Listening Comprehension Text
for 9th form
In
America, we celebrate many holidays during the year. I will tell you about three
of my favorite
holidays, when they occur, why they are important and how
we celebrate
them. These three holidays are the Fourth
of July, Halloween,
and Thanksgiving.
On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the
birthday of the United States. This
holiday
is not only called the Fourth of July, but also Independence Day. On July 4, 1776,
the people of the American
colonies declared their independence from England. Many people, including George Washington,
helped the early Americans gain their
freedom and independence. Today, Americans celebrate the Fourth of July
in
different ways. Many families gather
to enjoy a special meal outdoors in the warm
weather. Some families go to the beach to relax. Some families watch sports such as
baseball.
And all over America, people watch a beautiful show of fireworks.
Another one of my favourite holidays is
Halloween. We celebrate Halloween on the
31st of October. Children all
over America love Halloween. They dress
up in
costumes, looking like ghosts and witches. They ask people for candy and other
sweet
things to eat. They go to parties and
try to scare one another. Even adults
love
Halloween, because it is a time to dress in costume and pretend to be
someone else.
My third favourite holiday is
Thanksgiving. We celebrate Thanksgiving
on the last
Thursday in November.
Children do not go to school and adults do not go to work on
this
special day. Early Americans celebrated
Thanksgiving to express their thanks for
the fall harvest. Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving to take time
to be thankful for all
the wonderful things we have, such as family, food, good
health and freedom. On
Thanksgiving,
families gather and enjoy a special meal of turkey, sweet potatoes, and
pumpkin
pie. In New York City, there is a
special parade with music and dancing.
Many Americans watch the Thanksgiving parade on television to make the
day
special. I have been to the parade
and have enjoyed seeing how happy everyone is to
celebrate this special day.
Listening
Comprehension Test For 9th form Students
Directions:
In
this Test you will carefully listen to a text read aloud twice. The text is
followed by 20 tasks. You should do tasks 1 through 10 following the first
reading of the text on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text. The
text will be read a second time and you should do tasks 11 through 20 following
the second reading of the text on the basis of what is stated or implied in the
text. For each task you will choose from four possible answers (A, B, C, or D),
or two symbols (+ or -) as specified prior to each task. Choose the best answer
and mark the letter or symbol of your choice on the Answer Sheet.
Questions 1 through 10 (on your answer
sheet circle + if the statement is true,
- if it is false).
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1
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The Fourth of July is also called Independence Day.
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+
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-
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2
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The American colonies declared their freedom from Spain.
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+
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-
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3
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Many Americans watch sports such as basketball on July 4th.
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+
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-
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4
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The story also discussed Halloween, which falls on October 30th.
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+
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-
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5
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It is customary for children to ask people for flowers on Halloween.
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+
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-
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6
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Both children and adults like dressing up in costume on Halloween.
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+
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-
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7
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The third holiday mentioned, Thanksgiving, occurs in August.
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+
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-
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8
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One of the traditional foods of Thanksgiving is macaroni.
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+
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-
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9
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Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude for good health and
freedom.
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+
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-
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10
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In New York City, there is a big parade every Thanksgiving Day.
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+
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-
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STOP. WAIT FOR THE SECOND READING OF THE TEXT
Questions 11 through 20
(choose the correct letter A, B, C, or D)
11)
All of the
following holidays are mentioned in the passage except:
a) the Fourth of July
b) Christmas
c) Thanksgiving
d) Halloween
12)
The Fourth of July
commemorates:
a) U.S. independence
from Spain
b) U.S. independence
from France
c) U.S. independence
from England
d) U.S. independence
from all foreign powers
13)
The weather on the
Fourth of July is described as:
a) cool
b) hot
c) warm
d) moderate
14)
America declared
its independence in the year:
a) 1876
b) 1772
c) 1676
d) 1776
15)
Halloween is
celebrated on:
a) October 31st
b) October 13th
c) October 30th
d) October 3rd
16)
The speaker
mentions that on Halloween children dress up as:
a) movie stars
b) baseball players
c) ghosts and witches
d) animals
17)
Thanksgiving is
celebrated on:
a) the first Friday in
November
b) the last Thursday
in November
c) the third Thursday
in November
d) the last Tuesday in
November
18)
Early Americans
celebrated Thanksgiving to express thanks for:
a) the winter harvest
b) the fall harvest
c) rainfall
d) peace with their
neighbors
19) The speaker mentions all of the following foods
except:
a) pumpkin pie
b) corn
c) sweet potatoes
d) turkey
20)
In New York City on
Thanksgiving there is a special:
a) football game
b) political
demonstration
c) parade
d) fireworks show
Reading
Comprehension Test for 9th form Students
Directions:
In this Test you
will read four texts. Each text is followed by 5-12 tasks. You should do the
tasks following the text on the basis of what is stated or implied in that
text. For each task you will choose the best possible answer from four possible
answers (A, B, C, or D) or two symbols (+ or -) as specified prior to each
task. Choose the best answer and write down the letter or symbol of your choice
on the answer sheet.
