2013. február 25., hétfő

Practice test - reading comprehension

http://www.euroexam.org/files-private/Heti_gyakorlofeladat/01_b2_set_2_que_0307-314%20Multiple-Choice%20Reading.pdf


Task Three: Reading for Detailed Information (10 minutes) – Questions 14-20
You will read an article about the concerns
environmentalists have in connection with dolphins being
kept in captivity.
Read the following text.
Answer the multiple-choice questions about it and choose the
correct answer: A, B, C or D.
Place a X in the appropriate box on your Answer Sheet.

British holidaymakers are being urged to boycott dolphin shows amid growing concerns over the
situation of the aquatic mammals in captivity. Environment campaigners fear that aquariums where
dolphins are put on display trap them in areas which are a tiny fraction of the size they would enjoy
in the wild. In normal circumstances dolphins are capable of covering distances of up to 150km a
day.
Campaigners are also concerned that dolphins may become troubled because their main way of
seeing the world, a natural sonar called echolocation, becomes redundant.
The Dolphin Society argues that the basic needs of dolphins cannot be met in captivity and that they
suffer extreme physical and mental distress, which can result in aggressive behaviour as well as a
lower survival rate and higher infant mortality than their wild counterparts.
The boom in people paying to see dolphins and swim with them was largely inspired by the 1960s
TV series Flipper, about a dolphin that helped to solve human dilemmas. But today, Flipper's
former trainer, John Robinson is calling for a boycott of dolphin attractions.
The death of his favourite performing dolphin, cradled in his arms, changed his life completely.
"She just seemed to give up on life," he said. "At that moment I realised that what I had been doing
was wrong and decided to dedicate my life to getting dolphins back to the wild where they belong.
The captive dolphin business is growing considerably, and people going to these places should
know that this abuse is based on supply and demand, so don’t buy a ticket to a captive dolphin
show. That is the solution to stopping the misery of these animals."
While swimming with dolphins may be an attractive proposition for many, campaigners also warn
people of the potential dangers of jumping into a confined area with what is ultimately a large wild
animal. A report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals predicts that the growth of
these attractions will be paralleled by an increased risk of human injuries and deaths.
"Dolphins are free ranging, intelligent and highly complex marine mammals. The vastness and
biological diversity of the open sea cannot be duplicated in captivity," said Mr Robinson, who now
works as a sea mammal expert with a leading French animal protection organisation One Voice.
"They belong in the oceans, not playing the clown and suffering for our amusement. People who are
truly interested in dolphins should go dolphin watching instead."

Questions for Task Four:
14 Environment campaigners think
that…
A aquarium sizes will become smaller.
B dolphins might lose a special capability
in captivity.
C soon dolphins might be unable to swim
long distances.
D dolphins will lose their eyesight.
15 According to the Dolphin
Conservation Society …
A dolphins are not aggressive.
B baby dolphins are born with a
deficiency in captivity.
C there is a lot of argument about what
dolphins need.
D captivity changes dolphins’ life
expectancy.
16 About Flipper we know that…
A her show was boycotted.
B she died in 1960.
C she died while performing in the show.
D she gave rise to a new kind of
entertainment.
17 About John Robinson we know
that …
A he regrets his earlier behaviour.
B he stopped people from entering
dolphins shows.
C he stopped dealing with dolphins.
D he has a growing business.
18 Regarding swimming with
dolphins environmentalists say
that …
A people have been hurt.
B dangers will increase.
C only professionals should attempt this.
D jumping into pools should be banned.
19 At present Mr Robinson…
A likes playing with dolphins.
B organises dolphin watching tours.
C is the leader of an organisation.
D works as a marine specialist.
20 Where would you most probably
read this text?
A In a newspaper.
B In a report to the Dolphin
Conservation Society.
C In a leaflet for holiday makers.
D In a specialist magazine.
Remember to

2013. február 19., kedd

Video - Meteorite hits Russia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rScU3D7Sk8

Meteorite in Russia
1. METEORITES: Walk around the class and talk to other students about meteorites. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

meteorite / science fiction / atmosphere / shooting star / smashed windows / explosion / army / craters / investigators / radioactive / protect the public / atomic bombs / rocks
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SCIENCE FICTION: Will these happen? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

(When) (Will) it happen?
What would you do?
Live on Mars


House robots


Live to be 200


Jet backpacks


Alien invasion


Time travel


4. SURVIVE: Students A strongly believe we can survive being hit by a giant meteorite; Students Bstrongly believe we can't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
5. SPACE DANGERS: Which of these are worst? Rank them and share your rankings with your partner. Put the worst at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.
  • Earth hit by gigantic asteroid
  • alien invasion
  • solar flare reaches Earth
  • space virus
  • space junk
  • space wars
  • ozone gets stronger
  • other ______________
BEFORE READING / LISTENING
1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).
a.
A meteorite exploded after it hit Russia on Friday.
T / F
b.
Many people in a swimming pool saw it fly across the sky.
T / F
c.
A city in Russia was left without gas and Internet.
T / F
d.
The shock wave from the explosion smashed thousands of windows.
T / F
e.
Russia's army found six craters that were three metres wide.
T / F
f.
The distance from some craters to others was up to 80km.
T / F
g.
The meteorites were made of rock and lead.
T / F
h.
People are trying to sell bits of the meteorite for $15 a rock.
T / F
Meteorite hits Russia, thousands injured (17th February, 2013)
A meteorite exploded above central Russia on Friday morning. It was just like a scene from a science fiction movie. People watched the bright, swimming pool-sized rock fly across the sky and then crash. It entered the Earth's atmosphere and looked like a giant shooting star. The power of the explosion damaged many buildings and smashed thousands of windows. The city of Chelyabinsk had no gas or Internet for a short time after the meteor shower came down. Thousands of people went to hospital for medical treatment. Many of them had cuts from flying glass. They did not know the shock wave from the explosion would be so dangerous and cause so much damage.
The Russian army found three giant holes in the earth where different parts of the meteorite hit the ground. One crater was six metres wide. The craters were 80 km apart. Investigators are checking the sites of where the meteorites came down to see if they are radioactive. The police have sealed off the areas to protect the public. Scientists working at the site said the meteor was mostly rock and iron. They said it is the largest meteorite to hit the Earth for over 100 years. NASA estimated that the meteor weighed around 7,000 tons and exploded with the power of 20 atomic bombs. Russian newspapers say that some people are now trying to sell rocks from the meteorite for $15 each.
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
1.
exploded
a.
came into
2
bright
b.
mainly
3.
entered
c.
huge
4.
power
d.
blew up
5.
treatment
e.
closed
6.
giant
f.
force
7.
crater
g.
calculated
8.
sealed
h.
shining
9.
mostly
i.
hole
10.
estimated
j.
care
3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
1.
A meteorite exploded
a.
radioactive
2
just like a scene from a
b.
and then crash
3.
fly across the sky
c.
off the areas
4.
went to hospital for medical
d.
in the ground
5.
shock
e.
treatment
6.
three giant holes
f.
above central Russia
7.
The craters were 80 km
g.
wave
8.
see if they are
h.
of 20 atomic bombs
9.
police have sealed
i.
science fiction movie
10.
exploded with the power
j.
apart

FREE WRITING

Write about meteorites for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

ACADEMIC WRITING

We should spend more money on protecting the Earth from meteorites.  Discuss.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about meteorites. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. METEORITES: Make a poster about meteorites. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. CRASHED: Write a magazine article about the meteorite that crashed into Russia. Include imaginary interviews with people who were there.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to a meteor expert. Ask him/her three questions about meteorites. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.