READING COMPREHENSION (1)
Read the text carefully and then choose the best answer to each question.
The day started badly with a family quarrel. It was bad luck that there was a quarrel because it began with good intentions. Robin and Jane woke up before the others and Jane crept out of her bedroom and ran along to Robin's room.
"Let's surprise the others and cook breakfast," she whispered. Robin liked the idea. "And don't let's just have boiled eggs. I'm sick of those. Let's have fried eggs and what's left of the ham," he said.
When they were dressed the two children sneaked down to the kitchen and found the frying pan on the kitchen table.
"What a place to leave it!" said Jane. "And not washed up. Look, there's still cooking in it."
Robin smelt the pan. "The last thing we had was the sausage. This doesn't smell like sausages, but perhaps it changes smell if you leave it a night."
He got the ham out of the larder. Jane fetched the eggs. Robin looked at them thoughtfully.
"We have to break them to fry them."
"I know," Jane agreed. "I've often watched Mummy, she does it on a cup."
Not successfully the eggs were broken into the frying pan and the remains of the ham, cut into four rough slices by Robin, put on top of the eggs.
"Now I'll go and put it on the stove and then we can lay the table," Robin said.
Robin's idea of lighting the stove was to turn the gas up as high as it would go and leave the frying pan sitting on it. As a result, when a few minutes later, the others came down, they saw curls of black smoke coming from the kitchen and there was a smell of burning ham.
sneak- go quietly and secretly
larder- cupboard where food is stored
fetch- go and bring
1. The family should not have quarreled because
A. Jane and Robin were trying to give the others a nice surprise
B. the family were all fast asleep
C. Jane tried hard not to wake anyone
D. the family had plans for a nice day
2. Robin and Jane
A. were going to run a race before breakfast
B. were playing hide and seek
C. were going to cook breakfast for everyone
D. were fighting before breakfast
3. When Jane told him her plan, Robin
A. was not keen on the idea
B. wanted to cook fried ham and eggs
C. wanted to have boiled eggs
D. wanted to be sick
4. Robin decided to begin collecting food and
A. found the eggs
B. got the sausages
C. fetched the ham
D. got some cooking fat
5. When Robin started to cook the food, he
A. forgot to light the gas
B. did not know he had to light the gas
C. gassed himself
D. put the frying pan on a very high gas
Odpowiedz ( l-A ) (2-C ) ( 3-B ) ( 4-C ) (5-D )
READING COMPREHENSION (2)
Read the text and choose the correct answer - a), b), c) or d).
'Unless I get a rise, I'll have to leave,' George Strong said to himself. The morning shift was just beginning and he was sitting at his desk in the design department. George liked his job, the town he lived in, and even his boss, Henry Manley. But his wife kept telling him that she simply could not make ends meet on his salary. That was why he was thinking of taking a job in Birmingham, which was the nearest big city and was about 50 miles away. He had been offered the job in a factory there, and both pay and promotion prospects were far better.
George lived in Wyeford, a medium-sized town with a population of about 65,000 people. There was a lot of fine countryside and farmland around it. Its main industries were electrical engineering and shoemaking. He really liked the place and was not at all keen on the idea of living or working in Birmingham. However, road and rail connections were very poor. So if he took the job, he would probably have to move his whole family there. It was obviously out of the question for him to work in Birmingham but go on living in Wyeford.
Henry Manley, the manager of Manley Electrics, was going through the accounts that morning. Times were very hard. His small company specialized in manufacturing electric motors. The company was in deep trouble because, among other reasons, the Japanese were selling such things at very low prices. As a result, Manley had had to cut his own prices and profits, as well. Otherwise he would not get any orders at all. Even then, orders were still not coming in fast enough, so that there was very little money for investment and none for rises for his employees. Somehow he had to struggle along, and keep his best men, as well. He was thinking about all this when the phone rang.
His secretary told him that George Strong wanted to see him about 'something personal' as soon as possible. Manley sighed. He could guess what it was. Strong was a very good young design engineer. The company had no future unless it could attract and keep men like him. Manley was desperate because his problems seemed endless. And he had to see Strong that morning.
