Focus 2 End of Year (Use of English+Reading) Test Group A

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

How do you usually       [spend, pass, hold, share] New Year’s Eve? I normally just enjoy       [be, to be, was, being] at home with my family. At midnight, we always         [scroll, open, upload, switch] on Dad’s computer and watch the fireworks display. Our town council always organises this display and it takes place near the          [river, lake, harbour, bridge] which goes through the town.

Anyway, last December 31st, my brother and I            [thought, believed, decided, considered] to go and see the display for ourselves, and it was amazing! The city centre is quite a          [far, big, distant, long] way from our home, so we slept at our cousin Charlie’s house afterwards. He lives in the                [suburbs, coast, village, housing estate] near the city. He and his family

have just moved into a small               [terraced, detached, studio, semi-detached] house, in the middle of a row of houses, so we were very interested      [of, for, to, in] seeing it. We had a fantastic time, and when I got back to college afterwards, my friends were really              [optimistic, jealous, crazy, enthusiastic] when they heard all about what I            [had done, was doing, do, have done] !

Complete the text with one word in each gap.

SMITHS ACADEMY

   you like the school or college you attend? I’d say my college, Smiths Academy, has something for everyone. It’s the perfect place for students      are very creative or good    things like science, for example. There are a lot    other subjects to choose from, too. And    you’re wondering what’s the best thing for you to study at university, you can find     from the teachers at the Academy. They’ll advise you.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

It won’t rain tomorrow, I don’t think.

I don’t think ___ rain tomorrow.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

Who did you go to the party with?

Who ____to the party with you?

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

We moved into this house on my last birthday.

We’ve lived in this house _____ my last birthday.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

My dad can’t afford to buy an expensive sports car.

My dad isn’t wealthy _____ to buy an expensive sports car.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

The train leaves at 6 pm, and it’s only 5.00 now.

We don’t ____hurry to catch the train.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.

I hope I never lose my mobile phone – it’d be terrible!

I don’t know what I ___ if I lost my mobile phone!

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

MAN AND MACHINE BY MARK RAVENS

Science and technology have developed a lot since the fifteenth century, when the artist Leonardo da Vinci drew mechanical figures that looked like men – the first known robot designs. Now, of course, robots are everywhere, from factories to space stations, and they safely carry out all sorts of tasks, from cutting the grass to performing surgery. However, until recently most of them haven’t looked like humans at all, as Leonardo imagined, and they certainly haven’t had feelings. But now all that is beginning to change.Imagine a world in which robots not only look like us but also know our moods, and have feelings themselves. It might even be possible for robots to become our friends! Science fiction writers have written about a world just like that for many years, and scientists are now predicting that intelligent robots like these will exist quite soon. In fact, they’ve already produced one that recognizes sound, movement and touch. Its bright red heart, which you can see through its plastic body, beats faster if you are rough with the robot or shout at it. But its heart slows down if you are gentle with it. Although it can’t talk, it’s easy to believe the robot actually has feelings! It’s true that so far ‘human’ robots do not really move, talk or respond in the way we humans do, but they are becoming more advanced all the time. At some point in the future, a robot will definitely be created that may not look like us, but will be capable of doing anything that we can. And then we will truly be in the world of science fiction stories!

What does Mark say about da Vinci’s robot drawings?

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

MAN AND MACHINE BY MARK RAVENS

Science and technology have developed a lot since the fifteenth century, when the artist Leonardo da Vinci drew mechanical figures that looked like men – the first known robot designs. Now, of course, robots are everywhere, from factories to space stations, and they safely carry out all sorts of tasks, from cutting the grass to performing surgery. However, until recently most of them haven’t looked like humans at all, as Leonardo imagined, and they certainly haven’t had feelings. But now all that is beginning to change.Imagine a world in which robots not only look like us but also know our moods, and have feelings themselves. It might even be possible for robots to become our friends! Science fiction writers have written about a world just like that for many years, and scientists are now predicting that intelligent robots like these will exist quite soon. In fact, they’ve already produced one that recognizes sound, movement and touch. Its bright red heart, which you can see through its plastic body, beats faster if you are rough with the robot or shout at it. But its heart slows down if you are gentle with it. Although it can’t talk, it’s easy to believe the robot actually has feelings! It’s true that so far ‘human’ robots do not really move, talk or respond in the way we humans do, but they are becoming more advanced all the time. At some point in the future, a robot will definitely be created that may not look like us, but will be capable of doing anything that we can. And then we will truly be in the world of science fiction stories!

In the first paragraph, Mark says that robots

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

MAN AND MACHINE BY MARK RAVENS

Science and technology have developed a lot since the fifteenth century, when the artist Leonardo da Vinci drew mechanical figures that looked like men – the first known robot designs. Now, of course, robots are everywhere, from factories to space stations, and they safely carry out all sorts of tasks, from cutting the grass to performing surgery. However, until recently most of them haven’t looked like humans at all, as Leonardo imagined, and they certainly haven’t had feelings. But now all that is beginning to change.Imagine a world in which robots not only look like us but also know our moods, and have feelings themselves. It might even be possible for robots to become our friends! Science fiction writers have written about a world just like that for many years, and scientists are now predicting that intelligent robots like these will exist quite soon. In fact, they’ve already produced one that recognizes sound, movement and touch. Its bright red heart, which you can see through its plastic body, beats faster if you are rough with the robot or shout at it. But its heart slows down if you are gentle with it. Although it can’t talk, it’s easy to believe the robot actually has feelings! It’s true that so far ‘human’ robots do not really move, talk or respond in the way we humans do, but they are becoming more advanced all the time. At some point in the future, a robot will definitely be created that may not look like us, but will be capable of doing anything that we can. And then we will truly be in the world of science fiction stories!

