III. You are going to read a magazine article about children performing in musical shows in theatres. For questions  1-15, choose from the people (A – D). The people may be chosen more than once. Write your answers in ‘Your answers’ part.

Kids on stage

Children are performing in popular musicals in many London theatres. We talked to
various people about the phenomenon of children on stage.

­­­­­

A. THE DIRECTOR

Andrew Tyler chooses children to appear in stage musicals

I’m not only looking for children who can sing, dance and act, they also have to have lively
personalities and a lot of confidence - it’s essential that they grab the audience’s attention and if they can’t do that, I don’t choose them. When I’m working on a show, I start by contacting agents and telling them what I need, and then I hold auditions for as many children as I can. When the children have been chosen, I draw up the contracts for them and the schedule for performances - there are usually three teams of children for each show and they perform according to a rota system. No child is in a show for more than six months. Being in a show is tiring for the children because they have to combine it with going to school, but they have a great time and they learn an enormous amount about discipline, teamwork and concentration, as well as special skills such as choreography and singing.

B. THE YOUNG PERFORMER

Emily Gould is currently appearing in a popular London show

I love musicals and I’m thrilled to be in this one. I’ve got quite a big part and have to sing a song all by myself in one scene. I’m always pretty nervous during each performance because I’m worried that I might make a mistake. But at the same time I’m excited about doing it and I feel quite proud of myself when I’m on the stage. I’m one of the youngest children in the show - the age range is five to thirteen. The older children are good to me - they remind me about what I have to do next and encourage me a lot. I don’t have time to be in any of the sports teams at school, which is a shame because I’d like to do that too, but acting and singing are great. I want to keep on performing in musicals for the next few years at least, though I’m not sure I want it to be my career.

C. THE STAGE MOTHER

Anita Benfield’s son Tom is currently appearing in a popular musical in London

Tom started going to a local drama school when he was five. Last year, the head of the school suggested that he was good enough to audition for this musical. I took him to a series of four auditions and he got the part. We’d had no experience of the audition process and although he got the part, I thought it was horrible. The vast majority of the children get rejected. At the end of each audition, dozens of children burst into tears when they were told that they hadn’t been successful - they were absolutely devastated. When Tom got chosen, we were given the schedule for the ten weeks of rehearsals - I hadn’t realized how much time would be taken up. It’s all rather exhausting - for the parents as much as the children. When the performances start, you get a timetable of the performances the child will be appearing in. But he also has to be available at short notice to replace a child who is ill, and this makes it hard to plan anything. Because of that, we can't book a holiday and recently we weren’t able to attend a family wedding.

D. THE EX-CHILD STAR

Ian Miller was a child star in the 1980s

My parents were very keen for me to be on the stage and I showed a lot of talent for it when I was a child. By the time I was ten, I’d been in a number of stage musicals and also appeared in various TV series. When I went to secondary school, I stopped performing because I developed other interests and lost my enthusiasm for it - I didn’t want to give up so much time to do it, I wanted to do what my friends were doing. I enjoyed my time as a child performer but I didn’t miss it when I stopped. Lots of child performers don’t go on to become successful adult performers even if they want to. People in the business tend to think that they aren’t capable of developing into good adult performers and they aren’t taken seriously when they’re older. I don’t want my own children to do it - I think performing can be very stressful for children and I think it’s much better for children to concentrate on getting a good education and then train to be a performer when they’re older, if they want to.

II. You are going to read an article in which four crime writers talk about other authors they like. For questions 1–10, choose from the crime writers (A–D). The writers may be chosen more than once.

A.  John Harvey on Peter Temple

I started reading Temple’s books about 10 years ago, and at the time it was fairly straightforward crime fiction set in Australia, a lot of it with a horse-racing background. The books were OK, but not exceptional. Then suddenly with The Broken Shore, he just hit something quite different and moved up a level. He is writing the kind of books I‘ve spent 20 years trying to write, and writing them better than I do. He’s using crime fiction not just to tell a story, but to say something about today’s society. He really gets the connections between politics, the police and the media right. I love the writing – it‘s really taut and a lesson in how to say a lot without being too wordy.

B.  Sara Paretsky on Liza Cody

There is a lot of good, stylish writing out there that puts me off because it’s unfelt. I’m looking for someone who has a gift for storytelling, and who is willing to do the hard work of digging into the emotional aspect of life. Liza Cody does that, and she takes a lot of risks. She doesn’t just do the easy thing to be recognized in the marketplace; she goes where the story and emotion takes her. For instance, she had to self-publish her most recent book, Ballad of A Dead Nobody, because no one in the industry was willing to. These days, you’re told you have to create a brand or a series, with a recognizable link. She is willing to turn her back on that and focus on what her inner voice is telling her.

