Kangourou Italia
Cambridge English Language Assessment
Gara del 26 febbraio 2014
Categoria RED KANGAROO
Per studenti della classe quinta
della Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado
LISTENING TEST
YOU NEED:
• This question paper
• An answer sheet
• A black pen
You may NOT use a dictionary.
Do NOT open this paper until you are told to do so.
Try to answer ALL the questions.
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Listen to each question carefully.
• Select the correct answer and then mark your selection on your answer sheet.
• Only mark one answer for each question.
Questa parte è formata da 20 quesiti a scelta multipla.
Il punteggio massimo ottenibile, relativamente a questa parte, è di 20 punti.
Eseguire “Traccia 2” del disco N. 2.
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
pagina 49
Part 1
5 questions
You will hear people talking in different situations.
For each question, listen and choose the correct answer.
1
What did the woman do on her course?
RED KANG.
2
A
B
C
B
C
What is the man’s job now?
3
A
How will the woman reach the ski-school from the hotel?
pagina 50
A
B
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
C
4
Where in the supermarket were the car keys found?
A
5
B
C
B
C
Where is Angela now?
A
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
RED KANG.
pagina 51
Part 2
5 questions
RED KANG.
Listen to an interview with a woman who is talking about her new house.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
6
Where did Helga first get the idea of building her house?
A
B
C
7
Which job did Helga do herself?
A
B
C
8
Helga spent more than she had originally planned on
A
B
C
9
Helga is surprised that the house is very
A
B
C
10
What does Helga plan to do next?
A
B
C
pagina 52
from her husband
from her friends
from her parents
finding building materials
drawing the building plans
laying the bricks
the kitchen.
the floors.
the bathroom.
big and bright.
easy to entertain in.
safe for her son.
sell the house
get a full-time job
study for a qualification
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
Part 3
5 questions
You will hear people talking in different situations.
For each question, listen and choose the correct answer.
11
What should people do at the moment?
A
keep away from the area
B
help clean the beach
C
save some of the affected birds
13
RED KANG.
12
What has the man just bought?
A
a van
B
a motorbike
C
a car
What is the girl’s main reason for joining the debating society?
A
B
C
to make a good impression on her tutors
to gain confidence in putting across her ideas
to meet people from different parts of the world
14
What are the women complaining about?
A
the prices
B
the quality of goods
C
the service
15
Who is the man phoning?
A
someone at his home
B
someone he has an appointment with
C
someone at his office
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
pagina 53
Part 4
5 questions
Listen to an interview with Natasha Malpeach, polar explorer.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
RED KANG.
16
What indication was there in Natasha’s childhood that she might become an
explorer?
A
She enjoyed physical activities.
B
She was constantly challenging herself.
C
She always had a good sense of direction.
D
She was interested in world geography.
17
When Natasha left school, she got a job in a bank because
A
it was the career which her parents chose for her.
B
she felt she wasn’t fit enough to join the police force.
C
she hoped it would lead to something more exciting.
D
it would guarantee her a reasonable income.
18
Natasha became determined to join the polar expedition when she realised
that
A
it would be more fun than the selection weekend.
B
her children would gain from the experience.
C
television cameras would be filming it.
D
she had the right background for it.
19 How did Natasha feel when her name was read out at the end of the
selection procedure?
A
appreciative of other candidates’ support
B
astonished that she had been chosen
C
overjoyed at the thought of the trip
D
reluctant to express her emotions
20
According to Natasha, what is her father’s current attitude towards her?
A
He is disappointed that she failed to take his advice.
B
He is concerned about her absences from home.
C
He is delighted with her fame in the media.
D
He is proud of her strength of character.
pagina 54
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
Kangourou Italia
Cambridge English Language Assessment
Gara del 26 febbraio 2014
Categoria RED KANGAROO
Per studenti della classe quinta
della Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado
READING TEST
YOU NEED:
• This question paper
• An answer sheet
• A black pen
You may NOT use a dictionary.
Do NOT open this paper until you are told to do so.
Try to answer ALL the questions.
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Read each question carefully.
• Select the correct answer and then mark your selection on your answer sheet.
• Only mark one answer for each question.
Questa seconda parte è formata da 35 quesiti a scelta multipla.
Il punteggio massimo ottenibile, relativamente a questa parte, è di 35 punti.
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
pagina 55
Part 5
10 questions
Read the text.
For each space, choose the correct answer.
Memories of mango and ice-cream parties
RED KANG.
I grew up in India, where the mango is known as the ‘King of Fruits’. Mangoes
always (21) ….. back happy childhood memories because all graduations from
school or college were marked by a mango and ice-cream party, and all the family
would be (22) ….. round for a celebration. It was customary to serve up two different (23) ….. of mango. The sweeter yellow-skinned fruit were my favourite,
(24) ….. my sisters preferred the green-skinned ones which had a sharper taste.