1. George was thinking of going to Birmingham because
a) it was a nicer place
b) his family was already there
c) pay was better there
d) Manley would not give him a rise
2. George
a) was determined to go to Birmingham
b) hated the idea of going to Birmingham
c) didn't like the idea of going to Birmingham
d) enjoyed the prospect of going to Birmingham
3. Times were hard for Manley because
a) he had no orders
b) his prices were too high
c) his best men were leaving him
d) he had to sell at very low prices
4. Manley could not offer rises to his employees because
a) his profits were too small
b) he needed money for investment
c) they worked badly
d) he didn't want to
5. Manley sighed because
a) he was tired
b) he knew what to expect of the conversation with George
c) he was afraid
d) he didn't know what to talk to George about
READING COMPREHENSION (3)
Read the text carefully and choose the correct answer. /Give one answer only./
During the Christmas shopping rush in London, the intriguing story was reported of a tramp* who, not because of his own fault, found himself locked in a well-known chain store late on Christmas Eve. The store was crowded with last-minute Christmas shoppers and the staff were dead beat and longing to get home. According to later reports, all the proper security checks had been made before the store was locked and the workers left to enjoy the three-day holiday untroubled by customers desperate to get last-minute Christmas presents.
However that may be, our tramp found himself alone in the store and decided to make the best of it. There was food, drink, bedding and camping equipment, of which he made good use. There must also have been television sets and radios. Though it was not reported if he took advantage of these facilities, when the shop re-opened, he was discovered in bed with a large number of bottles beside him.
He seems to have been a man of good humor and philosophic temperament - as indeed such individuals very commonly are. Everyone else was enjoying Christmas, so he saw no good reason why he should not do the same. He submitted, cheerfully enough, to being taken away by the police. Perhaps he had had a better Christmas than usual. He was sent to prison for seven days. The judge awarded no compensation to the chain store for food and drink our tramp had consumed. They had, in his opinion, already received valuable free publicity from the coverage the story received in the newspapers and on television. Perhaps the judge had had a good Christmas too.
*a tramp - wloczega
1. The tramp was locked in the store
a. for his mistakes.
b. because no security checks were made.
c. by accident.
d. because he wanted to.
2. The staff were "dead beat" means they were
a. half asleep.
b. extremely tired.
c. irritable.
d. forgetful.
3. What action did the tramp take? He
a. robbed the store.
b. made himself at home.
c. went to sleep for two days.
d. had a Christmas party.
4. When the tramp was arrested, he
a. fought with the police.
b. looked forward to going to prison.
c. took his bottles with him.
d. didn't make any problems.
5.Why didn't the judge award compensation to the chain store?
a. The tramp had stolen nothing of value.
b. The store had profited by the incident.
c. The tramp deserved a happy Christmas.
d. The store was responsible for what happened.
Odpowiedz ( 1-c ) ( 2-b ) ( 3-b ) ( 4-d ) (5-b )
READING COMPREHENSION (4)
Read the text carefully and choose the correct answer.
THE GIFT FROM SPACE
At six o'clock when Mr. Harris got up and looked out of the window, it was still there - a shining, silver object indistinctly visible through the trees growing around the boating lake. Some time earlier, when he had taken the dog for a walk he was almost sure that this shining thing in the dark was a trick of the fog and the lake. He dressed quickly, ate breakfast and, calling the dog, prepared to go out. The dog, however, refused to come and. went back under the. Kitchen-table. He- sat there- so determined not to- move another inch. that Mr. Harris was forced to go down to the lake by himself.
It was a- dark, chill monHflg; mf Harris put on his cap and went down the- worn path to the- boating lake. Here the bushes were slightly overgrown- he decided that he would have to cut them back before the spring - and the ground was muddy and a bit icy. The path led to the boathouse and a landing stage for boats. Here the bushes looked silver as if touched by frost. Mr. Hams pushed them aside and stepped onto the landing stage.