C.  Mark Billingham on Michael Connelly

The first Connelly book I read was The Poet, his first standalone novel and a big breakthrough for him. By then, he had written four books in his Harry Bosch series, which I went back to read. He has maintained a level of quality through a long-running series – an incredibly difficult thing to achieve. People talk about how you create suspense, tricks such as cliffhangers and reveals, but actually the real secret is to create characters the readers care about. Bosch, a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department, is a character who has grown and changed, who you come to know and care about. All that aside, he is a fantastic storyteller, probably the best in modern mystery fiction. I think his days as a journalist – he was a crime reporter on the Los Angeles Times – stood him in good stead because he never forgets the story.

D.  Ann Cleeves on Johan Theorin

I read Theorin’s first novel, Echoes from the Dead, after my Swedish editor had said: ‘There’s this Swedish author writing four books set on an island in the Baltic – I wonder if he stole the idea from you?’ because I’ve written novels set in the Shetlands. I was a bit annoyed – although I’m sure it was coincidental – so I wasn’t prepared to like it. But I really loved it. He has this interesting detective who is elderly and lives in a sheltered housing complex, so he can’t be out there doing car chases. One of the books is about this crumbling house by the shore and you’re not sure if there’s a supernatural element. It has the most wonderful climax. Theorin is prepared to take his time over the telling of the story, which is unusual these days. If you look at the bestsellers, they usually move quite rapidly. There is nothing wrong with that, but Theorin writes in a much deeper, literary way.

• Read the texts about five people working with animals and the questions below. For each question choose the correct person. The people may be chosen more than once.

A. Veterinary surgeon – Seb Prior

Seb sees a huge variety of creatures in his role as a veterinary surgeon. He says, “Anything can come through the door; you just wouldn’t believe it. We do general pet care and, because the clinic’s so close to a road, I spend lots of time dealing with animals who’ve been hit by cars. I spend half my day in the clinic and a half doing operations, which is a nice mix. I like being able to get out and reach people – being able to talk to them and answer their questions is a huge part of the job. You can be the best surgeon in the world but if you can’t talk to the clients, that’s a huge problem. You need patience and understanding for the people and the animals.”

B. Wildlife assistant – Wendy Burrows

Wendy sees all sorts of animals, from garden birds to tiny hedgehogs and fully-grown swans and every day is different, but Wendy’s wildlife center is particularly busy during the summer months. She looks after up to 500 hedgehogs and their young, who have to reach a certain weight before they can be let go into the wild. Wendy says, “It’s always a lovely moment when this happens, one of the most satisfying parts of the job”, but if this isn’t achieved by September, the hedgehogs have to be kept at the center over the winter period.”

C. Animal care assistant – Anna Lindley

Anna Lindley cares for a wide range of animals, from dogs and cats to birds and mice and it is these smaller animals that give her the greatest satisfaction. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved animals and I hate it that we often don’t pay attention to the small ones.” Caring for such a range of animals provides an interesting challenge and plenty of work! “With so much to do, I find myself rushing from job to job and never quite keeping up. I love the fact that you never know what you’re going to get, although unfortunately, that does mean I sometimes have to deal with a snake, which I find a bit scary!”

D. Inspector – Justin Stubbs 

“Becoming an animal inspector was something I’d always wanted – along with being a policeman. At first, I had no idea what it involved but actually, the job is better than I ever imagined. There’s never a day when I don’t want to go to work. The job is a lot harder than people realize and it can get me down at times. Over the years I’ve had to learn to put it to the back of my mind when I leave at the end of the day, but that’s easier said than done and it’s true to say that a bit of the job always comes home with me. It’s the nature of the job.”

E. Vet nurse – Naomi Killingsworth 

Naomi works with people as much as animals but not everyone who comes through the hospital doors is as grateful as you might think, as Naomi explains: “Sometimes I wish more people appreciated what we do. We work hard here, but not everyone realizes that. Of course, there are also many people who couldn’t be more grateful for what we’ve done to help their animals – they make it all worthwhile.”

^{+ QUESTIONS:}

1, Which person is pleased with their schedule at work? ___________

2, Which person says their job was a childhood ambition? ___________

3, Which person does a job in which the amount of work varies?  ___________

4, Which person always looks forward to going to work? ___________

5, Which person says communication is an essential skill for their work? ___________

6, Which person is disappointed by some people’s opinion of their work? ___________

7, Which person prefers working with a certain kind of animal? ____________

Choose the correct options. Then ask and answer the questions with a partner.

