Semester 2 Reading (Focus 3 - U 1-8)

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 __________?

1

                   [a job vacancy, accommodation, camping, an online show, healthcare, a telecom provider, education, a rental company]

2

                   [a job vacancy, accommodation, camping, an online show, healthcare, a telecom provider, education, a rental company]

3

                   [a job vacancy, accommodation, camping, an online show, healthcare, a telecom provider, education, a rental company]

4

                   [a job vacancy, accommodation, camping, an online show, healthcare, a telecom provider, education, a rental company]

5

                   [a job vacancy, accommodation, camping, an online show, healthcare, a telecom provider, education, a rental company]

Read the article. Complete the gaps with fragments A-C. There is one extra fragment.

I love to travel, and I get away from home as often as I can. But when I choose a place to visit, it’s usually because I’ve heard great things about the food, the scenery or the museums.   [A, B, C] The purpose of my travels has always been to learn more about the world and to immerse myself in the culture of unfamiliar places.

Until I met Ted, I never imagined that people might travel just to watch a sporting event. I like watching football and basketball, sure, but would I ever travel thousands of miles for no other reason?   [A, B, C] We were to go to Barcelona for a long weekend where there were several football matches scheduled, with great teams playing. Why not give it a try?

A It could also be a place I’ve read about in a novel or biography and have been inspired to visit.

B I have to admit I was disappointed by the quality of the playing, though. Perhaps the absence of local supporters reduced the players’ enthusiasm.

C I certainly didn’t think so. Out of interest, though, I decided to accept Ted’s invitation.

Read the article. Complete the gaps with fragments A-C. There is one extra fragment.

Several things impressed me during the weekend. First off, I’d had no idea how many people follow sports.   [A, B, C] I admit that it seemed inconceivable to me that they wouldn’t take advantage of what being in another country has to offer. To my amazement, however, most of them behaved exactly as if they were at home. They showed surprisingly little interest in anything Spanish. When it came to food, most of them chose the so-called ‘English’ pubs and refused to try anything local. Why travel at all when you can watch the same matches on television at home or with friends at the local pub?

By the time we got to the third match, though, I was beginning to see their point of view. There is an amazing energy at live matches between rival countries that is impossible to find in any other situation. It was definitely a battle between opposing sides. But the sometimes rude behaviour of fans in the UK was absent. Instead, there seemed to be an enjoyment of the skills of the players on both sides that was hard to imagine during a game at home. ⁴   [A, B, C] Still, an authentic Spanish meal after the match, and a chance to mix with the Spanish fans, would have improved the experience a lot for me.

A These fans travel from country to country just to support their favourite teams.

B My enjoyment of the matches was spoiled a bit, however, because I kept thinking about all of the sights I could be seeing.

C The fact that our teams won two out of three matches was great, of course.