You will hear an interview with the television presenter Dan. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
You will hear the recording only once.
1.Dan was particularly attracted to the idea of working on the programme because A. it was a way of continuing his academic studies.B. he agreed with the approach adopted by the team.C. it involved working with experts in their subjects.D. he welcomed the chance to visit interesting places.2.How does Dan feel about the way topic are selected for the programme?A. keen to ensure that his opinions are taken into accountB. worried that he hasn’t time to focus on the issues.C. sorry to play rather a minor role in the processD. content to leave the main decisions to others3.Dan says that any topic accepted for the programme mustA. involve filming in a place with many picturesque views.B. have at its heart a well-known mystery from the past.C. give him the chance to engage in exciting activities.D. require only a small amount of additional research.4.When asked about those who criticize the series, Dan says thatA. they may misunderstand its aims.B. they are unfair to judge it by its style.C. they underestimate how much it can achieve.D. they might learn something from its methods.5.What does Dan suggest about the first programme in the new series?A. It was lucky to reach a conclusion.B. It will fulfil the viewer’s limited expectations.C. It should have addressed a much wider question.D. It could make a valuable contribution to ongoing research.6.How does Dan feel about including scenes where things go wrong? A. certain that it will become a popular regular featureB. unsure whether it’s the best use of programme timeC. worried that it might show his colleagues in a bad lightD. hopeful that it will provide insights into everyday archaeology
Task 2
For questions 7-14 decide whether these statements are TRUE or FALSE.
You are going to hear a writer called Peter Watkins being interviewed by the programme presenter, Sue Manchester. He is talking about his book, which discusses the behaviour of animals and birds in relation to the weather.
You will hear the text once.
7. Peter says that nowadays people are less interested in sayings than in previous times.TRUEFALSE8. Peter says that low-flying birds suffer badly in storms.TRUEFALSE9. Peter believes that there is a logical explanation for why certain birds change their habits.TRUEFALSE10. According to Peter, insects have difficulty in sensing changes in the atmosphere.TRUEFALSE11. Sue concludes that the rain goose's behaviour is surprising.TRUEFALSE12. Peter says that weather sayings used to be confined to the farming community. TRUEFALSE13. Peter says that the sayings fulfilled a basic human need for control.TRUEFALSE14. Peter says that in the past people relied on animal and bird behaviour to predict the weather.TRUEFALSE
Task 3
For questions 15-20 label the plan below. Write the correct letter A-L next to the questions.
You will hear a telephone conversation between two friends about a meeting in an airport terminal.
You will hear the recording only once.
15. luggage lockers
16. the Coffee House17. cash machines18. art gallery19. classical CDs20. quiet lounge
READING
Task 4
Read the text and answer questions 21-40 below.
Plastics affect all of our lives - from packaging to cutting-edge technologies in cars and computers, from new textiles to replacements for worn-out parts of our bodies. But none of the applicants and innovations we take for granted would have been possible if it weren’t for the early scientists who developed and refined the material.
Plastics affect all of our lives - from packaging to cutting-edge technologies in cars and computers, from new textiles to replacements for worn-out parts of our bodies. But none of the applicants and innovations we take for granted would have been possible if it weren’t for the early scientists who developed and refined the material.
The first man-made plastic, Parkesine, was unveiled in London in 1862. This was an organic material derived from cellulose that once heated could be moulded, and on cooling retained its shape until it was reheated. But because of the high cost of raw materials, production soon came to an end.
During the 19th century, the game of billiards became so popular that thousands of elephants were killed for their ivory – used to make billiard balls. A replacement, celluloid, was found by an American, Hyatt, in 1866. On spilling a bottle of collodion, he discovered that the material congealed into a tough, flexible film. He then used it to produce billiard balls, but they shattered once they hit each other, a problem subsequently solved by the addition of camphor. Celluloid was the first thermoplastic: a substance that can be moulded under heat and pressure. Celluloid was later used in the first flexible photographic film for still and motion pictures.
Rayon, another modified cellulose, was the first developed in 1891 by the Frenchman Bernigaut, while searching for a way to produce man-made silk. Bernigaut noticed that silkworms secrete a liquid that hardens upon exposure to air and turns into silk. He produced a liquid with similar characteristics, which could then be processed to form fibres that could be spun and would feel like silk. The only problem with his new invention was that it was highly flammable. This prolbem was later solved by another scientist.
The first completely synthetic man-made substance was discovered in 1907, when Baekeland, a New York chemist, developed a liquid resin that he named Bakelite. All previous plastics could be melted down innumerable times and reformed. Bakelite, however, had the advantage that once shaped, it would never melt or burn. It could also be added to almost any material – such as softwood – and would instantly make it more durable and effective. This new material began to be used for a wide range of products.