1. Do you think you will / are going to travel into space?

2. How many people will / are going to live on Earth in 2100?

3. Do you think that one day you'll / you’re going to be famous?

4. Who will / is going to take up a new sport this summer?

5. Will you / Are you going to watch TV tonight?

• You are going to read a magazine article about a painting created by a computer. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A–G the one which fits each gap (1 – 6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

                                                                                     A computer-generated painting

   Born in Amsterdam in 1606, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is one of the world’s most renowned artists. The prolific painter was famous for his portraits and was admired for his ability to capture real emotions. Unfortunately, like many artists of his time, Rembrandt’s talents were not recognized during his lifetime. The artist died penniless in 1669, after suffering many years of hardship. Interestingly, a painting unveiled in Holland in 2016 has made headlines around the world because it looks as if it was painted by a famous 17th-century Dutch artist.

1. ____________________________________________________________

   It is, in fact, a brand new painting that uses technology to mimic his technique so perfectly that it could easily be mistaken for one created by the great artist himself. The clever forgery, called the ‘Next Rembrandt’, took 18 months to complete and is the result of a collaboration between computer experts and art experts. The team collected data from the Dutch artist’s 346 known paintings to help them imitate as closely as possible his technique, choice of color, structure, texture, and topic. They used facial recognition software and a unique computer program to analyze the individual features of his style. 

2. ______________________________________________________________

   The computer needed as much data as possible to enable it to mimic the artist’s work accurately. Rembrandt painted a large number of portraits, many of which were of men with mustaches wearing black suits with white collars 3. ___________________ They decided that the ‘Next Rembrandt’ would be a portrait of a white male between 30 and 40 years old, wearing black clothes, a white-collar, and a hat.

4. ____________________________________________________________

   The special software system that the team had designed gathered information about Rembrandt’s style based on his use of geometry, the way he placed the objects and people concerning one another in his paintings, and his choice of paint colors. The data was used to generate the facial features for the ‘Next Rembrandt’. The individual elements were put together to form the face and the chest in the same proportions as the original paintings created by the Dutch artist.

5. ____________________________________________________________

   When this had been done, a 3D printer was used to bring the ‘Next Rembrandt’ to life. Comprising 148 million pixels and 13 layers of ultra-violet ink, the ‘painting’ is a clever forgery that looks exactly like an original Rembrandt, at least to the untrained eye. The goal of the project was to start a discussion about how data and technology could become an essential part of the art world. The project was not universally popular and did receive some criticism 6. _______________________________________ They aimed to ensure that the ‘Next Rembrandt’ would be a masterpiece, one that even the famous Dutch artist would be proud of, and they seem to have succeeded.

+ ANSWER:

A. However, many art historians, including Rembrandt experts, were incredibly supportive.

B. Once the subject had been determined, the next stage of the process could begin.

C. These included details like painting strokes, the artist’s preferred angle, and so on.

D. As a result, they actually considered giving up on it at this point.

E. The team then used technology to add depth and texture to their image.

F. The authentic-looking masterpiece is not the work of Rembrandt, though.

G. For this reason, the team settled on creating something similar.

Exercise 2. You are going to read a magazine article. For questions 43-50, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