We usually (25) ….. flowing white dresses called ‘sarees’ on these (26) ….. and
had white jasmine flowers in our hair. The mango was either peeled and cut into
neat chunks to (27) ….. with ice-cream, or it was cut into long thin slices with the
skin still (28) ….. . I wasn’t very (29) ….. on the ice-cream, actually, and liked
to eat my mango in the old-fashioned way, pulling the flesh away from the skin
with my teeth. Even now, that’s how I eat them. There was one (30) ….. to this
method, however. Good ripe mangoes are full of juice, and so I often remember
spraying my white saree with juice.
21
A send
B bring
C take
22
A received
B asked
C requested
23
A varieties
B examples
C models
24
A otherwise
B whereas
C despite
25
A dressed
B wore
C changed
26
A episodes
B circumstances
C events
27
A fit B match
C go
28
A attached
B fastened
C connected
29
A enthusiastic
B fond
C keen
30
A problem
B difficulty C trouble
pagina 56
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
D call
D greeted
D brands
D rather
D put
D occasions
D join
D fixed
D devoted
D drawback
Part 6
10 questions
Read the text.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Which writer
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
pagina 57
RED KANG.
31
says it takes determination to succeed?
32
believes that people have wrong ideas about some teenagers?
33
says writing is the only job she would ever want to do?
mentions doing lengthy research before starting to write?
34
is not afraid of basing her stories on real people?
35
respects other people’s wishes when deciding what to write?
36
37
admits to being uneasy about being famous?
would like her writing to give people hope?
38
feels she is more courageous than other writers?
39
says that people close to her have been the starting point for some
40
of hewriting?
Writing for Teenagers
We talked to four women who write books for teenagers, and asked them about their
life and work.
RED KANG.
A
Annie Jones
C
Every character has a little bit of me in it,
though most is imagined. That’s what makes publishing so scary: someone who looks
will be able to find me in my stories. Currently, my ‘office’ is on the kitchen table. I have
been known to scribble on a notepad on my
lap if required. When I have an idea, I go to
my computer, no matter what the time is or
how little sleep I’ve had. Sometimes people
recognise me in the street, which is a little
worrying, because I wonder if anyone recognises me who doesn’t like me. On the other
hand, some people say, ‘you inspired me to
write,’ or ‘your books got me to start reading’.
It’s a lot to live up to, but knowing that people are looking up to me makes me pause and
consider what I do.
B
Belinda Foster
pagina 58
‘Susie’ is my first novel. I’ve been writing
since I was about six years old. I would write books then sell them to my neighbours, so
even at that age I looked at it as a job. How
I got that notion into my head is a complete puzzle, because there were no writers in
my family. It was a lot easier when I was six.
Writing is a very strange process. As a writer,
you sort of wander through life participating,
yet watching. People think that some things
in the book are based on actual events but in
fact, they’re totally made up. When people ask
how my book came about, I tell them about
the months I spent reading all sorts of material, and how I then just sat down in front of
the computer and let Susie talk.
D
My philosophy when writing books has
always been to listen to people first hand and
use what they say to create my characters and
plots. I enjoy using facts even if that is hard
for some readers. My three sons have been
the inspiration for many of my ideas. They
are very creative and extremely interesting
to live with. When I wrote my book, I wanted to understand teenage boys better because I felt unfair assumptions were being made
about them. I think they have a great deal of
wisdom. I also feel very strongly that I have
things to say that no one else dares to say.
Half of being a writer is believing in yourself.
If I run into difficulties, I find a way around
them, and I have been lucky to find people to
advise me. I try to be flexible but never give
up on my goals.
Catherine Brooks
Dorothy Glass
Being a teenager can be confusing and few
parents feel they can talk about it. That’s my
job. I try to write books that show teenagers
facing various challenging situations; from
the more serious to the lighter, day-to-day
pressures. I want to show my readers that life
really can turn out OK. I have two daughters,
and I’m sometimes tempted to steal some of
the things they say for dialogue but I never do.
Anyway, I don’t think I could base a character
on them. For one thing, I wouldn’t want to invade their privacy. For another, they wouldn’t
let me do it. I take my work very seriously and
I couldn’t imagine my life without it. I’m happiest when I’m sitting in my office, away from
anyone else, working on my latest book.
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
Part 7
10 questions
Read the text.
For each space, choose the correct answer.
The invisible gorilla: a psychological experiment
41
A operated B conducted
C handled
D dictated
42
A duty
B charge
C task
D exercise
43
A stage
B degree
C extend
D level
44
A omitted
B failed
C avoided
D escaped
45
A scanned
B glanced
C regarded
D spotted
46
A kept up
C carried out
B tried on
D taken through
47
A reveal
B express
C declare
D discover
48
A grab
B pull
C grip
D trap
49
A involvement
B concern
C fitness
50
A prospect
B likelihood
C estimate
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
D relevance
D outlook
pagina 59
RED KANG.