Questions 1 through 8 refer
to Text 1.
Text 1
BLACK AND RARE
WHITE BEARS
Along the coast of British Columbia lives a population
of between 120,000 and
160,000 black bears. Adult male black bears range from
about 130 to 190 centimeters
in length and 60 to 300 kilograms in weight.
The bears are generally vegetarian. Their diet
consists of roots, berries, nuts, fish,
insects and sometimes other animals.
Female black bears become mature at the age of
three and usually give birth to two
or three cubs. Cubs remain with their
mothers for a year and a half. Consequently, the
most often that female black
bears can give birth is every two years. An amazing
fact about black bears is
that they can produce beautiful bears that are white in color!
Except for females with cubs, black bears spend
most of their time alone. During the
breeding season, a male and female may
remain together for several days at a time.
Their life expectancy in their
natural environment is twenty to twenty-five years. The
Canadian Government
realises that these black and white bears are very special. As a
result, some
steps have been taken to protect them. For example, there is a law that
prevents people from hunting the bears.
Questions
(on your answer sheet circle + if the statement is true, - if it is false)
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1.
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Canadian black bears are always vegetarian.
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+
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-
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2.
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Except for mothers with their young, black bears are solitary animals.
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+
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-
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3.
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Canadian black bears can be observed in two different color varieties.
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+
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-
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4.
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An average black bear may measure 160 centimeters in length and 200
kilograms in weight.
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+
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-
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5.
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A black bear is not considered an adult until it is at least ten years
old.
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+
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-
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6.
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Hunting season for black bears occurs every spring.
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+
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-
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7.
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The population of British Columbian black bears along the Pacific
Ocean is approximately 120,000 – 160,000.
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+
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-
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8.
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Most black bears have the same lifespan as most people.
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+
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-
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Questions
9 through 15 refer to Text 2.
Text 2
“So
you think I’m courageous?” she asked.
“Yes,
I do.”
“Perhaps
I am. But that’s because I’ve had some inspiring teachers. I’ll tell you about
one of them. Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer
at Stanford Hospital, I
got to know a little girl named Liza who was suffering
from a rare and serious
disease. Her
only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her
five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the
situation to her
little brother and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his
blood to
his sister. I saw him hesitate for only
a moment before taking a deep breath
and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will
save Liza.”
“As
the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, as
we all
did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile
faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked in a trembling voice, “Will I start to die
right away?”
Being
young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have
to
give her ALL his blood.
“Yes,
I’ve learned courage,” she added, “because I’ve had inspiring teachers.”
Questions
(on your answer sheet circle + if the statement is true, - if it is false)
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9.
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The speaker tells us that she has learned to be brave from the examples
of others.
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+
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-
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10.
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The speaker was at
Stanford Hospital because she was a doctor.
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+
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-
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11.
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A family member is the only person who can save Liza because her
brother has the needed antibodies in his blood.
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+
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-
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12.
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A “transfusion” is probably taking blood from one person and giving it
to another.
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+
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-
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13.
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An “antibody” is probably protection from a disease.
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+
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-
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14.
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The little brother turns pale because Liza has stopped breathing.
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+
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-
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15.
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The speaker learned courage from a five year old.
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+
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-
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Questions
16 through 20 refer to Text 3.
Text 3
Rechargeable
batteries are restoring coral reefs in the tropical island of Vanuatu. The
tiny
Pacific Island of Vanuatu has no main supply of electricity – inhabitants rely
on
batteries for their electrical energy. Batteries are expensive and account
for a large
proportion of most families’ monthly income. They are also
difficult to dispose of as
they release acids and toxic chemicals as they
decompose (decay, rot).
In Vanuatu, most households solved this
problem by dumping used batteries into the
sea. This was severely damaging to
the island’s finest asset (benefit): its coral reefs.
Chemicals seeping from
the sunken batteries were poisoning fish and killing the coral.
Vanuatu’s Marine Protected Area Group
decided to tackle the problem by encouraging
the use of rechargeable batteries.
The “Nguna-Pele” Rechargeable Battery Project
purchased a powerful 600W solar
panel, a battery charger, and 900 rechargeable batteries.
In the tropical
sunshine, this array is capable of recharging around 60 batteries per day.