What does Mark say about science fiction writers?

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

MAN AND MACHINE BY MARK RAVENS

Science and technology have developed a lot since the fifteenth century, when the artist Leonardo da Vinci drew mechanical figures that looked like men – the first known robot designs. Now, of course, robots are everywhere, from factories to space stations, and they safely carry out all sorts of tasks, from cutting the grass to performing surgery. However, until recently most of them haven’t looked like humans at all, as Leonardo imagined, and they certainly haven’t had feelings. But now all that is beginning to change.Imagine a world in which robots not only look like us but also know our moods, and have feelings themselves. It might even be possible for robots to become our friends! Science fiction writers have written about a world just like that for many years, and scientists are now predicting that intelligent robots like these will exist quite soon. In fact, they’ve already produced one that recognizes sound, movement and touch. Its bright red heart, which you can see through its plastic body, beats faster if you are rough with the robot or shout at it. But its heart slows down if you are gentle with it. Although it can’t talk, it’s easy to believe the robot actually has feelings! It’s true that so far ‘human’ robots do not really move, talk or respond in the way we humans do, but they are becoming more advanced all the time. At some point in the future, a robot will definitely be created that may not look like us, but will be capable of doing anything that we can. And then we will truly be in the world of science fiction stories!

Mark says that the robot with a heart

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

MAN AND MACHINE BY MARK RAVENS

Science and technology have developed a lot since the fifteenth century, when the artist Leonardo da Vinci drew mechanical figures that looked like men – the first known robot designs. Now, of course, robots are everywhere, from factories to space stations, and they safely carry out all sorts of tasks, from cutting the grass to performing surgery. However, until recently most of them haven’t looked like humans at all, as Leonardo imagined, and they certainly haven’t had feelings. But now all that is beginning to change.Imagine a world in which robots not only look like us but also know our moods, and have feelings themselves. It might even be possible for robots to become our friends! Science fiction writers have written about a world just like that for many years, and scientists are now predicting that intelligent robots like these will exist quite soon. In fact, they’ve already produced one that recognizes sound, movement and touch. Its bright red heart, which you can see through its plastic body, beats faster if you are rough with the robot or shout at it. But its heart slows down if you are gentle with it. Although it can’t talk, it’s easy to believe the robot actually has feelings! It’s true that so far ‘human’ robots do not really move, talk or respond in the way we humans do, but they are becoming more advanced all the time. At some point in the future, a robot will definitely be created that may not look like us, but will be capable of doing anything that we can. And then we will truly be in the world of science fiction stories!

In the final paragraph, Mark says he

Read the text and decide if the sentence is correct or incorrect.

TEEN TYCOON BY SARAH MARSH

Have you ever bought something on the Internet that wasn’t new? It’s becoming a more popular way to buy second-hand things, and you can certainly pick up some bargains. However, if it’s something expensive, like a car or a computer, you need to see it first if you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you money. Of course, some people get things from the Internet that they don’t need to pay for! One person who has got second-hand things online is teenager Steven Ortiz, from the US. He became the owner of a car worth about $10,000 that he saw online – but he got it without any money! So how did he do it? With patient and clever use of a website he discovered, which advertises items that people want to exchange for something else. The whole process took him two years. It all started when Steven was given an old mobile phone by a friend. He traded it for a better phone, which he then exchanged for an MP3 player. Next came several bikes, a laptop and then a series of cars. With the fourteenth exchange, he ended up with a Porsche – a very expensive sports car. Luckily, by then he was old enough to drive it! The story may sound too good to be true, but in fact, Steven isn’t the first person to do something like this. In 2005, Kyle MacDonald had been in the news when he started with a small red paperclip, and ended up with an entire house, also in fourteen moves. Kyle did it by creating a website called ‘One red paperclip’ and also blogging about his adventures. Followers contacted him with offers of items to exchange, and altogether the process took him a year. Since then, he has written a book about what he did, and has become a celebrity in Canada, his home country.

Buying something online that isn’t new will definitely save you money.

Read the text and decide if the sentence is correct or incorrect.