                                                                                        Life in the Fast Lane

The next generation of Formula One greats is coming up fast in karts On the grid, minutes before the start of a British Grand Prix in August, the drivers’ faces are grave with concentration. The pre-race interviews are over, and the glamour models are off the track. Fans are screaming from a packed grandstand. Squeezed into his driving seat, wearing a red, white and yellow jumpsuit and white helmet, Nelson Jones is pulling on a pair of tight black gloves. No question where he’s expecting to finish: “First,” he says before pulling down his gold visor. At the start signal, with a burst of engine noise, the drivers dart down to the first turn. It all sounds a lot like a Formula One car race, but there’s a difference - Nelson is all of thirteen years old, and he’s racing in a go-kart. What could be seen as child’s play in this rural town of Lincolnshire is in fact a proving ground for professionals. Almost all of today’s Formula One drivers owe a debt to the experience first gained in a small plastic bucket seat. It is the first step for young talent to move into professional race cars, because it introduces them to the essential basics such as finding the racing line, concentration and how to compete on the track. That track record makes karting a must for youngsters keen to make racing their life’s ambition. Nelson Jones is no different, and has actually been racing since he was eight years old. Nelson’s father, Steve, stood by his son at every step. “I believe everyone has a special talent, and when my son Nelson showed us how gifted he was with racing, even at an incredibly young age, I knew we had to do something. Racing can be really dangerous and it gets expensive, but five years ago, when I had the opportunity to buy him his first official kart, I rushed to do it. It was in a really bad state, but it was perfect for what we had in mind.” The appeal is not hard to see. Karting offers the thrills and spills of real-life racing but with less powerful machines, which can nevertheless reach speeds of 160 km/h. Nelson’s interest in racing was unstoppable; he would wake up early on weekends and work on his race kart, making modifications to increase control and speed. “He had discipline. He used to be up even before me in the mornings, getting ready for the day’s race,” says his father. After taking part in three or four local races in Britain, in which he won first place despite his young age, Nelson decided that he would go for it and have a crack at his first international Grand Prix in Germany, which he won as well. Although Nelson now travels all over Britain and Europe to take part in races, Lincolnshire remains home. Growing up there, the interest he showed in racing was not via the usual exposure to video games, like the other kids he meets at races. “We lived near a small karting racetrack and I became fascinated - I couldn’t stop talking about it. One day, as we were driving past, I made my father stop the car so I could have a better look at the karts flying by. I saw so many people, including kids my own age, and I took a liking to it straight away.” Nelson eventually got his chance to try it out. The family hired an instructor for amateurs to teach Nelson, who took him as far as the age of twelve. The instructor then informed Nelson’s father it was time to look for someone more qualified. Perhaps it is Nelson’s good fortune in having always been expertly advised that has made him so relaxed about facing the pressures of an international racing circuit. But what is it like to be so young with a schedule fully booked with races, and all eyes watching him, expecting victory after victory? “It’s good for me, as I know what I need to be doing. The public’s expectations, as well as the pressure, helps me focus and concentrate so I can race at my highest level.” 

43. The writer suggests in paragraph 1 that, before the start of the race, Nelson

A. ignores the models and the screaming fans.

B. doesn’t want a long pre-race interview.

C. is confident that he will win the race.

D. is uncomfortable in his small driving seat.

44. According to the text, karting is important for future Formula One drivers because

A. it shows if young drivers have enough talent to become professionals.

B. it helps them decide whether racing is really their life’s ambition.

C. it teaches them some of the skills they need to race professionally.

D. it gives them valuable experience of driving in a small bucket scat.

45. How did Nelson’s father react to his son’s interest in racing?

A. He worried about the dangers of such a hobby.

B. He thought Nelson’s talent must be supported.

C. He realised this hobby would be very expensive.

D. He believed Nelson was too young for racing.

46. At the beginning of his racing career, Nelson

A. couldn’t sleep well on the day of a race.

B. did a lot of preparation before a race.

C. preferred working on his kart to racing.

D. needed to increase his self-control.

47. The writer uses the phrase ‘have a crack at’ to show that Nelson

A. wasn’t sure whether he would do well at this level.

B. realised it wouldn’t be suitable for him.

C. was used to winning every Grand Prix he entered.

D. thought he was too young for an international race.

48. Nelson became interested in kart racing

A. because his father often talked about it.

B. after watching other children doing it.

C. to meet other children of his own age.

D. because of his exposure to video games.

49. What does the writer suggest about Nelson’s first race instructor?

A. He lacked confidence in his teaching ability.

B. He was not qualified to teach professionals.

C. He only coached drivers under the age of twelve.

D. He decided to look for a younger driver to coach.

50. What is Nelson referring to when he says, “It’s good for me”?

A. having a full racing schedule and demanding fans

B. feeling confident that he will win race after race

C. having expert advisors who can help him to relax

D. focusing on racing at the highest international level

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 42 to 48

Today, there are 600 million cars in the world. They may seem like a lot. However, there are over 7 million people on our planet. Most of the world’s population uses public transportation to get around. The number of people using public transportation continues to rise. Subway systems worldwide carry 155 million passengers each day. That’s more than 30 times the number carried by all the world’s airplanes. Every day in Tokyo passengers take more than 40 million rides on public transportation.

Yet many people see public transportation as ‘a depressing experience’, says author Taras Gresco. They say it is slow, crowded, or too expensive. In fact, Gresco says, it is actually ‘faster, more comfortable and cheaper’ than driving a car.Like millions of people, Taras Gresco is a ‘straphanger’ - a person who rides public transportation. In his book straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile, Gresco describe the benefits of public transportation. Firstly, it is better for the environment. When people use public transportation, they use less fuel. Twenty people on one bus use much less fuel than 20 people in 20 cars. Fewer cars mean less pollution and cleaner air.