He was immediately blinded- by a» intense light, strong that he instinctively covered his eyes When he was able to see properly again, he opened his mouth in surprise. Floating on the water like a giant soup- plate was a silver boat - or- was-it a plane? — he could not tell. It was like nothing mf Harris had ever seen. He looked down and saw that he, too, seemed to be silvered with light. He touched his coat and there was a feint clicking sound. He examined- it closely. Slowly, unbelievingly, he realized what had happened. All his clothes- and, to his horror, his hands and his face had turned to metal. He appeared to be alive inside a paper-thin shell of silvery metal.
He did not know how long he stood there; shocked and terrified; Perhaps he lost eonscKwsaess. When he came to himself, his body was normal. Nothing was floating on the lake and the sky was cloudy. It looked like snow. Only at Mr. Harris's-feet lay a-small silver button. The button has remained on- Mr. Harris's mantelpiece ever since. No one has ever believed how he got it. Sometimes when Mr. Harris is feeling a little tired or depressed, it shines'. When- A does, Mr. Harris- usually feels- better, but the dog always- gees- and hides under the table.
Choose the right answer. Give ONE answer only to. each. question.
1. When he went out, Mr. Harris
A/ decided not to leave the dog by himself
B/ told the dog to stay under the table
C/ unwillingly left the dog where he was
D/ refused to take the dog with him
2. Walking down the path, Mr. Harris had to
A/ push his way through the bushes
B/ take care how he walked
C/ cut back some of the bushes
D/ go through some deep mud
3. The intense light Mr. Harris saw
A/ damaged his. sight
B/ blinded him completely
C/ influenced his vision for a while
D/ bounded him after a few moments
4. Mr. Harris realized that he had been
A/ painted, with silver
B/ covered with metal
C/ wrapped in sliver paper
D/ turned into solid metal
5. One sentence is true. Which one?
A/ There was nothing to suggest something strange was going to happen.
B/ ft all happened in summer.
C/ Mr. Hams has never told that story to anybody.
D/ The gift from space does some good to Mr. Harris.
Odpowiedz: (1-C) (2-B) (3-C) (4-B) (5-D)
READING COMPREHENSION (5)
Read the text and chouse the best answer.
These days. with people spending more and more time sitting down. it's very cusy to become unfit. Arc you worried? You probably should be. hut don't lose heart. It's never too lute!
Try this test: how fit are you? Answer the questions lionestly.
1. Can you run upstairs without getting out of breath?
2. Can you do ten press-ups?
3. Can you balance on one leg?
4. Can you touch your toes? *•
5. Can you do ten sit-ups?
6. Are you the right weight?
If the answer to any of these questions is 'No' then you are probably not fit! So what can you do about it. and why should you bother?
Being fit means you can work hard and still have energy left over to enjoy yourself. It means, too, that when you are tired, you will be able to relax and sleep well, leaving you rested and keen to take on tomorrow.
Not only that, but you will live longer because your heart and lungs will be working efficiently and your muscles will be toned up. that is to say. in good condition. This means you will feel well and look good.
The main reason people go to seed after the age of 30 is not just that they are getting older. It results from a lack of exercise, bad eating habits, and other causes such as smoking or drinking too much. But if you take exercise, eat sensibly and do not overdo it, you will look and feel much younger than you really are.
Even if your answer to all the questions in the test was 'No', it is never too late to do something.
The best strategy is to do, say, ten minutes of exercises a day rather than an hour-long session once a week. Go gently to begin with, gradually building up your strength and suppleness.
It does not really matter what the exercise is as long as you enjoy it and do it regularly. For example, if you do not fancy jogging, then buy yourself a skipping-rope! Fast skipping exercises the heart and the lungs. Do this in private, though, and wait for the neighbours downstairs to go out first.
Other excellent keep-fit activities are swimming and cycling. Both of these use all your muscles and increase your stamina and suppleness in a very enjoyable way. Even sitting down, you can do exercises such as neck-rolls, rotating your ankles, and breathing exercises.
Start today. Proper exercise makes the body produce chemicals which give you a feeling of well-being which you will never want to be without.
to go to seed- to become less physically fit
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netcat