Reading Comprehension and Grammar test (Republicko 2005)

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

Hello! I’m Alexandre. I’m 17 and I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That’s where I lived until I was five years old and then the whole world family moved to Victoria because of my father’s work. He’s an engineer and he was transferred to Victoria to work at a steel plant.

          My mother is Director of Studies at a private English School and – sure enough – I’m a student there. Although English classes are not compulsory in Brazilian schools, I know I’m going to need English in my future career so I’m already doing what I can to prepare.

During the week I’m a high school freshman at the Colegio Nacional. I like it because it’s very easy to make friends there. Although I’m not very involved in my studies, I must admit that physics is my favourite subject.

          I’m busy with my classes all week so my only leisure time is on Sundays. Here in Victoria we have hot weather nearly all year round, so water sports are always popular. Usually I meet with friends and we go scuba-diving. It’s great fun to swim close to the reefs and to observe sea creatures in their natural habitat. Occasionally you see a really big fish swimming by, but this doesn’t happen very often. Anyway, if you are scuba-diving you can’t harpoon the fish – that’s something you can do when you’re skin-diving (without any underwater breathing equipment). It’s part of a law which is designed to protect sea life. It makes underwater fishing a fairer competition.

          Brazilians go surfing, windsurfing, skin-diving, scuba-diving, water-skiing or sailing. Naturally, we all go to school but there’s always some free time for us to practice our favourite sport before going home to study or do our homework.

          Brazil has always been a racial melting-pot and this characteristic is reflected in the many different kinds of music you can hear around the country, but during the summer vacation – which takes place between January and February – we’re all tuned to samba and to Carnival. Then, through the rest of the year we devote ourselves to international pop music just like other teenagers around the world.

          What I like best about Brazil is the friendliness you find here wherever you go. What I don’t like here are all the special problems we’ve been facing, in spite of all the help and good intensions of many important people both inside and outside Brazil.

Choose the most appropriate answer:

GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY TEST

A       Choose the correct option:

B       Fill in the blanks with a/an, the or *:

Angela wants to be doctor. She likes working with people. She is going to medical school next year. She likes  idea of working in profession.

C       Fill in the blanks with the suitable form of the given words:

STAR           INFORMATION                 TRY                LOOK                        LIFE

Last year two reporters to find some new about certain Hollywood private by in their rubbish bins.

D       Insert the correct form/tense of the verb. Each verb is to be used only once:

DO                TRY                DESTROY                BE                   SHOOT        
LOSE           SAY                FIRE                           ORDER         HIT

One night a month ago Ted Newberry, 82, a burglar who (together with another man) to break into his allotment shed. Mr. Newberry had been sleeping in the shed to try to stop vandals  his allotment. That night he heard a loud banging on the door and a voice  “If the old man in here, we  him.” Mr. Newberry  through a hole in the door. Mark Revill, 28,  in the arm by 50 shotgun pellets. As a result of the incident, Mr Revill  (partially) the use of one arm. Mr Newberry  by the judge to pay 4,000 pounds damages to Mr. Revill. The judge ruled that Mr. Newberry had acted out of all proportion to the threat.