Focus 2 Reading Semester 1

Match 1–5 with a–h to make sentences. There are two extra options.

Complete the text with the words . There are two extra words.

Do you have lots of dreams for the future? Maybe you want to write ⁰ poems or explore caves! I think it would be great to become a brilliant ¹               [discovery , landscapes, ocean, photograph, physicist, research, thrillers] and publish an important ²               [discovery   , landscapes, ocean, photograph, physicist, research, thrillers] paper. The problem is, I’m not very good at science! So instead, I’d like to have a boat, and sail across the turquoise ³             [discovery  , landscapes, ocean, photograph, physicist, research, thrillers]. I love being on water! And during my journeys, I could spend some time taking photos of beautiful ⁴             [discovery  , landscapes, ocean, photograph, physicist, research, thrillers] at the places where I stopped, and selling them to make money. Then in my spare time, I could read my favourite ⁵               [discovery , landscapes, ocean, photograph, physicist, research, thrillers]! Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Read the text. Read the text. Complete gaps 1-4 with sentences A-F. There are two extra sentences.

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house at the age of sixteen! ¹   . It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about forty square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. ²   . He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. ³   . He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. ⁴   . He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then, when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

A Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since.

B On the other hand, he doesn’t like expensive materials.

C Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home.

D It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes.

E However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind.

F As a result, he invited his friends.

Read the text. Complete gaps 1–4 with the correct headings A–F. There are two extra headings

A The first ever train

B The history of trains

C A sad day

D George and Robert become well-known

E The Stephenson family

F Choosing the best train

1  

George Stephenson was born in Northumberland, England, in 1781 and his son Robert was born in 1803. They were very interested in trains. George invented the tracks that trains move on (the first one was eight miles long!), and he and Robert then built one of the most famous trains ever – the ‘Rocket’.

2  

In 1829, George Stephenson built a new track in the north of England, between Liverpool and Manchester. When the line was ready, it was time to find the fastest train. There was an award of £500 for the winner – a lot of money in those days. There were three trains, and one of them was the ‘Rocket’.

3  

It was an exciting day, and crowds of people came to watch. The three trains moved along the line while the people cheered them on. The ‘Rocket’ was faster than the other two. Also, the other two had problems and stopped a lot, but the ‘Rocket’ didn’t stop at all! It was the winner and the Stephensons became famous.

4  

A year later, the line between Manchester and Liverpool opened. Once again, people came to see the train. Unfortunately this time there was a tragedy. William Huskisson, a very famous man, was standing on the track when the ‘Rocket’ hit him. He died later in hospital.