote place, more than

……………… kilometers from Moscow.

2. For thousands of years, they have lived from ………………… and picking

berries and mushrooms in the ……………… Traditionally, they used to

believe there were spirits in everything: animals, ………………… and rivers.

3. They hunt whales there, using their ………………… as spears. With a whale

on each finger, they then return to the ……………… ……………… where they

light fires to ……………… and eat the food they have caught.

(Adapted from Real Life Pre - Intermediate, Course Book, page 83)

mosquitoes and malaria 29th August 2005 rising sea levels

a thousand people sick children high temperatures salty water

relatives who died expensive insurance help from government

nivel b - actividades de lecto-comprensiÓn b1

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