HS2 2019 unit10 p171 act7

Reading 1

Fill in the missing words.

Fit for Sports

It's not always easy to decide which sport to take up. When choosing, it is important to remember that excellence (1)          [at, in, out of, whatever] sports results from a number of factors. For some sports, the body shape and structure with which you are born with are important. Top runners are typical example of individuals (2)       [who, which, while, when]have selected a sport because of their natural body type. Many other sports are more dependent on training and technique, and anyone following a well-structured and appropriate training programme should do well.

The aim of all sports training is to improve fitness and skills, and to develop training programmes that are both safe (3)      [when, and, till, or] effective. To do this properly, an understanding of (4)       [while, which, a, the] physical demands of sport is needed. All sports require a combination of strength, speed, endurance, agility and flexibility to varying degrees. (5)      [When, That, What, Who]is important is how these elements are combined to build up the skills of the sport in question. Other factors to be (6)         [cought, brought, taken, bought] into account in a training programme are diet, the importance of avoiding injuries, your general state of health, and the nature and role of other team players.

Bearing (7)       [this, like, those, whose] in mind, anyone prepared to work at it can expect to progress to a very reasonable competitive level, even (8)          [whenever, if, that, consider] only a few people will go on to break world records.

Reading 2

This exercise consists of an article about the importance of drinking water in which there are 8 gaps. Each gap represents a missing word or phrase.

Drinking Water

Water is an essential part of life. All plants and animals, including humans, contain a great deal    (1) water. More      (2) two-thirds of the human body is composed of water.

Without water, humans, animals and plants cannot survive. People cannot live     (3) more than four days without water. However, they can stay alive much longer than that without food.

Water covers a large part of the earth. Indeed, there is much more water than land. Oceans and seas cover more than 70% of     (4) surface of the earth.

Because water is so common    (5) many parts of the world, we often take it for granted. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. In many countries,      (6) as East Africa, there is often a drought, which could lead to famine because crops die without water. Also, not all water is safe to drink     (7) to the fact that it contains dangerous bacteria and harmful chemicals.

It is tragic      (8) so many people do not have access to clean drinkable supply of water. The more prosperous governments of the world should offer aid to help poorer countries to provide a safe water supply.

Reading 3

You are going to read an article called the wrestler who wrote a book. This exercise consists of a text with multiple-choice questions. For each question, there are four options and you have to choose one of them.

The wrestler who wrote a book

Phil Norton looks like the biggest, sweetest teddy bear you ever saw. It is only when he opens his mouth that you notice the missing front teeth. Norton is a three-time world champion wrestler turned author. He was adored by fans because he was different: while other wrestlers were supreme athletes, he was just a hulk who knew how to take a hit. You could throw as many chairs as you liked at Phil Norton, you could smack him repeatedly, but he wouldn't go down.

After two autobiographies and a series of children's stories, he has just written a brilliant first novel: a work of immense power and subtlety, likely to gain a wide readership. At its simplest, it is about a boy and his dad getting together after a lifetime apart, though there is far more to it than that. Was he inspired by anyone he knew? The father, he says, is based on guys he met on the road- wrestlers, friends of his, who appeared to be leading exciting lives, but deep down were pretty miserable.

Norton does not come from traditional wrestling stock. He grew up in California. His father was an athletics director with a PhD, his mother a physical education teacher with two master's degrees- one in literature, the other in French history. He was a big boy, bullied for his size. One day his neighbour had a go at him, and for the first time, Norton realised he could use his weight and size instead of feeling awkward about it. It was a turning point.

At university, he did a degree in communication studies. Meanwhile, he was learning the ropes of professional wrestling. Did his parents try to dissuade him? 'No. They were just really insistent that I finished college. I am pretty sure they thought I'd get hurt and quit wrestling.' But he didn't.

He looks in remarkably good condition for someone who spent 20 years in the ring. His skin is smooth and firm; there are few visible scars. 'It's amazing what retirement can do for you. I looked really rough five years ago, and now I think I look a good deal younger,' he says. People are surprised by the softness of his handshake. 'Yeah, that's the wrestler's handshake,' he says.

Do you have to be a good actor to be a good wrestler? 'I used to really resent the acting label, but it is acting. When it's really good, when you're feeling it and letting that real emotion fly, it comes closer to being real.' What did his children think when they saw him getting hurt? 'Well, they used to think I never got hurt because that's what I told them. When they got old enough to realise I did, they stopped enjoying it. That was, in part, what led to my decision to get out.'

Nowadays, his time is dedicated to family and books- his next novel is about boy wrestlers living on the same block, and he is also writing more children's stories. He does not think this life is so different from wrestling. 'Wrestling is all about characters,' he says. 'So when my fans hear I've written a novel, I don't get the sense that they feel I've abandoned them.'

1. What impression do we get of Phil Norton's skills as a wrestler?   [A, B, C, D]

A He frequently lost because he was not very aggressive.

B He was too gentle and friendly to be a good wrestler.

C He was injured a lot because he didn't fight back.

D His speciality was letting his opponent hit him.

2. It is suggested that Watson's first novel   [A, B, C, D]

A is based on his own autobiography.

B will be popular with those who liked his autobiographies.

C will not only appeal to his fans.

D is not much more than a simple story.

3. What does 'traditional wrestling stock' in paragraph 3 refer to?   [A, B, C, D]

A Norton's childhood.

B Norton's family background.

C Norton's educational background.

D Norton's background in athletics.

4. What did Norton's parents feel about his interest in wrestling?   [A, B, C, D]

A They were afraid he would get hurt.

B They insisted that he should have proper training at university.

C They wanted him to give up wrestling.

D They thought he would abandon the sport quite soon.

5. How does Norton regard the idea that wrestling is like acting?   [A, B, C, D]

A He resents the suggestion.

B He thinks wrestlers aren't good actors.

C He has come to accept it.

D He doesn't think wrestling can compare to acting.

6. Norton's present life is not so different from his past profession because   [A, B, C, D]

A his work is still connected with characters.

B he is writing about wrestling, his previous profession.

C his family are still more important than anything else.

D his fans still follow his career with interest.