Read the text about staying young. Match the headings (A-G) with the paragraphs (1-5). There are two extra headings.

1 _______ As people grow older, they often think back to the days of their youth. They remember the great friends of those days, great times together, and how bright the future looked. Of course, not everything was perfect - but it can look that way as we get older. And this can make people feel pessimistic and bitter.

2_______It doesn't need to be that way. There are many secrets to staying young in spirit well into old age. Why put up with feeling miserable when you can be enthusiastic instead? Here are some tips to keep you young at heart as you grow older.

3_______Relationships are extremely important. Family gives you comfort and support, and catching up with old friends can help older people to feel young. Making new friends is important, too but make sure they are optimistic, enthusiastic people.

4_______Bad things happen to all of us. We split up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and later we may have to do a boring job for years. But don't think too much about negative things. Deal with them, and get on with your life.

5. _______Always keep special things around you, like family photos or favourite possessions - and be grateful that you can enjoy them. Thank your loved ones daily for sharing your life, too. When you see the pleasure on their faces, you will never feel old - even in your eighties!

A. The importance of people in your life

B. Ageing can be a positive experience

C. You can choose to stay young

D. Appreciate the things and people in your life

E. Looking back can make old people feel bad

F. Getting over the negatives and moving on

G. Even pessimists can have friends

Read the text. Match the paragraphs (A-C) with the headings (1-5). There are TWO extra headings.

1. Manage your money

2. Relax and sleep well 

3. Develop time-management skills

4. Improve your decision-making skill 

5. Learn basic, but important life skills 

Becoming independent is important for teenagers. Below are the necessary skills you should learn to achieve independence for the future.

A. ___________________

First, make sure you can safely get around by yourself using public transport, walking, or cycling. Second, learn to communicate well and develop good relationships with people. Do some part-time jobs and get to know how to manage your money. You should also learn to cook healthy meals for your family. Finally, help your parents with household chores like cleaning and doing laundry.

B. ___________________

To begin with, identify the problem and come up with as many solutions as possible. Write down the options, so you can review the advantages and disadvantages of each one. This will help you see which option could be the best for you. Don’t base your decision on emotion only. Once you have made your choice, create a plan of specific steps to move forward. Then carry out your plan, and think about whether you have achieved the result you wanted.

C. ___________________

First of all, get into the habit of making a to-do-list every day or week. Make use of time-management tools, such as apps or diaries, to know what you need to do next. In addition, decide how much time you need for each task and always do one thing at a time to make sure you complete it. Schedule time to relax as well, and make sure you sleep at least nine hours each night. A good night's sleep is necessary for teenage brain development and good health. Becoming independent is not easy, but itis not as challenging as you may think. It’s about learning useful skills, making decisions by yourself, and knowing how to spend your time.

XI. You are going to read an article about a sailing race. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A - H for each paragraph from 1 – 5 of the article. There are two extra headings which you do not need to use. There has been an example for you.  

          EX:      Paragraph 0: D

A. The consequences of poor performance E. Benefiting from the power of nature

B. An unexpectedly demanding way of life F. Cooperating to overcome the power of nature

C. A solution that seems to work G. It’s not what people think

D. The terrible consequences of making a mistake H. No way out if you don’t like it

Paragraph 0: 

Imagine for a moment, spending the night on board of a large yacht, being roughly woken in the pitch dark and ordered on deck. Every so often you will be totally drenched, very suddenly, in salt water. You will be sharing the same cramped space with 14 other people for a whole year. Your stomach, when not affected by seasickness, will be hit by the competitive tension and nervousness that afflicts all sportspeople. You will be obliged to concentrate without cease. The slightest loss of focus could cost someone their life.

Paragraph 1: 

For the eight crews taking part in the Round-the-world yachting race, this has been daily life since they left Britain eleven months ago. Now, after racing 50,000 across kilometers of ocean, they are soon due home. While most of us have worked, slept, taken a holiday, these crews have sailed and sailed, day after day, night after night, in weather conditions that would test any human. This is the reality of ocean yacht racing, which bears little resemblance to the popular image of sailing - the quick sprint around a lake before returning ashore for a meal and a warm bath.

