Progress Test

PART I: LISTENING
Section 1. Complete the form below. Write ONE WORD AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Rented properties customer’s requirements
Name: Steven Godfrey
Example: Answer:
No. of bedrooms: Four
Preferred location: In the ……………………..(1) area of town
Maximum monthly rent: £ ……………………..(2)
Length of let required: ……………………….(3)
Starting: September 1st
Complete the table below. Write ONE WORD AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Address Rooms Monthly rent Problem
Oakington Avenue Living/dining room, £ 550 No ……………(4)
separate kitchen
Mead Street Large living room and £ 580 The ……………(5) is too
kitchen, bathroom and a large
cloakroom
Section 2. Choose the correct answer
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
1. Paul decided to get work experience in South America because he wanted
A to teach English there B to improve his Spanish
C to learn about Latin American life D to improve his English
2. What project work did Paul originally intend to get involved in?
A construction B agriculture C tourism D architecture
3. Why did Paul change from one project to another?
A his first job was not well organized B he found doing the routine work very boring
C the work was too physically demanding D his first job was boring
4. In the village community, he learnt how important it was to
A respect family life B develop trust
C use money wisely D spend time with neighbors
5. What does Paul say about his project manager?
A he let Paul do most of the work B his plans were too ambitious
C he was very supportive of Paul D he was too ambitious
Section 3. Listen to the conversation between Sasha and Jim, then complete the True/False exercise below.
1. Sasha is currently unemployed.
T/F _______
2. Jim understands now why Sasha had problems in her previous apartment.

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 T/F _______
3. The problem with the television is that Sasha has sometimes forgotten to turn the TV off.
T/F _______
4. Sasha didn’t know that Jim used the lights in the apartment as an anti-crime measure.
T/F _______
5. Sasha never realized the different cleaner was causing a problem in the shower.
T/F _______
Section 4. You will hear an announcement about an evening’s program on Radio Pearl. Complete the
sentences with no more than 3 words.
- 7.30pm ‘Art Review’: Student Art Exhibition
This evening’s programme is taking place at the …………………………(1) in London. The exhibition is of work
by students in the …………………………(2) year of their art course. At the exhibition, you can see things as
different as curtains and ……..…………… (3). Some of the works of art have been made using ………………(4)
technology.
- 8.00pm Play ‘The Vanishing Lady’
In the play, a young couple on a train think they hear the sound of someone using a ………………………… (5). A
………………………… (6) tells the couple about an old lady whom he has seen. After writing this play, the
author, Porten, became a writer for ………………………… (7).
- 9.30pm ‘Business Scenes’: Interview with Peter Field
Peter used to work for a ………………………… (8). Peter says the material he uses for his boats is a particular
kind of ………………………… (9). Peter collects ………….…………… (10) as a hobby.
PART II – VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR
Section 1. Choose the best answer.
1. My friend eventually decided to quit her job, _______ upset me a lot
A. that B. what C. which D. who
2. Sales began the year at 30,000 units in January and increased slightly ________ 2,000 units in February.
A. by B. to C. in D. at
3. John: “Our teacher, Mr. Jones, is not very flexible. He always requires us to submit his assignments on time.”
Jack: “ _________. He should know that we have to learn many subjects.”
A. I can’t disagree with you more B. I can’t agree with you more
C. That can be true D. I am not with you here
4. _____ Mississippi River flows into _____ Gulf of Mexico in _______ state of Louisiana.
A. - / the / the B. The / the / the C. The / - / - D. - / - / -
5. You _______ then ; otherwise , the policeman wouldn’t have stopped you .
A. could have been speeding B. must have been speeding
C. might have been speeding D. ought to have been speeding
6. We cannot judge a person simply on the ______ of his education.
A. theory B. condition C. basis D. principle
7. The number of learners not large; therefore, a number of headphones ______ available to them in
the lab

