Test. Module 8: Holidays. Grade 8. (NUS)

Group 1 — Reading comprehension.

Read the text carefully and complete the tasks.

A Holiday That Changed Everything

Last summer, sixteen-year-old Ethan went on a backpacking holiday around Malta with his older sister and uncle. At first, Ethan wasn’t enthusiastic about the trip because he preferred staying at home with his friends and disliked unfamiliar situations. However, his uncle promised that the holiday would include unusual experiences and activities Ethan had never tried before.

The trip began badly. Their flight was delayed for almost six hours because of a violent storm. Although many passengers became impatient and started complaining loudly, Ethan’s uncle remained calm and tried to entertain everyone by telling stories about his previous travels. Ethan was surprised that his uncle didn’t seem stressed at all.

When they finally arrived in Valletta, Ethan was immediately impressed by the scenery, narrow streets and historical architecture. The next day, they joined a guided city tour. Ethan enjoyed learning about local customs and traditions, even though the weather was extremely hot and the streets were crowded with tourists. However, he admitted later that some parts of the tour had been more exhausting than he had expected.

Several days later, the family travelled to Comino, where Ethan decided to try scuba diving for the first time. In spite of feeling nervous, he agreed to participate because the instructor appeared experienced and patient. At first, Ethan felt uncomfortable underwater and nearly gave up after making several mistakes. However, the instructor encouraged him to continue and calmly explained what he was doing wrong. After a while, Ethan became more confident and eventually started enjoying the activity.

Unfortunately, another problem appeared on the final day of the trip. Less than an hour before their flight, Ethan realised that he had accidentally left his passport inside the hotel safe. Although everybody panicked at first and thought they might miss the flight, they managed to return to the hotel and reach the airport just in time.

After returning home, Ethan admitted that the holiday had changed his opinion about travelling completely. He even told his sister that he wanted to go backpacking again the following summer.

Task 1. Write T (True) or F (False)

1. Ethan avoided the trip mainly because he disliked spending time with his family.

2. Ethan’s uncle reacted more calmly to the delay than many other passengers.

3. Ethan found every part of the guided tour enjoyable and relaxing.

4. Ethan nearly stopped scuba diving because he felt uncomfortable underwater.

5. By the end of the holiday, Ethan wanted to travel again.

Write the answers as: 1F, 2F, etc.

Task 2. Choose the correct answer according the text.

What does the text mainly suggest about Ethan?

Task 2. Choose the correct answer according the text.

Why did Ethan continue scuba diving despite his fear?