On Screen B1+ Term 2. Reading Comprehension.

Read the text and for each question, choose the correct answer A, B or C.

Sniffing out killer bugs

Dr Cliff is not like most doctors in VU University Hospital in Amsterdam. In fact, for a member of the medical profession, his behaviour is very strange. Not only does he work far fewer hours than his colleagues, but he has also been seen eating cake from the floor, and spends his breaks playing with squeaky toys. So, why has Dr Cliff not been fired? Well, he does a very important job, and, of course, he’s a dog!

Cliff is a five-year-old beagle who has been trained to detect a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. This bacteria is very common in hospitals, and can cause patients to become seriously ill, with symptoms including fever and stomach pain. It’s also highly contagious, and has even caused entire wards to close. Usually, hospitals try to detect Clostridium difficile using laboratory tests, but these are slow and expensive. So, VU decided to try something different – Dr Cliff!

Twice a week, Cliff’s handler dresses him in a yellow coat and takes him to the hospital. There, Cliff basically works on his own, walking past the beds of all the patients and smelling everything around him. Cliff has been trained not to bother patients, but that doesn’t stop most of them petting him. But, if Cliff pulls on his lead and sits down beside a bed, that means he has detected Clostridium difficile. Cliff rarely fails to identify the bacteria, and figures show that he is only slightly less accurate than laboratory tests. This means that hospital staff can identify a patient with Clostridium difficile very quickly and put them in a room on their own so that the bacteria cannot spread.

All in all, the experiment has been a huge success and now scientists are training dogs to detect other superbugs which are a threat to hospital patients. As for Cliff, he seems happy to continue working for many years. In fact, as well as at VU, he will soon start working in other hospitals around Amsterdam. But, as his handler points out, Cliff does more than just find a type of bacteria. This special dog brings happiness wherever he goes and it’s very common to see the faces of sick patients light up as Dr Cliff walks into their ward.

1 The writer suggests that Cliff

A acts like a normal dog when he isn’t working.

B isn’t well-liked by doctors in the hospital.

C works for long periods of time.

Read the text and for each question, choose the correct answer A, B or C.

Sniffing out killer bugs

Dr Cliff is not like most doctors in VU University Hospital in Amsterdam. In fact, for a member of the medical profession, his behaviour is very strange. Not only does he work far fewer hours than his colleagues, but he has also been seen eating cake from the floor, and spends his breaks playing with squeaky toys. So, why has Dr Cliff not been fired? Well, he does a very important job, and, of course, he’s a dog!

Cliff is a five-year-old beagle who has been trained to detect a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. This bacteria is very common in hospitals, and can cause patients to become seriously ill, with symptoms including fever and stomach pain. It’s also highly contagious, and has even caused entire wards to close. Usually, hospitals try to detect Clostridium difficile using laboratory tests, but these are slow and expensive. So, VU decided to try something different – Dr Cliff!

Twice a week, Cliff’s handler dresses him in a yellow coat and takes him to the hospital. There, Cliff basically works on his own, walking past the beds of all the patients and smelling everything around him. Cliff has been trained not to bother patients, but that doesn’t stop most of them petting him. But, if Cliff pulls on his lead and sits down beside a bed, that means he has detected Clostridium difficile. Cliff rarely fails to identify the bacteria, and figures show that he is only slightly less accurate than laboratory tests. This means that hospital staff can identify a patient with Clostridium difficile very quickly and put them in a room on their own so that the bacteria cannot spread.

All in all, the experiment has been a huge success and now scientists are training dogs to detect other superbugs which are a threat to hospital patients. As for Cliff, he seems happy to continue working for many years. In fact, as well as at VU, he will soon start working in other hospitals around Amsterdam. But, as his handler points out, Cliff does more than just find a type of bacteria. This special dog brings happiness wherever he goes and it’s very common to see the faces of sick patients light up as Dr Cliff walks into their ward.

2 Clostridium difficile is a type of bacteria that

A doesn’t pass easily from person to person.

B can give people a temperature.