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A. are - is B. is - are C. are - are D. is – is
8. He apologized me not having come to my birthday party
A. to – for B. Ø – for C. to - on D. with – for
9. When friends insist on ______ expensive gifts, it makes most people uncomfortable.
A. them to accept B. they accepting C. their accepting D. they accept
10. By the time Brown’s daughter graduates, __________ retired.
A. he B. he has C. he’ll being D. he’ll have
11. The ________ are against her winning a fourth consecutive gold medal.
A. chances B. bets C. prospects D. odds
12. References can have a considerable _______ on employment prospects.
A. cause B. decision C. weight D. bearing
13. Her performance in the last scene was quite ________.
A. describable B. remarkable C. notable D. noticeable
14. You should be _________ ashamed of yourself for what you have done.
A. thoroughly B. hopelessly C. entirely D. earnestly
15. Hardship and hard work are very much part and ________ of student life.
A. package B. section C. province D. parcel
16. You’ll be glad to know that Yuki’s work is showing a ___________ improvement.
A. mediocre B. minimal C. prominent D. pronounced
17. Far be it from me to _________ down the law, but I think we need to pull our socks up.
A. put B. lay C. write D. set
18. The prospects of picking up any survivors are now __________.
A. thin B. narrow C. slim D. restricted
19. I think that Tolstoy should be ________ reading for anyone interested in literature.
A. necessary B. compelled C. required D. legal
20. Hopes are _______ of finding the missing boat.
A. darkening B. going C. fading D. draining
Section 2 - Most but not all of the following lines contain one unnecessary word. Underline the word that is
not needed.
01. Parents in Britain are required by law to see that their children receive full-time
02. education between the ages of 5 and 16. At present, there are about nine million
03. school-children at about 40,000 schools. The number is increasing, mainly because of
04. some increase in the birth rate, and such primary school numbers are very high.
05. Although the birth-rate has now stabilised, each year more of children stay
06. on at school from beyond the minimum leaving age. There is, therefore, a
07. continuing need for more teachers and more school buildings. In England, Wales and
08. Northern Ireland, it is usual for boys and girls to be taught all together in primary schools:
09. that is, up to the age of 11, but about half the secondary schools are for boys and girls only.
10. Although mixed schools are more common in Wales and Scotland, where all but a few city
11. schools take both boys and girls. As to a result of the reorganisation of schools, and the

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12. introduction of comprehensive education, much more children are attending co-educational
13. establishments. While in the independent sector, more than half the schools are
14. co-educational; but of those that providing secondary education, the majority are either for
15. boys or girls. These independent schools does receive no grants from public funds,
16. and charge fees. They are of two types: the preparatory schools and the public schools.
Section 3. Complete the sentence with suitable preposition.
1. I'm tired and stressed and the kids have been acting ____________ all day. They don't seem to know how to
behave properly.
2. I met Harold in the supermarket. He was asking ______________ you and I said you were fine and really happy
about this new job you've got.
3. I'll ask your boss ______________ for dinner tonight if he isn't busy. It will make a good impression, don't you
think?
4. If your boss accuses you of missing yesterday's meeting on purpose, I will back you __________ by saying you
had to do something for me.
5. I can hardly read this document. Go and blow it ________ so it is at least twice the size.
6. These statistics are too confusing. We need to break them___________ into the four different seasons of the year
for a clearer picture.
7. If someone phones me while I am in the meeting, I will have to break ____________ for a few minutes as I am
expecting a really important call.
8. After the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian empire was broken __________ into several pieces.
9. Sales are up 10% on this period last year. We need to build __________ that if we are to save this company.
10. When I told her about her mother's illness being incurable, she broke _________ tears.
Section 4. Word form
Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the same
line.
Photography has many forms and ……………….(1). Of all of them, the APPLY
practice of taking pictures of earth from the air has had the most value for
geographers……………….(2). WORLD
Photography was still in its……………….(3) when, in 1858, French artist INFANT
Felix Tournachon took the first aerial photograph from a hot-air balloon. From
these crude ……………….(4), aerial photographs have been taken from BEGIN
…………….(5) higher vantage points and now cameras on satellites can INCEASE
capture images of earth from space.
This would have been…………….(6) in 1858. Today, such images IMAGINE
provide a wealth of detailed information and ……………….…….(7) they have CONSEQUENCE

made an enormous contribution to our understanding of the Earth’s

atmosphere and weather patterns. They are also invaluable to
……………(8) and ARCHAEOLOGY
those monitoring urban……………….(9). EXPAND

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Although aerial photographs and maps both present a bird’s eye view of the
Earth’s surface, they are valuable in different ways. In terms of
……………….(10), ACCURATE
maps will always provide a more reliable representation of the surface of the Earth. However, aerial photography has
become the more influential as a means of documenting the world’s changing landscape and ecosystems.

PART III. READING COMPREHENSION

Section 1. Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1)_______ human activities are
making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2) _______ on consuming two-thirds of the world's
resources while half of the world's population do so (3) _______ to stay alive we are rapidly destroying the (4)
_______ resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (5) _______
built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover
(6) _______ We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (7)
_______ the planet's ability to support people is being (8) _______at the very time when rising human numbers and
consumption are (9) _______ increasingly heavy demands on it. The Earth's (10) _______ resources are there for
us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to keep us fed, comfortable,
healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the resources they will last indefinitely. But if we use them
wastefully and excessively they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.
1. A. Although B. Still C. Yet D. Despite
2. A. continues B. repeats C. carries D. follows
3. A. already B. just C. for D. entirely
4. A. alone B. individual C. lone D. only
5. A. sooner B. neither C. either D. rather
6. A. quite B. greatly C. utterly D. completely
7. A. development B. result C. reaction D. product
8. A. stopped B. narrowed C. reduced D. cut
9. A. doing B. having C. taking D. making
10. A. natural B. real C. living D. genuine
Section 2. Gap filling
Fill each blank with a suitable word
The Goulburn Valley is situated in the south-east corner of the Australian continent, in the state of Victoria.
Because of the introduction (1) __________ irrigation over a century ago, primary industry flourished, resulting in
(2)___________multitude of orchards and market gardens. After World War II, migrants flocked to the area in
search of work on the farms, and in (3)___________ cases, establishing a property of their own. Unfortunately, the
region (4)___________taken a turn for the worse over the past decade. The irrigation water that was
(5)___________plentiful has now been rationed, and many farmers have been forced (6)___________the land. The
main source of water (7)___________from the Goulburn River, with several reservoirs located along its stretch to
the mighty Murray River. Dam capacities have fallen to dangerous levels, resulting in some farmers having an