TEEN TYCOON BY SARAH MARSH

Have you ever bought something on the Internet that wasn’t new? It’s becoming a more popular way to buy second-hand things, and you can certainly pick up some bargains. However, if it’s something expensive, like a car or a computer, you need to see it first if you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you money. Of course, some people get things from the Internet that they don’t need to pay for! One person who has got second-hand things online is teenager Steven Ortiz, from the US. He became the owner of a car worth about $10,000 that he saw online – but he got it without any money! So how did he do it? With patient and clever use of a website he discovered, which advertises items that people want to exchange for something else. The whole process took him two years. It all started when Steven was given an old mobile phone by a friend. He traded it for a better phone, which he then exchanged for an MP3 player. Next came several bikes, a laptop and then a series of cars. With the fourteenth exchange, he ended up with a Porsche – a very expensive sports car. Luckily, by then he was old enough to drive it! The story may sound too good to be true, but in fact, Steven isn’t the first person to do something like this. In 2005, Kyle MacDonald had been in the news when he started with a small red paperclip, and ended up with an entire house, also in fourteen moves. Kyle did it by creating a website called ‘One red paperclip’ and also blogging about his adventures. Followers contacted him with offers of items to exchange, and altogether the process took him a year. Since then, he has written a book about what he did, and has become a celebrity in Canada, his home country.

Steven Ortiz doesn’t spend a lot of time online.

Read the text and decide if the sentence is correct or incorrect.

TEEN TYCOON BY SARAH MARSH

Have you ever bought something on the Internet that wasn’t new? It’s becoming a more popular way to buy second-hand things, and you can certainly pick up some bargains. However, if it’s something expensive, like a car or a computer, you need to see it first if you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you money. Of course, some people get things from the Internet that they don’t need to pay for! One person who has got second-hand things online is teenager Steven Ortiz, from the US. He became the owner of a car worth about $10,000 that he saw online – but he got it without any money! So how did he do it? With patient and clever use of a website he discovered, which advertises items that people want to exchange for something else. The whole process took him two years. It all started when Steven was given an old mobile phone by a friend. He traded it for a better phone, which he then exchanged for an MP3 player. Next came several bikes, a laptop and then a series of cars. With the fourteenth exchange, he ended up with a Porsche – a very expensive sports car. Luckily, by then he was old enough to drive it! The story may sound too good to be true, but in fact, Steven isn’t the first person to do something like this. In 2005, Kyle MacDonald had been in the news when he started with a small red paperclip, and ended up with an entire house, also in fourteen moves. Kyle did it by creating a website called ‘One red paperclip’ and also blogging about his adventures. Followers contacted him with offers of items to exchange, and altogether the process took him a year. Since then, he has written a book about what he did, and has become a celebrity in Canada, his home country.

Steven managed to get a car online that he couldn’t use.

Read the text and decide if the sentence is correct.

TEEN TYCOON BY SARAH MARSH

Have you ever bought something on the Internet that wasn’t new? It’s becoming a more popular way to buy second-hand things, and you can certainly pick up some bargains. However, if it’s something expensive, like a car or a computer, you need to see it first if you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you money. Of course, some people get things from the Internet that they don’t need to pay for! One person who has got second-hand things online is teenager Steven Ortiz, from the US. He became the owner of a car worth about $10,000 that he saw online – but he got it without any money! So how did he do it? With patient and clever use of a website he discovered, which advertises items that people want to exchange for something else. The whole process took him two years. It all started when Steven was given an old mobile phone by a friend. He traded it for a better phone, which he then exchanged for an MP3 player. Next came several bikes, a laptop and then a series of cars. With the fourteenth exchange, he ended up with a Porsche – a very expensive sports car. Luckily, by then he was old enough to drive it! The story may sound too good to be true, but in fact, Steven isn’t the first person to do something like this. In 2005, Kyle MacDonald had been in the news when he started with a small red paperclip, and ended up with an entire house, also in fourteen moves. Kyle did it by creating a website called ‘One red paperclip’ and also blogging about his adventures. Followers contacted him with offers of items to exchange, and altogether the process took him a year. Since then, he has written a book about what he did, and has become a celebrity in Canada, his home country.

Other people have achieved similar things.

Read the text and decide if the sentence is correct.

TEEN TYCOON BY SARAH MARSH

Have you ever bought something on the Internet that wasn’t new? It’s becoming a more popular way to buy second-hand things, and you can certainly pick up some bargains. However, if it’s something expensive, like a car or a computer, you need to see it first if you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you money. Of course, some people get things from the Internet that they don’t need to pay for! One person who has got second-hand things online is teenager Steven Ortiz, from the US. He became the owner of a car worth about $10,000 that he saw online – but he got it without any money! So how did he do it? With patient and clever use of a website he discovered, which advertises items that people want to exchange for something else. The whole process took him two years. It all started when Steven was given an old mobile phone by a friend. He traded it for a better phone, which he then exchanged for an MP3 player. Next came several bikes, a laptop and then a series of cars. With the fourteenth exchange, he ended up with a Porsche – a very expensive sports car. Luckily, by then he was old enough to drive it! The story may sound too good to be true, but in fact, Steven isn’t the first person to do something like this. In 2005, Kyle MacDonald had been in the news when he started with a small red paperclip, and ended up with an entire house, also in fourteen moves. Kyle did it by creating a website called ‘One red paperclip’ and also blogging about his adventures. Followers contacted him with offers of items to exchange, and altogether the process took him a year. Since then, he has written a book about what he did, and has become a celebrity in Canada, his home country.

People were able to read about Kyle Macdonald’s success story online