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8/9/2019 StudentMaterialfce-324

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First Certificate in English

STUDENT MATERIAL

www.bspelling.com


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902 57 52 [email protected]

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# SECTION B - SPEAKING


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# SECTION C READING

READING

ASundance by Teresa Wilson

Kerry:

I really don't know why this book is so popular. I mean, I suppose it is going to appeal toyoung girls who want danger and romance, but I found this book really tedious. For a

start, the characters were really unconvincing. The author went out of her way to add

lots of details about the characters, but I found these details really pointless. I thought

that some of the facts she presented about the main characters would become

significant in some way later in the novel, but they didn't.

They were just worthless bits of information. I also was disappointed that, although this

book is meant to be about kids at high school, the writer seems to have no recollection

at all about what it's like to be 17. The main character thought and acted like a 32-year

old. It just wasn't believable. I'm not saying Teresa Wilson is a bad writer. She can

obviously string words together and come up with a story that is appealing to a largenumber of people, but she lacks anything original. There is no flair. It just uses the same

sort of language as you can see in many other mediocre novels.

BWild Ways by Margery Emerson

Liz:

I have to say that I won't forget this book for a long time. I was hooked from the very first

chapter. The devastating story affected me so much that I don't know if I'll ever feel the

same again. I was close to tears on several occasions. I've got images in my brain now

that I don't think will ever leave me. It's incredibly well-researched and, although it is

fiction, is based on shocking real-life events.

I learned an awful lot about things that went on that I never knew before. Margaret

Emerson has a brilliant way with words and I really felt real empathy towards the

characters, although I was sometimes irritated by the choices they made. However, the

parallel story, the part that is set in the present, is not quite so good. I found myself just

flicking through that part so that I could get back to 1940s Paris.


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COrchid by Henry Rathbone

Imogen:

This is a delightful novel full of wonderful imagery, it paints a remarkable picture of life in

a distant time and a far-away place. If you're looking to learn about Eastern culture in

great detail, then this is probably not the book for you, as the writer skims over most of

the more complicated aspects of the country's etiquette.

The historical aspects are also not covered in much depth. However, I wonder whether

this was the writer's intention. By doing this, he symbolized the superficiality of the girl's

life. She, like the book, is beautiful and eager to please, but remains too distant from us,the readers, to teach us much. Although I loved the book and read it in one sitting, the

ending was a bit of a disappointment. A story which involves so much turmoil, in a place

where the future is uncertain, should not have a happy-ever-after fairy-tale ending.

DHigh Hills by Mary Holland

Hannah:

I read this book for a literature class. I know it's a classic, and I did try to like it, but I just

didn't get into it. I kept persevering, hoping that I'd start to enjoy it, but no such luck. The

famous scene out on the moors was definitely the best bit of the book, but even that I

found ridiculous when it is clearly supposed to be passionate.

As I approached the end of the book, I figured there must be some kind of moral to the

story, something that I would learn from the experience of trudging through seven

hundred long pages, but there was nothing worthwhile. I don't know why the literary

world sees this book as such a masterpiece. The characters are portrayed as being

intelligent, but they do such stupid things! And as for it being a love story - marrying

someone you don't love and then being abused by them - that doesn't spell love to me.


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QUESTIONS ABOUT READING

Which person A, B, C, D read a book which:

was set in an Oriental country

finished in an unrealistic way

had characters that the reader could sympathize with

is well-known and was written a long time ago

contained two stories

was not set in the past

was historically accurate

made the reader cry

contained insignificant details

has a well-known scene

is written for teenagers

had unbelievable characters

is classed as romantic fiction

contains nothing new in the way of writing

has an attractive but shallow heroine


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# SECTION D SE O! ENG"IS

EXERCISE 1 Complete the text with the correct form of words

EXERCISE 2

1. I had a friend at college who was very gifted with languages. She ________

speak four or five!

was able to

was able

was too able


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2. Can I ask you for _______ information about the conference?

pieces of

some

Many

3. I heard the police __________ dozens of people before they made an arrest.

were interviewed

had interviewed

have been interviewing

4. Did you see ___ moon last night?

-

a

the

5. Paris has some great museums _____ you can see the impressionist painters.

which

where

that

6. You must drive _______ we still have time.

patient

Patiently

Patiency


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7. What did you _______ do in your last employment?

would

use to

used to

8. You ________ show photo identification at the check-in.

shouldn't

must

don't have to


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# SECTION E "ISTENING

LISTENING

The influence of the Internet has caused a change in the way we shop, communicate,

and learn.