Cellophane was discovered by Brandenberger, a Swisstextile engineer. He wanted to apply a clear flexible film to fabrics, such as tablecloths, so that they could be easily. In 1913 he succeeded by using Viscose (now known as Rayon), but this made the material too stiff to be of any use. Brandenberger saw another potential use, though. He produced sheets of it, which he marketed as Cellophane. This could be used as a clear layer of packaging for any product – the first fully flexible, waterproof wrap.
The 1920s witnessed a ‘plastic craze’, as the use of cellophane spread throughout the world. Nylon, initially discovered in Germany, was developed in the USA. Its toughness made it a suitable replacement for animal hair in toothbrushes, and when nylon stockings were launched in 1939, they gained great public acceptance.
In 1933 Fawcett and Gibson, two British organic chemists working for the company ICI, discovered polyethylene while testing various chemicals. An attempt to trigger a reaction between ethylene and benzaldehyde under high pressure went wrong when the testing seemed to spring a leak. Upon opening the tube the scientists found a waxy, plastic-like substance, polyethylene. After further experimentation and analysis, they discovered that while the process did have a small leak, the main cause of pressure loss was a polymerization process that combined elements. In 1936, ICI developed a compressor that made possible the production of vast quantities of polyethylene.
Polyethylene played a key role during World War II in the 1940s – first as an underwater cable coating and then as insulation for radar. As polyethylene was very much lighter than the materials traditionally used for the latter purpose, it was now possible for the first time to place radar on planes. This helped in the detection of enemy bombers at night.
After the war the material became very popular with consumers, and it is currently the largest volume plastic in the world, used to make a wide range of common items, such as plastic food storage containers.
QUESTIONS 21-26
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-H from the box below
21.ParkesineA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.22.CelluloidA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.23. RayonA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.24. BakeliteA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.25. CellophaneA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.26. NylonA. was developed as a substitute for a natural fibre.B. became very popular when a product made of it was launched.C. was too expensive to manufacture.D. combined animal and synthetic products.E. was initially intended to protect cloth.F. was regarded with suspicion by the general public.G. broke when first used for its intended purpose.H. was the first plastic that permanently retained its shape after being moulded.
QUESTIONS 27-33
Complete the summary below.Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage for each answer.
In 1933, two organic chemists applied extreme 27 ____________ to ethylene and benzaldehyde,to discover what 28 ___________ would occur. The experiment was spoiled by a minor 29 ________________________ during the test process, but the scientists found that polyethylene had been created.A 30 ____________________________ was built to manufacture polyethylene on a large scale. The material was later used as a 31___________________________ for submarine cables andto provide 32 ______________________________ in radar systems, allowing them to be carried on 33 ___________________________.
Complete the sentences by changing the form of the word in capitals.
1. ____________ to me, he had rented out the apartment while I was away.
(KNOW) 2.Part of the problem in recent years has been the _______________ of the importance of history among our political leaders.
(AWARE) 3.Teachers and other professionals are taking part in a campaign to eradicate _____________.
(LITERATE) 4.The _______ of these securities may negatively affect our ability to sell them.
(LIQUID) 5.Due to adverse weather conditions, the trains were _______ delayed.
(AVOID) 6.The accountants have spent a lot of money on ___________ legal costs.
(COVER) 7.His ______________ soul knows nothing of the anxieties of the spiritual mind.
(AWAKE) 8.There are _________ flaws in the logic of the argument.
(DEEM) 9.She was ___________ sentimental about wildlife.
(CURE) 10.Public ____________ with the government is growing.
(CONTENT)
Task 2
Choose the correct river which flows through the city or town.
Write one word which can be used in all three sentences.
21.The storm caught many tourists _____________ surprise.
That game was easy, we won it ____________ a mile!
John slept ____________ day because he worked on the night shift. 22.The rush __________ traffic is always slow.
I expected a better performance from the actors, but it was a total amateur ____________.
We turned in our essay at the eleventh ______________. 23.I wouldn’t put my money in a bank that isn’t sound as a _______________.
He’s a brilliant lawyer, but he charges top _______ for his services.
There are one hundred cents in a __________. 24.I organized this year’s Go ____________ campaign at school.
A __________ Card is nothing but an official identity document issued by the USA to a citizen of a foreign country.
The author is of the opinion that the _____ revolution is truly a miracle when peasants are turning into farmers with a fundamental change in lifestyle. 25.Her horse won by a ___________.
You need a clear _______ to be able to pass the exam.
He is going to____ up this department soon.
Choose the correct synonym.
Match the rivers which flow through these cities or towns.