Using public transportation can be good for your health in other ways. It can even help you lose weight. In one study, a group of people took public transportation every day for six months. Each day they walked to a bus stop or train station. In six months, each person lost an average of six pounds - almost three kilograms. Taking public transportation has another benefit, says Gresco. It helps people become part of their community. When you are alone in your car, you don’t talk to anyone. One Tokyo straphanger told Gresco, “To use public transport is to know how to cooperate with other people,’ It teaches you ‘how to behave in a public space’. So, public transportation is more than a way to get to work or school. It can help lead to cleaner cities. It may also lead to a healthier and more cooperative world population.

According to the passage, the number of people travelling by planes each day is about.......

A. 185 million

B. 125 million

C. 5 million

D. 20 million

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 42 to 48

Today, there are 600 million cars in the world. They may seem like a lot. However, there are over 7 million people on our planet. Most of the world’s population uses public transportation to get around. The number of people using public transportation continues to rise. Subway systems worldwide carry 155 million passengers each day. That’s more than 30 times the number carried by all the world’s airplanes. Every day in Tokyo passengers take more than 40 million rides on public transportation.

Yet many people see public transportation as ‘a depressing experience’, says author Taras Gresco. They say it is slow, crowded, or too expensive. In fact, Gresco says, it is actually ‘faster, more comfortable and cheaper’ than driving a car.Like millions of people, Taras Gresco is a ‘straphanger’ - a person who rides public transportation. In his book straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile, Gresco describe the benefits of public transportation. Firstly, it is better for the environment. When people use public transportation, they use less fuel. Twenty people on one bus use much less fuel than 20 people in 20 cars. Fewer cars mean less pollution and cleaner air.

Using public transportation can be good for your health in other ways. It can even help you lose weight. In one study, a group of people took public transportation every day for six months. Each day they walked to a bus stop or train station. In six months, each person lost an average of six pounds - almost three kilograms. Taking public transportation has another benefit, says Gresco. It helps people become part of their community. When you are alone in your car, you don’t talk to anyone. One Tokyo straphanger told Gresco, “To use public transport is to know how to cooperate with other people,’ It teaches you ‘how to behave in a public space’. So, public transportation is more than a way to get to work or school. It can help lead to cleaner cities. It may also lead to a healthier and more cooperative world population.

Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage as the one that benefits from the public transportation?

A. the bus rider

B. the environment

C. the car driver

D. the city

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 42 to 48

Today, there are 600 million cars in the world. They may seem like a lot. However, there are over 7 million people on our planet. Most of the world’s population uses public transportation to get around. The number of people using public transportation continues to rise. Subway systems worldwide carry 155 million passengers each day. That’s more than 30 times the number carried by all the world’s airplanes. Every day in Tokyo passengers take more than 40 million rides on public transportation.

Yet many people see public transportation as ‘a depressing experience’, says author Taras Gresco. They say it is slow, crowded, or too expensive. In fact, Gresco says, it is actually ‘faster, more comfortable and cheaper’ than driving a car.Like millions of people, Taras Gresco is a ‘straphanger’ - a person who rides public transportation. In his book straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile, Gresco describe the benefits of public transportation. Firstly, it is better for the environment. When people use public transportation, they use less fuel. Twenty people on one bus use much less fuel than 20 people in 20 cars. Fewer cars mean less pollution and cleaner air.

Using public transportation can be good for your health in other ways. It can even help you lose weight. In one study, a group of people took public transportation every day for six months. Each day they walked to a bus stop or train station. In six months, each person lost an average of six pounds - almost three kilograms. Taking public transportation has another benefit, says Gresco. It helps people become part of their community. When you are alone in your car, you don’t talk to anyone. One Tokyo straphanger told Gresco, “To use public transport is to know how to cooperate with other people,’ It teaches you ‘how to behave in a public space’. So, public transportation is more than a way to get to work or school. It can help lead to cleaner cities. It may also lead to a healthier and more cooperative world population.

What is not true about Taras Gresco according to the reading passage?

A. Taras Gresco finds public transportation beneficial for both the cities and the users. 

B. Taras Gresco often travels by public transportation, especially the bus. 

C. Taras Gresco wrote a book about the benefits of public transportation. 

D. Taras Gresco launched a campaing to encourage people to use the public transportation.

Write about your school Sports Day.You may answer the questions below to write it more easily.

*When will your school Sports Day be?

*Where will it be?

*What are you going to do on that day?

*What are the boys in your class going to do on that day?

*What are the girls in your class going to do on that day?

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