Paragraph 2: 

Racing 20-metre yachts around the world is a story of unrelenting hard work, pushing yourself to the limits of endurance. But it is also a story of the vastness and beauty of the sea, of seeing the sun rise and set on hundreds of desolate horizons, and of the supreme satisfaction of arriving somewhere knowing that wind alone has taken you there.

XI. You are going to read an article about a sailing race. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A - H for each paragraph from 1 – 5 of the article. There are two extra headings which you do not need to use. There has been an example for you.  

          EX:      Paragraph 0: D

A. The consequences of poor performance   E. Benefiting from the power of nature

B. An unexpectedly demanding way of life  F. Cooperating to overcome the power of nature

C. A solution that seems to work  G. It’s not what people think

D. The terrible consequences of making a mistake  H. No way out if you don’t like it

Paragraph 0: 

Imagine for a moment, spending the night on board of a large yacht, being roughly woken in the pitch dark and ordered on deck. Every so often you will be totally drenched, very suddenly, in salt water. You will be sharing the same cramped space with 14 other people for a whole year. Your stomach, when not affected by seasickness, will be hit by the competitive tension and nervousness that afflicts all sportspeople. You will be obliged to concentrate without cease. The slightest loss of focus could cost someone their life.

Paragraph 1: 

For the eight crews taking part in the Round-the-world yachting race, this has been daily life since they left Britain eleven months ago. Now, after racing 50,000 across kilometers of ocean, they are soon due home. While most of us have worked, slept, taken a holiday, these crews have sailed and sailed, day after day, night after night, in weather conditions that would test any human. This is the reality of ocean yacht racing, which bears little resemblance to the popular image of sailing - the quick sprint around a lake before returning ashore for a meal and a warm bath.

Paragraph 2: 

Racing 20-metre yachts around the world is a story of unrelenting hard work, pushing yourself to the limits of endurance. But it is also a story of the vastness and beauty of the sea, of seeing the sun rise and set on hundreds of desolate horizons, and of the supreme satisfaction of arriving somewhere knowing that wind alone has taken you there.

Paragraph 3: 

Unlike the captains, who are professional sailors, the crews all consist of amateur volunteers who have actually paid for the privilege of taking a year off from their work and enduring these difficult conditions. On board London Light the ages range from 21 to 65. For the youngest member, Susan Porter, the trip is about the excitement of both the racing and the elements “Being able to pitch yourselves as a team against a storm gives you a huge sense of achievement”, she says

Paragraph 4: 

Jerry Wallace, a marketing director, found sailing a refreshing change from the selfish individualism of business. Although he was prepared for the discomfort, the mental stress of long distance racing was not what he has anticipated, “A grand Prix driver has a few hours of focus, a footballer 90 minutes, but we have been racing for 11 months. This is something I didn’t really appreciate before I start.”

Paragraph 5: 

Inevitably, there are tensions. The kind of people who choose to take part in races like this tend to motivated and strong-willed. On a trivial level, there are the usual arguments about things like cleaning, tidying, personal hygiene, even the way people snore. Row on a boat must be addressed immediately. Left to develop, they get much worse. On London Light they have done this by having a meeting where problems can be discussed and resolved by majority vote. Cooperation is the key, and everyone can have their say. The London is one of the few boats that has never lost any crew early because of a personality clash.

Read the text. Match the headings (1-3) with the paragraphs (A-C).

In most cultures, there is a generation gap between parents and their children. There are many reasons for this gap. Below are three of them.

A. _______________________________________

As each generation is strongly influenced by changes in society, parents and children may see the world differently. In addition, different lifestyles make it difficult for parents and their children to fully understand each other's way of thinking. Many adult children even cut all ties with their parents.

B. _______________________________________

Busy work and school schedules often prevent parents and children from spending time together. After along and stressful day at work, parents come home, often feeling exhausted, and have little time to spend with their children. This leads to a lack of communication and widens the generation gap.

C. _______________________________________

Many parents keep comparing their children to other children, or even to how they behaved as children. They think it is good for their children to see these good examples and try to improve. However, this only makes the gap wider and causes their children to lose confidence in themselves. Some children may even start hating those people that they are compared to.