Charged batteries are rented to the population at a fraction of the cost of new
ones.
The benefits to the coral reef are
already being seen. Dead batteries are no longer
being found within the Marine
Protected Area and the fish populations appear to be
returning.
Questions
(on your answer sheet choose the correct letter A, B, C or D)
|
16. Vanuatu is:
a. a mountain area
b. an island
c. a river
d. a lake area
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17. Vanuatu’s finest
asset is its:
a. working animals
b. beautiful birds
c. rare pigs
d. coral reefs
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18. Vanuatu’s solar
panels:
a. provide cooking
fuels
b. heat their homes
c. provide hot bath
water
d. recharge their
batteries
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|
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19. Vanuatu
inhabitants rely on:
a. electricity
b. coral minerals
c. batteries
d. solar heat
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|
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20. A problem for
Vanuatu was:
a. finding food
b. electrical wires
c. disposing of
batteries
d. marine fish
|
|
Questions 21
through 30 refer to Text 4.
Text 4
Georgian cooking has something in
common with other regional cuisines but is on the
whole unmistakably
distinctive. The ingredients are usually
very fresh (different dishes are
cooked in different seasons), and the recipes
elaborate. Many dishes involve grated
walnuts, garlic, and a range of herbs and spices. West Georgian cooking in particular can
be
quite hot, as it employs the use of a lot of chili.
Georgian cuisine is good news for
vegetarians, as there are many delicious vegetarian
specialties such as lobio
(red or green beans with herbs and spices), pkhali (a spinach or
beetroot paste with walnuts and garlic), aubergines, mushrooms and salad. The table is
usually covered with a great
variety of dishes, some meat, some vegetable, from which you
can take your
choice.
Fish is not eaten much, but there are
many excellent meat dishes. There are
mouthwatering combinations such as lamb with tarragon and wild plums, chicken
with
tomatoes and herbs, lamb stew with aubergines, and tomatoes and turkey or
chicken eaten
cold in a walnut sauce.
Other tasty sauces include the wild plum tkemali and the hot
chili
ajika.
Georgians generally like their food
salty, and many people would say that some of
their cheeses suffer from this,
though sulguni and gudis kveli, two of the more famous
types, deserve their reputation. The
Georgian variety of yoghurt, matsoni, is very good.
Dessert usually means cakes, typically
laden with cream and sugar, and fruit, which
the country has in great
abundance. In the autumn in eastern
Georgia, churchkhela is made
by coating strings of nuts in wine juice
and flour.
People eat at any time of day, and
often the food dished up for breakfast may be
similar to what you get at dinner
(including the wine or vodka if you are a house guest). However, the most typical breakfast fare is bread with cheese,
omelettes, honey and jam.
Questions (on your answer sheet
choose the correct letter A, B, C or D)
|
21. Georgian cooking
is characterized as:
a) simple
b) bland
c) elaborate
d) unimportant to people
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|
22. The use of chili
in many dishes makes them taste:
a) salty
b) hot
c)sweet
d)like chocolate
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|
23.The Georgian diet is characterized as:
a) having great variety
b) very limited
c) using a great
deal of fish
d) using few herbs and spices
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|
24. All of the
following are mentioned as ingredients in Georgian vegetable dishes except:
a) mushrooms
b) aubergines
c) spinach
d) zucchini
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25. Georgian cheeses are sometimes criticized as being too:
a) rich
b) creamy
c) salty
d) soft
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26. Wild plums are an ingredient in:
a) tkemali
b) matsoni
c) ajika
d) pkhali
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|
27. Fruit is characterized as being:
a) in short supply
b) available only in the summer months
c) rarely eaten with cake
d) very plentiful
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28. Meal times among Georgians:
a) Are set by strict tradition
b) Vary from family to family
c) Are not fixed
d) Vary according to region
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29. Wine and vodka may be served:
a) At dinner only
b) At breakfast and dinner
c) At lunch
d) if a house guest asks for
them
|
|
30.Foods eaten at
breakfast may be:
a) similar to foods
eaten for dinner
b) bread, cheese, or
omelettes
c) honey and jam
d) all of the above
|
Writing
Comprehension Test For 9th form Students
Directions:
In this Test you will select from the three tasks
written on the board one which you feel you are most capable to write about.
You will then begin writing your essay on the pages provided. When you are
finished, close your papers, lay down your pen, and wait for us to collect your
test materials.
1. Think about dating.
What does the phrase “to date someone” mean? Where do people go on dates? What
do they do? Why is it important to date someone?
2. In
the 1920s, a family in Florida was digging a hole on their property when they hit
something metal with their shovels. It was a chest filled with 3,700 Spanish
coins dating from the 1740s to the 1760s. The coins were worth around $150,000
USD. If you found $150,000 USD, what would you spend it on?