C is rarely found in hospitals.

Read the text and for each question, choose the correct answer A, B or C.

Sniffing out killer bugs

Dr Cliff is not like most doctors in VU University Hospital in Amsterdam. In fact, for a member of the medical profession, his behaviour is very strange. Not only does he work far fewer hours than his colleagues, but he has also been seen eating cake from the floor, and spends his breaks playing with squeaky toys. So, why has Dr Cliff not been fired? Well, he does a very important job, and, of course, he’s a dog!

Cliff is a five-year-old beagle who has been trained to detect a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. This bacteria is very common in hospitals, and can cause patients to become seriously ill, with symptoms including fever and stomach pain. It’s also highly contagious, and has even caused entire wards to close. Usually, hospitals try to detect Clostridium difficile using laboratory tests, but these are slow and expensive. So, VU decided to try something different – Dr Cliff!

Twice a week, Cliff’s handler dresses him in a yellow coat and takes him to the hospital. There, Cliff basically works on his own, walking past the beds of all the patients and smelling everything around him. Cliff has been trained not to bother patients, but that doesn’t stop most of them petting him. But, if Cliff pulls on his lead and sits down beside a bed, that means he has detected Clostridium difficile. Cliff rarely fails to identify the bacteria, and figures show that he is only slightly less accurate than laboratory tests. This means that hospital staff can identify a patient with Clostridium difficile very quickly and put them in a room on their own so that the bacteria cannot spread.

All in all, the experiment has been a huge success and now scientists are training dogs to detect other superbugs which are a threat to hospital patients. As for Cliff, he seems happy to continue working for many years. In fact, as well as at VU, he will soon start working in other hospitals around Amsterdam. But, as his handler points out, Cliff does more than just find a type of bacteria. This special dog brings happiness wherever he goes and it’s very common to see the faces of sick patients light up as Dr Cliff walks into their ward.

3 When he is walking around the hospital, Cliff

A tries not to annoy patients.

B sometimes sits down to rest.

C is usually ignored by patients.

Read the text and for each question, choose the correct answer A, B or C.

Sniffing out killer bugs

Dr Cliff is not like most doctors in VU University Hospital in Amsterdam. In fact, for a member of the medical profession, his behaviour is very strange. Not only does he work far fewer hours than his colleagues, but he has also been seen eating cake from the floor, and spends his breaks playing with squeaky toys. So, why has Dr Cliff not been fired? Well, he does a very important job, and, of course, he’s a dog!

Cliff is a five-year-old beagle who has been trained to detect a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. This bacteria is very common in hospitals, and can cause patients to become seriously ill, with symptoms including fever and stomach pain. It’s also highly contagious, and has even caused entire wards to close. Usually, hospitals try to detect Clostridium difficile using laboratory tests, but these are slow and expensive. So, VU decided to try something different – Dr Cliff!

Twice a week, Cliff’s handler dresses him in a yellow coat and takes him to the hospital. There, Cliff basically works on his own, walking past the beds of all the patients and smelling everything around him. Cliff has been trained not to bother patients, but that doesn’t stop most of them petting him. But, if Cliff pulls on his lead and sits down beside a bed, that means he has detected Clostridium difficile. Cliff rarely fails to identify the bacteria, and figures show that he is only slightly less accurate than laboratory tests. This means that hospital staff can identify a patient with Clostridium difficile very quickly and put them in a room on their own so that the bacteria cannot spread.

All in all, the experiment has been a huge success and now scientists are training dogs to detect other superbugs which are a threat to hospital patients. As for Cliff, he seems happy to continue working for many years. In fact, as well as at VU, he will soon start working in other hospitals around Amsterdam. But, as his handler points out, Cliff does more than just find a type of bacteria. This special dog brings happiness wherever he goes and it’s very common to see the faces of sick patients light up as Dr Cliff walks into their ward.

4 After Cliff has found a patient with Clostridium difficile, they are

A told to leave the hospital.

B moved to a private room.

C sent for some tests.