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inadequate supply of irrigation water. (8)___________ the recent hardships, some farmers have continued to eke an
existence out of the land. Many have become (9)_________ ingenious, devising new ways to utilize water plus
finding special niches to service the ever-changing urban needs. Perhaps the Goulburn Valley can return to its
prosperous times (10)_________.
Section 3. Read the following passage, and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the
correct answer to each question.
A survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, which provides
information concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known surveys are
the Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during campaigns presidential
knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in the United States.
North Americans are familiar with the many "person on the street” interviews on local television
news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not necessarily an accurate
indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only those people who appear at a
certain location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or
factory workers, depending on which area the news-people select. Second, television interviews tend
to attract outgoing people who are willing to appear on the air, while they frighten away others who
may feel intimidated by a camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it
is to genuinely reflect a broad range of the population.
In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording of questions.
An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to understand it. It must also
be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting the results. Even questions that are
less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit the type of information desired. Surveys
can be indispensable sources of information, but only if the sampling is done properly and the
questions are worded accurately.
There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these forms of
survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate because people
find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than to throw away a written
questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written questions and probe for a subject's
underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires have the advantage of being cheaper and
more consistent.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The history of surveys in North America
B. The principles of conducting surveys
C Problems associated with interpreting surveys
D. The importance of polls in American political life
2. The word "they" in line 9 refers to_______.
A. North Americans B. news shows C. interviews D. opinions
3. According to the passage, the main disadvantage of person-on-the-street interviews is that they ……
A. are not based on a representative sampling

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B. are used only on television
C. are not carefully worded
D. reflect political opinions
4. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
A. Survey B. Public opinion
C. Representative sampling D. Response rate
5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is most important for an effective survey?
A. A high number of respondents
B. Carefully worded questions
C. An interviewer's ability to measure respondents' feelings
D. A sociologist who is able to interpret the results
6. The word "exercise" is closest in meaning to_______.
A. utilize B. consider C. design D. defend
7. The word "elicit" is closest in meaning to_______.
A. compose B. rule out C. predict D. bring out
8. It can be inferred from the passage that one reason that sociologists may become frustrated with questionnaires is
that_______.
A. respondents often do not complete and return questionnaires
B. questionnaires are often difficult to read
C. questionnaires are expensive and difficult to distribute
D. respondents are too eager to supplement questions with their own opinions
9. According to the passage, one advantage of live interviews over questionnaires is that live interviews_______.
A. cost less B. can produce more information
C. are easier to interpret D. minimize the influence of the researcher
10. The word "probe" is closest in meaning to_______.
A. explore B. influence C. analyze D. apply
Section 4. Read the text carefully and then choose the correct answers.
IS TECHNOLOGY HARMING OUR CHILDREN’S HEALTH?
Technology is moving at such a breakneck speed that it is enough to make your head spin. It can be
difficult to keep up. However, with each new technological marvel come consequences. Much of the research
conducted has shown the extent of the damage being done to our health by technology. It is a scary thought, and
with teenagers and children being heavy consumers and users of these gadgets, they run the risk of being harmed
the most.
The digital revolution in music has enabled people to download, store and listen to songs on a tiny, portable
device called an MP3 player. The process is quick and afterwards you can have access to a library of thousands of
songs that can fit into your palm. But experts say that continuously listening to loud music on these small music
players can permanently damage hair cells in the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss. For instance, old-fashioned
headphones have been replaced with smaller ones that fit neatly into the ear, instead of over them, which intensifies
the sound. In addition to that, digital music does not distort and keeps its crystal clear sound, even on loud settings,
which encourages children to crank up the volume. Combine that with the fact that many children will spend hours