3.
Every culture has stories. Stories serve different purposes. Some entertain.
Others teach history or help people understand their own culture. In many
cultures, stories are used to teach the difference between right and wrong
behaviours. What kinds of stories are traditional in your culture? Describe a
story that teaches a lesson.
Speaking
Comprehension Test for 9th Form Students
Directions:
In this Test you
will choose from 20 topics to speak about. Each number corresponds to one
topic. The number of your choice is the theme of your oral presentation. Take
about a minute to collect your thoughts before you begin to speak on the topic.
Take a deep breath and begin.
1. Which person has
had the greatest influence on your life?
·
Was this person in your family or outside of your
family?
·
Why was this person influential?
·
What did this person teach you?
2. What is the value
of learning English?
·
Do you think English will be important in your
professional career?
·
Do you think it is important for other reasons?
·
Do you think English should be required of all
students in Ukraine?
3.
A friend is visiting you from
another city and you have only three hours to show him or her your city or
town.
·
Which places would you show your friend?
·
What would you tell your friend about your city or
town?
·
Would you encourage your friend to visit again? Why or why not?
4. An important person
is visiting your school and has only one hour to spend there.
·
What would you show this person at your school?
·
What would you tell this person about your school?
·
What would you like this person to remember about your
school?
5. What makes a person
a good leader?
·
What personal characteristics should a good leader
have?
·
What kinds of ideas should a good leader have?
·
How does a good leader communicate and work with other
people?
6. If you could live
somewhere else in the world for one year, where would you like to live?
·
Would you live in your own country or in a foreign
country?
·
Would you live in a city or country where another
language is spoken?
·
Would you live in a place that is similar to your home
or different?
7. Whom do you most
depend on when you need advice?
·
Do you depend on someone in your family, or someone
outside of your family?
·
Do you ask someone older than you or someone your own
age?
·
Do you usually follow the advice or just listen and then
make your own decisions?
8. What is your
favorite room in your house?
·
Describe the room in as much detail as you can.
·
Why is this room your favorite?
·
What special memories do you have in this room?
9. Who is your
favorite author or poet?
·
Why is this author or poet your favorite?
·
When did you begin reading works by this author or
poet?
·
What are your favorite works of literature by this
author or poet? Why?
10. If you could raise
children anywhere in your country, where would you do so?
·
Would you raise children in a city or in a small town
or village?
·
What things would be important to you and your
children?
·
What would you like to give your children that you did
or did not have when you were a child?
11. Do you think
students should be given more choice over what subjects they study?
·
What would be the advantages of giving students more
choice?
·
What would be the disadvantages of giving students
more choice?
·
If you were given a choice, what subjects would you
study?
12. How much television
should children be allowed to watch each day?
·
Is watching television good for children?
·
What types of programs are good for children?
·
What do children learn from watching television?
·
What problems do children have as a result of watching
television?
13. You have an
opportunity to go anywhere in the world for one month. Where would you go?
·
You may choose more than one place to go to.
·
Why did you choose to go there?
·
Would you go for pleasure, to spend time with someone
you know, or to learn something?
14. What is the biggest
problem in your town or city?
·
How does this problem affect people’s lives?
·
How would you address the problem?
·
How would you ask other people to help you address the
problem?
15. What is your
favorite family tradition, something that is unique to your family?
·
Why does your family follow this special tradition?
·
How did this tradition get started in your family?
·
Would you like to continue this tradition in the
future, when you have a family of your own?
16. How important are
extra-curricular activities?
·
Do they help students learn, or do they take time away
from academic studies?
·
How much time should a student devote to
extra-curricular activities?
·
What is the purpose or value of extra-curricular
activities?
17. You are moving to a
new house and cannot take everything with you.
Choose three things from your childhood that you feel you must take with
you.
·
What items would you take?
·
What is the significance of these items? What memories do they bring up?
·
Be specific and share stories or memories that you
associate with these items.
18. You have just moved
into a new neighborhood and do not know anyone.
·
Who would you try to meet first in order to learn your
way around the neighborhood?
·
How would you try to make friends?
·
How would you try to become part of your new
community?
19. You will be spending
the summer (three months) in a country where you do not already know the
language. You will take language classes
for three hours a day.
·
In addition to classes, how would you go about
learning this new language?
·
What resources would you use to help you learn?
·
How important are listening, speaking and reading to
learning a new language?
20. What do you
consider your best accomplishment?
·
What did you do, and why do you consider it your best
accomplishment?
·
Was it something you did in school or outside of school?
·
What did you learn from this accomplishment?
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