Prior to the Internet, everyday tasks such as banking, paying bills, and shopping took

time outside the home. With the Internet, online banking allows people to keep their

personal finances on track twenty-four hours a day. While this is nothing new, banks didoffer phone services to do the same functions, the fact that online banking can now be

combined with online bill paying, late payments are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Even online shopping can save time and energy.

Shopping for the latest trends in clothes? Hop on line and pick outfits from your favorite

stores. No more going to the mall, finding a parking space, then not being able to find

your size. Online shopping gives more options and real-time inventory of items. A mall

store may have limited space to display all the trends, but an online store is only limited

by the size of their imagination. Online shopping has even progressed into the

supermarket realm. Sit at home on a Thursday evening and order food for your

Saturday backyard bar-ba-que for delivery on Saturday morning. No more pushing a

cart around a big box store, and lugging heavy plastic bags to you car. Door to door

delivery of groceries means you never have to go to the store again.

$ESTIONS ABOT "ISTENING

1. What are the main changes the use of the Internet has produced?

2. What activities are considered from the past?

3. What are the advantages of online shopping?

4. What does door-to-door delivery of groceries mean?


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# SECTION ! %RITING

Exeter has a comprehensive selection of sports and leisure facilities. These include

sports centers, running tracks, indoor bowling greens, a golf course and a driving range

as well as swimming pools, sports pitches and an artificial turf pitch. Tennis courts are

available in many of the public parks, and are free to use.

The main swimming pool in Exeter has recently been renovated and is now veryattractive. A fitness center and sauna are also available. There is an open-air swimming

pool for use in the summer months.

The local countryside provides the perfect opportunity for horse-riding, which needs to

be booked in advance. There are many lovely walks on the nearby

hills.

Cycling in Exeter is popular both as a recreational activity and as a convenient way of

getting to work or the shops .


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# SECTION G SO"TIONS

READING

E&ERCISE '

was set in an Oriental country C

finished in an unrealistic way C

had characters that the reader could sympathize with B

is well-known and was written a long time ago D

contained two stories B

was not set in the past A

was historically accurate B

made the reader cry B

contained insignificant details A


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has a well-known scene D

is written for teenagers A

had unbelievable characters A

is classed as romantic fiction D

contains nothing new in the way of writing A

has an attractive but shallow heroine C

SE O! ENG"IS

E&ERCISES '

Traditionally, Australia was famous for producing wheat and wool, but times have

changed in recentyears, with many farmers electingto be more diverse in their crop

and livestock range. It is now quite common to see farms with more exotic fruit and

vegetables. Farmers are unlikely to sell their produce locally nowadays, but rather tothe factories in the cities. As a result, farms are now large-scale producers where

thousands of tonnes of crops are cultivated.

Another aspect that is different nowadays is irrigation. In the past, farmers would just

flood the fields but now it is common to see sprinklersystems everywhere. This means

that more water is conserved, which has been helpful with the drought that has severely

impacted the majorityof the farms in the southernstates of the country. Hopefully, thecreativitythe farmers have shown in recent times will continue.


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E&ERCISES (

1. I had a friend at college who was very gifted with languages. She ________ speakfour or five!

was able to was able was too able

2. Can I ask you for _______ information about the conference?

pieces of some many

3. I heard the police __________ dozens of people before they made an arrest.

were interviewed had interviewed have been interviewing

4. Did you see ___ moon last night?

- a the

5. Paris has some great museums _____ you can see the impressionist painters.

which where that

6. You must drive _______ we still have time.

patien patiently patiency

7. What did you _______ do in your last employment?

would use to used to


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8. You ________ show photo identification at the check-in.

shouldn't must don't have to

"ISTENING

- What are the main changes the use of the Internet has produced?

Internet has caused a change in the way we shop, communicate, and learn.

- What activities are considered from the past?

Late payments

- What are the advantages of online shopping?

Online shopping gives more options and real-time inventory of items.

- What does door-to-door delivery of groceries mean?

Means you never have to go to the store again.

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