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listening to their iPods, and you have the recipe for hearing loss. Put into further perspective, most MP3 players can
reach levels of 120 decibels, which is louder than a chainsaw or lawnmover. When you consider 85 decibels is the
maximum safe decibel level set by hearing experts over the course of a working day, and that children will listen to
music at higher decibel levels than that for long periods of time, hearing will invariably suffer.
Apart from hearing damage, there are other serious health risks. We are living in a wireless age. Calls can
be made and received on mobiles from anywhere and the internet can be accessed without the need for cables. The
advantages are enormous, bringing ease and convenience to our lives. It is clear that mobiles and wireless
technology are here to stay but we are paying the price for the new technology? Studies have shown that the rapid
expansion in the use of wireless technology has brought with it a new form of radiation called ‘electropollution’.
Compared to two generations ago, we are exposed to 100 million times more radiation. The human body
consists of trillions of cells which use faint electromagnetic signals to communicate with each other, so that the
necessary biological and physiological changes can happen. It is a delicate, natural balance. But this balance is
being upset by the constant exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that we face in our daily lives and it is
playing havoc with our bodies. EMR can disrupt and alter the way in which our cells communicate and this can
result in abnormal cell behaviour. Some studies have shown that exposure to wireless technology can affect our
enzyme production, immune systems, nervous system and even our moods and behaviour. The most dangerous part
of the phone is around the antenna. This area emits extremely potent radiation which has been shown to cause
genetic damage and an increase in the risk of cancer.
Research shows that teenagers and young adults are the largest group of mobile phone users. According to
a recent Eurobarometer survey, 70 percent of Europeans aged 12-13 own a mobile phone and the number of
children five to nine years old owning mobiles has greatly increased over the years. Children are especially
vulnerable because their brain and nervous systems are not as immune to attack as adults. Sir William Stewart,
chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board, says there is mounting evidence to prove the harmful
effects of wireless technologies and that families should monitor their children’s use of them.
Besides the physical and biological, technology can also have serious mental implications for children. It
can be the cause of severe, addictive behaviour. In one case, two children had to be admitted into a mental health
clinic in Northern Spain because of their addiction to mobile phones. An average of six hours a day would be spent
talking, texting and playing games on their phones. The children could not be separated from their phones and
showed disturbed behaviour that was making them fail at school. They regularly deceived family members to
obtain money to buy phone cards to fund their destructive habit. There have been other cases of phone addiction
like this.
Technology may also be changing our brain patterns. Professor Greenfield, a top specialist in brain
development, says that, thanks to technology, teenage minds are developing differently from those of previous
generations. Her main concern is over computer games. She claims that living in a virtual world where actions are
rewarded without needing to think about the moral implications makes young people “lose awareness of who they
are”. She claims that technology brings a decline in linguistic creativity.
As technology keeps moving at a rapid pace and everyone clamours for the new must-have gadget of the
moment, we cannot easily perceive the long-term effects on our health. Unfortunately, it is the most vulnerable
members of our society that will be affected.

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Questions 1-5. Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER
from the passage for each answer.
How MP3 players can threaten health
MP3 player features Harmful results Effects
Problem new…………………….…………(1) fit creates intense sound
A inside ears
Problem ……………..…………….……(2) is invites children to increase
B distortion-free with clear quality sound ……….…………………(3) damage to hair cells
Problem capable of producing sound at as loud as a lawnmower or and loss of hearing
C …………………….……………(4) chainsaw – over recommended
safe
…….……………………(5)
Questions 6-10. Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the passage?
Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer’s views
NO if the statement contradicts the writer’s views
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
6. There are considerable benefits to our wireless world. ___________
7. Wireless technology is a permanent part of our lives. ___________
8. Exposure to EMR can lead to criminal behaviour. ___________
9. It is impossible to become obsessed with technology. ___________
10. Using technology always helps with academic success. ___________
PART IV: WRITING
Section 1.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one
1. I took no notice of the man standing at the gate.
I_______________________________________________ the man standing at the gate.
2. This hotel is inaccessible in winter.
It ________________________________________________this hotel in winter.
3. The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it not ___________________________________________ a famous film star, the party would not have been
a success.
4. Freak weather conditions resulted in the hurricane which devastated the area.
The hurricane which devastated the area _______________________________________ freak weather conditions.
5. He discontinues his studies because he is poor.
His________________________________________________ his studies.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one using between 3 and 6 words
including the word given.
1. Would you give us your answer as soon as possible. CONVENIENCE
Please respond .........................................
2. It's one thing to think there's a demand for your product and another to actually make a sale. WORLD

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There's .......................................................... between thinking there's a demand for your product and actually
making a sale.
3. I'm so sorry, I didn't realise it was so late. TRACK
Sorry, I ............................................................................ time.
4. The anti-smoking advertisement does not stop people from smoking INEFFECTIVE
The anti-smoking advertisement is………………………………………..…. people from smoking.
5. There is a possibility that you may be able to get a grant ELIGIBLE
We are pleased…………………………………………………………. a grant

Violence is increasing at an alarming rate in many schools. In what ways can this problem be
overcome? You should write at least 200 words. (20 pts.)
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THE END
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