Read the text and for each question, choose the correct answer A, B or C.

Sniffing out killer bugs

Dr Cliff is not like most doctors in VU University Hospital in Amsterdam. In fact, for a member of the medical profession, his behaviour is very strange. Not only does he work far fewer hours than his colleagues, but he has also been seen eating cake from the floor, and spends his breaks playing with squeaky toys. So, why has Dr Cliff not been fired? Well, he does a very important job, and, of course, he’s a dog!

Cliff is a five-year-old beagle who has been trained to detect a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. This bacteria is very common in hospitals, and can cause patients to become seriously ill, with symptoms including fever and stomach pain. It’s also highly contagious, and has even caused entire wards to close. Usually, hospitals try to detect Clostridium difficile using laboratory tests, but these are slow and expensive. So, VU decided to try something different – Dr Cliff!

Twice a week, Cliff’s handler dresses him in a yellow coat and takes him to the hospital. There, Cliff basically works on his own, walking past the beds of all the patients and smelling everything around him. Cliff has been trained not to bother patients, but that doesn’t stop most of them petting him. But, if Cliff pulls on his lead and sits down beside a bed, that means he has detected Clostridium difficile. Cliff rarely fails to identify the bacteria, and figures show that he is only slightly less accurate than laboratory tests. This means that hospital staff can identify a patient with Clostridium difficile very quickly and put them in a room on their own so that the bacteria cannot spread.

All in all, the experiment has been a huge success and now scientists are training dogs to detect other superbugs which are a threat to hospital patients. As for Cliff, he seems happy to continue working for many years. In fact, as well as at VU, he will soon start working in other hospitals around Amsterdam. But, as his handler points out, Cliff does more than just find a type of bacteria. This special dog brings happiness wherever he goes and it’s very common to see the faces of sick patients light up as Dr Cliff walks into their ward.

5 In the near future, Cliff will

A retire from his job.

B receive more training.

C work in other locations.

Read the text and match the headings (A-E) to the paragraphs (1-4). There is one extra heading.

Helping our environment doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s not just about recycling food and clothes or planting new trees in your local community. In fact, there are simple and effective ways to help the environment without even leaving the comfort of your home! Perhaps if the public knew just how easy it was, then more people would take an interest in saving our planet one small act at a time.

A Convenient but Harmful

B Every Little Helps

C Easier Than We Think

D Easier Said Than Done

E Let Nature Help Out

Read the text and match the headings (A-E) to the paragraphs (1-4). There is one extra heading.

Most people know that newly planted trees and shrubs provide clean oxygen and can add to the habitats of many insects and animals. Planting new shrubs, trees, herbs or flowers in your garden can be very beneficial for the environment, but what about nourishing them? Instead of using tap water, you can collect rainwater and use that instead! Collecting rainwater can be as simple as keeping a bucket outside and storing the water to use on the days when rainfall is limited. Doing this will keep your plants healthy without constantly running your taps

A Convenient but Harmful

B Every Little Helps

C Easier Than We Think

D Easier Said Than Done

E Let Nature Help Out

Read the text and match the headings (A-E) to the paragraphs (1-4). There is one extra heading.

Another simple trick to help save our environment is to eat healthy organic food instead of fast food. Fast food isn’t only harmful to our bodies! The packaging that fast food comes in is very harmful to the environment. Think about eating an apple versus eating a meal from a fast food chain. When you’ve finished eating the apple, the core can be put in the compost heap. Even the seeds can be used to plant an apple tree! The fast food meal, however, is likely to have been wrapped up in plastic. That packaging will only add to rubbish heaps!

A Convenient but Harmful

B Every Little Helps

C Easier Than We Think

D Easier Said Than Done

E Let Nature Help Out

Read the text and match the headings (A-E) to the paragraphs (1-4). There is one extra heading.

The list of simple but effective ways to make a positive input on the environment is a long one. Anything, from remembering to switch off lights and appliances to creating homemade compost, are ways to help make a difference. While activities such as planting trees in local parks and community clean-up days are useful, people with busy schedules can also help. What we must remember is that we can help from home. These small but influential acts can help keep our planet healthy and safe for future generations.