Even if you haven’t seen the invisible gorilla test, there’s a fair chance you’ve heard of it. It’s an experiment that was first (41) …….. by two psychologists, Chris
Chabris and Dan Simons. They had volunteers watch a short video of two teams
moving around while they passed basketballs. The viewers’ only (42) …….. was
to count the number of passes made by one team. At a certain (43) …….. , a
person dressed as a gorilla walked among the players and beat his chest. Roughly half the people that took the test (44) …….. to notice the gorilla. After the
test, those who hadn’t (45) …….. the gorilla were shocked. Researchers have
(46) …….. different versions of the test and the results are always very similar.
Chabris and Simons say the tests (47) …….. that although we believe we see
anything important going on in front of us, things often don’t (48) …….. our
attention unless we focus on them. The (49) …….. of this to everyday life is not
difficult to imagine. People speaking on mobiles while driving may think they’re
aware of what’s happening around them, but the (50) …….. is there will be things
they won’t notice.
Part 8
5 questions
Read the text.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Cycle Racing
RED KANG.
Stadium racing needs specialist training. At my cycling club, everyone learns to ride a track
bike without gears or brakes – normal bikes being prohibited. Having no brakes is scary at
first, especially when you are in formation with a lot of other cyclists. Most track races are
fast and short. This makes your position in the group of riders critical at every moment,
and you cannot afford to be afraid. When I started competing, I had no ambition to lead,
but I found that just to keep my place, I always had to push forward, leaving no gap. If the
smallest place opened up between me and the cyclist in front, another rider moved up and
took the spot. I soon realised that if I was hesitant about guarding my position, I ended up
at the back of the group.
I remember one of my early training practices well. The cycle track where we trained was
surrounded by a bank. Our instructor trained us to use this by forming us, in pairs, into two
parallel lines about a metre apart. We cycled the track at a steady tempo, each pair taking
a turn at the front of the group for a circuit, then swinging off, up the banking. As my turn
at the front approached, I prayed that I wouldn’t make a mess of it and disrupt the smooth
rhythm of the exercise. But with my partner I broke away up the bank, decelerating as the
double line of riders passed below, and swung down again to rejoin the group at the rear.
We’d done it well, and I was exhilarated.
After half an hour of riding round, varying the pace, the coach called out, ‘Next lap, sprint!’
At the next curve, several riders at the back started to break out of formation and move
forward past the group. Then riders were moving everywhere, jockeying for position, squeezing into gaps. I was still nervous, but as we rounded the last curve, riders were sweeping
down off the banking, and suddenly the liberty and speed were thrilling. I joined the pellmell dash, becoming part of something much larger, like a swarm of bees or a shoal of
darting fish.
It took me a long time to learn how to finish a race. Impatiently, I’d rush ahead from the
start, as though the race was going to finish in the first circuit. Tactically, I was inexperienced. I was beginning to get the legs for racing, but not yet the head for it. Only gradually did
I learn how to ride along inconspicuously, watching, waiting for the moment to make the
big effort. It isn’t necessary to be the strongest rider in order to finish amongst the winners.
I trained hard and reached the senior category of amateur cycling, which meant I could enter a race with professionals. All through the racing season, I competed in weekly meetings
at an old motor-racing circuit. It was a fast, technical circuit, and I got to know it well, so
when one of the national cycle championships was scheduled to be held there, I decided to
enter. I did not expect even to complete the race; but my training and knowledge of the
circuit paid off, and I was far from the last to cross the line. It felt like the greatest day of
my life.
pagina 60
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
51
Mick discovered that the secret of racing in formation with other cyclists was
having
A
B
C
D
52
How did Mick feel during the training practice on the bank?
A
B
C
D
53
How did Mick feel during the sprint?
A
B
C
D
54
Mick had a lot of improvement to make as a competitor because
A
B
C
D
55
Why did Mick feel satisfied after the national cycle championships?
A
B
C
D
the courage to keep very close to the rider ahead.
the speed to set the pace for the group.
the determination to stay at the front of the group.
the strength to force other riders to make a gap for you.
worried that his partner would not keep up with him
nervous in case he destroyed the pace of the activity
elated at being at the front of the group
proud to be more skilful than the other riders
RED KANG.
He was confused and didn’t know what to do.
He feared that the situation had got out of control.
He wanted to get out of the way of the other riders.
He was caught up in the excitement of the situation.
he always wanted to go to the front of the group too soon.
he needed to develop the muscles in his legs for maximum speed.
he did not have enough stamina to finish long-distance races.
he forgot about tactics when he thought he was going to win.
He was one of the front runners.
He managed to finish the race.
It was the first time he had raced as a professional.
It was the most challenging circuit he had raced on.
Kangourou della Lingua Inglese 2014
pagina 61