You are going to read an article about a sailing race. Choose the most

suitable heading from the list A - H for each paragraph from 1 – 5 of the article. There

are two extra headings which you do not need to use. There has been an example for you.  (10 pts)

          EX:      Paragraph 0: D

Paragraph 0:         D

Imagine for a moment, spending the night on board of a large yacht, being roughly woken in the pitch dark and ordered on deck. Every so often you will be totally drenched, very suddenly, in salt water. You will be sharing the same cramped space with 14 other people for a whole year. Your stomach, when not affected by seasickness, will be hit by the competitive tension and nervousness that afflicts all sportspeople. You will be obliged to concentrate without cease. The slightest loss of focus could cost someone their life.

Paragraph 1:

For the eight crews taking part in the Round-the-world yachting race, this has been daily life since they left Britain eleven months ago. Now, after racing 50,000 across kilometers of ocean, they are soon due home. While most of us have worked, slept, taken a holiday, these crews have sailed and sailed, day after day, night after night, in weather conditions that would test any human. This is the reality of ocean yacht racing, which bears little resemblance to the popular image of sailing - the quick sprint around a lake before returning ashore for a meal and a warm bath.

Paragraph 2:

Racing 20-metre yachts around the world is a story of unrelenting hard work, pushing yourself to the limits of endurance. But it is also a story of the vastness and beauty of the sea, of seeing the sun rise and set on hundreds of desolate horizons, and of the supreme satisfaction of arriving somewhere knowing that wind alone has taken you there.

Paragraph 3:

Unlike the captains, who are professional sailors, the crews all consist of amateur volunteers who have actually paid for the privilege of taking a year off from their work and enduring these difficult conditions. On board London Light the ages range from 21 to 65. For the youngest member, Susan Porter, the trip is about the excitement of both the racing and the elements “Being able to pitch yourselves as a team against a storm gives you a huge sense of achievement”, she says

Paragraph 4:

Jerry Wallace, a marketing director, found sailing a refreshing change from the selfish individualism of business. Although he was prepared for the discomfort, the mental stress of long distance racing was not what he has anticipated, “A grand Prix driver has a few hours of focus, a footballer 90 minutes, but we have been racing for 11 months. This is something I didn’t really appreciate before I start.”

Paragraph 5:

Inevitably, there are tensions. The kind of people who choose to take part in races like this tend to motivated and strong-willed. On a trivial level, there are the usual arguments about things like cleaning, tidying, personal hygiene, even the way people snore. Row on a boat must be addressed immediately. Left to develop, they get much worse. On London Light they have done this by having a meeting where problems can be discussed and resolved by majority vote. Cooperation is the key, and everyone can have their say. The London is one of the few boats that has never lost any crew early because of a personality clash.

XI. Read the text, and match the headings (A-F) with paragraphs (1-5). There is one extra
heading that you do not need.
A – Why do “friends” websites seem dangerous?
B – How do “friends” websites work?
C - What’s the best advice for people who want to use “friends” websites?
D – Where do Millie’s friends live?
E – How can I find “friends” websites?
F – Why are “friends” websites popular?
1. _______ Millie is 14 years old and lives in Miami. She has 204 friends – and she makes two
or three more friends every week. About 20 of her friends also live in Miami. Some go to the
same school, and others go to the same music clubs and sports centers. She often sees them. The
others live in other cities and other countries: England, Canada, Japan … She never meets these
friends, but she talks to them on the Internet. They are her “MySpace Friends”.
2. _______ Because of websites like MySpace, Yahoo 360 and Bebo, people can make friends
online. These websites are very popular all over the world, especially with young people. Users
have their own homepage. They give information about themselves. They write letters for their
webpage, show photos and give opinions. They write about their favourite films, music and TV
programmes.
3. _______ For many young people, a good homepage is an important part of their image. It
says: “This is me! I have something to say. These things – and these people – are important in
my life.” And these websites are also an easy way to talk to a lot of different people. That is
why teenagers likes these “friends” websites.
4. _______ But some people are worried that these websites aren’t safe. For example, it is
impossible to know that the information on a homepage is true. Perhaps the 14-year-old girl you
talk to online is really a 40-year-old man. So here is some advice.
5. _______ Keep your webpage private. (only friends can see a private homepage). Do not put
photos of yourself on your homepage. Do not meet people that you only know because of the
website. And finally, remember that online friends are fun, but they are not the same as real
friends.