A Convenient but Harmful

B Every Little Helps

C Easier Than We Think

D Easier Said Than Done

E Let Nature Help Out

You are going to read a text about diets. For questions 1-4, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

A Many people who want to lose weight or become fitter and healthier often choose to go on a diet. But is this really the best method? With celebrities speaking in magazines and on television about new diets that have helped them slim down, it is not surprising that more and more people are turning to dieting. Shops and supermarkets have noticed this trend and are stocking their shelves full of diet products such as diet milkshakes, snack bars and even diet pills in the hope of getting consumers to spend more money. But, such products and the diets they are associated with are often found to be extremely unhealthy and some are even dangerous.

B Most of these popular diets work by cutting out a certain nutrient from your food intake. For example, there are diets that work by cutting out carbohydrates. This means the body must use its fat reserves for energy. But while this might be an effective way to lose weight, there have been some negative effects associated with such methods. By cutting a particular food group out of your diet, you are starving your body of a nutrient that it needs, which could leave you feeling weak, tired or even grumpy. Furthermore, these diets are often unsuccessful in the long run and most people who follow them eventually put the weight they lost back on.

C Generally, following a strict diet or cutting out a particular food group is not an effective way to lose weight. The most effective way is to reduce your calorie intake. The recommended calorie intake for an adult male is 2,500. If a man consumes more than 2,500 calories each day, then he is likely to gain weight. However, if he consumes less, then he is likely to lose weight, especially if he exercises.

D So, instead of spending money on trendy diet pills or special weight loss foods, try to eat healthy balanced meals containing foods from all the food groups. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals all play an important role in staying healthy, which is why they all should be included in your meals each day. Of course, some foods should be eaten in moderation as an occasional snack. For example, a bar of chocolate every once in a while won’t cause you any problems. So, next time a friend of yours tells you that they are going on a diet, let them know that eating a healthy balanced diet is a much better choice.

What does the writer state about popular diets?

A They are often promoted by celebrities.

B That only celebrities use them.

C That they are all risky.

DThat they are expensive to follow

You are going to read a text about diets. For questions 1-4, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

A Many people who want to lose weight or become fitter and healthier often choose to go on a diet. But is this really the best method? With celebrities speaking in magazines and on television about new diets that have helped them slim down, it is not surprising that more and more people are turning to dieting. Shops and supermarkets have noticed this trend and are stocking their shelves full of diet products such as diet milkshakes, snack bars and even diet pills in the hope of getting consumers to spend more money. But, such products and the diets they are associated with are often found to be extremely unhealthy and some are even dangerous.

B Most of these popular diets work by cutting out a certain nutrient from your food intake. For example, there are diets that work by cutting out carbohydrates. This means the body must use its fat reserves for energy. But while this might be an effective way to lose weight, there have been some negative effects associated with such methods. By cutting a particular food group out of your diet, you are starving your body of a nutrient that it needs, which could leave you feeling weak, tired or even grumpy. Furthermore, these diets are often unsuccessful in the long run and most people who follow them eventually put the weight they lost back on.

C Generally, following a strict diet or cutting out a particular food group is not an effective way to lose weight. The most effective way is to reduce your calorie intake. The recommended calorie intake for an adult male is 2,500. If a man consumes more than 2,500 calories each day, then he is likely to gain weight. However, if he consumes less, then he is likely to lose weight, especially if he exercises.

D So, instead of spending money on trendy diet pills or special weight loss foods, try to eat healthy balanced meals containing foods from all the food groups. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals all play an important role in staying healthy, which is why they all should be included in your meals each day. Of course, some foods should be eaten in moderation as an occasional snack. For example, a bar of chocolate every once in a while won’t cause you any problems. So, next time a friend of yours tells you that they are going on a diet, let them know that eating a healthy balanced diet is a much better choice.

The writer says that not consuming a particular nutrient

A reduces your fat reserves.

