NMT reading test

Task 1. Read the texts below. Match choices (A–H) to (1–5). There are three choices you do not need to use.

Which advertisement is about _______________?

A a fruit farm

B a theatrical performance

C an exhibition

D a book shop

E a restaurant

F a conference

G a health spa

H a cinema

Task 2. Read the text below. For questions (6-10) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

A Creative Essay

A Tennessee teen is sure that others should break the mould after she was reported to earn a place at Yale University with an unusual essay about ordering pizza.

Carolina Williams announced that she had been accepted to the Ivy League school on Twitter earlier this month and shared a copy of her essay that drew high praise (and laughs) from an admissions officer. “I just want Papa John’s pizzeria to know that I wrote a college essay about how much I love to order their pizza and it got me into Yale,” she wrote in a Tweet. When Carolina shared her story on Twitter, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter offered her gift cards, a pizza party for her dorm, free pizza for a year and an internship.

The 18-year-old, who will be the first in her family to go to college, was tasked with writing about something that she loves to do. Williams said she really loves ordering pizza. “Having these warm cardboard boxes at my front door is second nature to me. When I was a child it made me feel grown up. I will always love ordering pizza because of the way eight slices of something so ordinary are able to evoke feelings of independence, comfort, and joy,” a portion of her essay reads.

“I got the idea all on my own and did not really tell anyone about it,” she said. “When my friends found out about it though, they thought it was very funny.” Her admissions officer apparently did, too. In a letter shared by the teen, the officer said she “laughed so hard” while reading it. “I want you to know that every part of your application was special for our process and we are pleased to be able to offer you a place at Yale,” the officer’s message reads.

Of course, it wasn’t just Williams’ creative essay that brought her a desirable place among the 2,272 students accepted by Yale this year – making a very small, 6.9% acceptance rate. Her application contained all the right ingredients, including high grades, volunteer work, as well as memberships with the English Honours Society, National Honours Society, Model UN and Youth in Government.

But just as she had many choices on what to write about, she also had choices other than Yale. In the end, she chose Auburn University instead. One big reason, she shared, is that the Alabama school is much closer to home.

“I absolutely love Yale, but I felt so at home at Auburn,” she said. “I love the South and the school atmosphere. I will be a part of the Honours College. I’m so privileged to have been accepted by Yale, though!”

Despite the warm response from the admissions team at Yale, Williams will be attending Auburn University in Alabama in the fall with a $72,000 scholarship over four years. Williams plans to study business and economics.

Luckily for Williams, Auburn has a Papa John’s in their student centre on campus

6 What does the author mean by saying “break the mould”?

A improve your eating habits

B change your overall timetable

C try new ways of doing ordinary tasks

D find unusual ways of paying for studies

7 How did John Schnatter thank Carolina for her tweet about Papa John’s?

A He promised to treat her fellow students to pizza.

B He paid her for tweeting about Papa John’s.

C He provided her with a scholarship for a year.

D He offered her a life-long discount on pizza.

8 Why did Carolina choose ordering pizza as a subject for her essay?

A to impress her friends

B to express her true feelings

C to promote Papa John’s

D to amuse her Twitter followers

9 Which of the following was NOT mentioned about Carolina’s application?

A her school performance

B her community service

C her job experience

D her written composition

10 What influenced Carolina’s choice of Auburn University?

A facilities

B curriculum

C prestige

D location

Task 3. Read the texts below. Match choices (A – H) to (11 – 16). There are two choices you do not need to use.

The Best Libraries in the World

11 The Library of Congress in Washington DC

The Library of Congress in Washington DC is the country’s oldest federal cultural institution. Though it consists of only three buildings, it is the largest library in the world. While it is open to the public for on-site research and as a tourist attraction, only members of Congress and other government officials can check out books. The library is known as the “library of last resort” in the U.S., charged with making certain items available to other libraries if all other means have been used. The library’s holdings are vast, including more than 32 million books, more than 61 million manuscripts, six million pieces of sheet music, over one million newspapers from the last three centuries, and many more.

12 Oxford University’s Library

Established in 1602 as Oxford University’s Library, Bodleian is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It houses about 11 million items, including many of historical importance: four copies of the Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible, and Shakespeare’s First Folio, just to name a few. Though Bodleian comprises multiple buildings, the most interesting is Radcliffe Camera, built in 1737-1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library. The earliest circular library in England, Radcliffe appeared in famous movies, including Young Sherlock Holmes, The Saint, The Red Violin, and The Golden Compass.

13 The Yale University Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

The Yale University Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library is the largest building in the world that contains rare books and manuscripts, which alone makes it one of the best libraries in the world. Its impressive holdings include significant authors like Rudyard Kipling, D.H. Lawrence, and Joseph Conrad. Beinecke’s central shelving area includes glass walls and soft lighting to protect the works from direct light. Accessible to the public as a tourist attraction, the library displays many rare works, including one of only 48 copies in existence of a treasured Gutenberg Bible.

14 The Reading Room

The Reading Room at the British Museum is located in the centre of the Museum’s Great Court. For much of its history, access was limited to registered researchers, attracting notable visitors including Karl Marx, Oscar Wilde, Rudyard Kipling, Mark Twain, and H.G. Wells. The majority of the collection was moved to the new British Library in 2000. The Reading Room now houses an information centre and a curated collection of specialty art and history titles. It is also known to host long-running seasonal exhibitions, such as the 2006 autumn exhibition centred on China’s famous Terracotta Army.

15 The National Library of People’s Republic of China

The National Library of People’s Republic of China, located in Beijing, is the largest library in Asia. Founded in 1909, it was formally inaugurated in 1912. The library holds diverse collections of Chinese literature and historical documents. It houses official publications of the United Nations and foreign governments, and a collection of literature, and materials in over 115 languages. The National Library also holds carvings on oracle bones and tortoise shells from the Shang dynasty.

16 The Library of Parliament in Ottawa

The Library of Parliament in Ottawa, Canada holds a special distinction, as it is the only library featured on Canada’s tendollar bill. The design of this national landmark was inspired by the British Museum Reading Room, and includes white pine panelling with beautifully detailed carvings of flowers, masks, and mythical creatures. The collection encompasses about 600,000 items, which are looked after by a dedicated 300-member staff. While access to the facility is generally restricted to Canadian parliamentary business, tours are often made available to the public.

Which library __________?

A gives you a chance to enjoy listening to music

B has its image printed on the country’s currency

C has a special construction to preserve books

D provides its materials to other libraries if necessary

E changes displayed collections throughout the year

F contains samples of unique writing materials

G has been a filming location more than once

H hosts a permanent collection of Chinese amour