B makes you feel hungry.

C can cause a change in your mood.

D is the best way to lose weight.

You are going to read a text about diets. For questions 1-4, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

A Many people who want to lose weight or become fitter and healthier often choose to go on a diet. But is this really the best method? With celebrities speaking in magazines and on television about new diets that have helped them slim down, it is not surprising that more and more people are turning to dieting. Shops and supermarkets have noticed this trend and are stocking their shelves full of diet products such as diet milkshakes, snack bars and even diet pills in the hope of getting consumers to spend more money. But, such products and the diets they are associated with are often found to be extremely unhealthy and some are even dangerous.

B Most of these popular diets work by cutting out a certain nutrient from your food intake. For example, there are diets that work by cutting out carbohydrates. This means the body must use its fat reserves for energy. But while this might be an effective way to lose weight, there have been some negative effects associated with such methods. By cutting a particular food group out of your diet, you are starving your body of a nutrient that it needs, which could leave you feeling weak, tired or even grumpy. Furthermore, these diets are often unsuccessful in the long run and most people who follow them eventually put the weight they lost back on.

C Generally, following a strict diet or cutting out a particular food group is not an effective way to lose weight. The most effective way is to reduce your calorie intake. The recommended calorie intake for an adult male is 2,500. If a man consumes more than 2,500 calories each day, then he is likely to gain weight. However, if he consumes less, then he is likely to lose weight, especially if he exercises.

D So, instead of spending money on trendy diet pills or special weight loss foods, try to eat healthy balanced meals containing foods from all the food groups. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals all play an important role in staying healthy, which is why they all should be included in your meals each day. Of course, some foods should be eaten in moderation as an occasional snack. For example, a bar of chocolate every once in a while won’t cause you any problems. So, next time a friend of yours tells you that they are going on a diet, let them know that eating a healthy balanced diet is a much better choice.

According to the writer, the best way to lose weight is by

A strictly planning your meals.

B cutting down on the calories you consume.

C eating important vitamins and minerals.

D not eating a particular type of food.

You are going to read a text about diets. For questions 1-4, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

A Many people who want to lose weight or become fitter and healthier often choose to go on a diet. But is this really the best method? With celebrities speaking in magazines and on television about new diets that have helped them slim down, it is not surprising that more and more people are turning to dieting. Shops and supermarkets have noticed this trend and are stocking their shelves full of diet products such as diet milkshakes, snack bars and even diet pills in the hope of getting consumers to spend more money. But, such products and the diets they are associated with are often found to be extremely unhealthy and some are even dangerous.

B Most of these popular diets work by cutting out a certain nutrient from your food intake. For example, there are diets that work by cutting out carbohydrates. This means the body must use its fat reserves for energy. But while this might be an effective way to lose weight, there have been some negative effects associated with such methods. By cutting a particular food group out of your diet, you are starving your body of a nutrient that it needs, which could leave you feeling weak, tired or even grumpy. Furthermore, these diets are often unsuccessful in the long run and most people who follow them eventually put the weight they lost back on.

C Generally, following a strict diet or cutting out a particular food group is not an effective way to lose weight. The most effective way is to reduce your calorie intake. The recommended calorie intake for an adult male is 2,500. If a man consumes more than 2,500 calories each day, then he is likely to gain weight. However, if he consumes less, then he is likely to lose weight, especially if he exercises.

D So, instead of spending money on trendy diet pills or special weight loss foods, try to eat healthy balanced meals containing foods from all the food groups. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals all play an important role in staying healthy, which is why they all should be included in your meals each day. Of course, some foods should be eaten in moderation as an occasional snack. For example, a bar of chocolate every once in a while won’t cause you any problems. So, next time a friend of yours tells you that they are going on a diet, let them know that eating a healthy balanced diet is a much better choice.

The main idea of paragraph D is that

A people shouldn’t buy diet pills.

B weight loss products are very expensive.

C snacking is unhealthy.

D following a diet with a variety of nutrients is ideal.