Cave Homes
1. For people looking for a different type of home, a cave house in Spain may be the answer. People
lived in these caves in ancient times but for many years after that they sat empty. In the 19th
century, poor people started living in the caves again as they couldn’t afford to live anywhere else.
Life was hard for these people, who worked on the land. During the 20th century, many of them left
their cave homes and moved to the coast or city in the hope of a better life. It was then that the
homes were modernized and put up for sale.
2. To buy a modern cave today costs anything from €40,000 to €250,000. They all have modern
conveniences such as electricity, running water, bathrooms with showers, and telephones. Some of
them even have satellite TV and Internet. These homes are very cool in summer and warm in winter,
so there’s usually no need for air conditioning or central heating. This is an advantage as you save
lots of money on bills. One of the disadvantages is that indoors it’s rather dark as the windows are
small and don’t let a lot of light in.
3. The caves are very popular with people from other countries who want to live in Spain’s sunny
climate. Some people retire there or buy a cave as a summer home. Most people who buy property
in Spain prefer being on the coast where there is more to do. These caves are perfect for people who
prefer a quieter life and want to live as the locals do. Most of the cave homes are around small
villages, which are very peaceful. However, they do have shops, schools, restaurants, and cafés and
some even have a cinema.
4. Take a look at some of the properties that are advertised online, to see just how amazing these
cave homes are. You will see that no two homes are alike but they are all situated in beautiful
surroundings. These homes may not suit everyone but they are certainly different. If you want a life
in the sun that isn’t going to cost you a fortune, a cave house may be the very thing you’re looking
for!
Vocabulary Questions:
1)What does “conveniences” mean?
A)advantages
B)wastes
C)experiences
2)What does “property” mean?
A) vehicles
B)employment
C) estate
3) What does “ alike”mean ?
A)opposite
B)distinct
C)unlike
Choose the best answer.
1. Before the 20th century,
A. cave homes were modernized.
B. it was cheap to buy a cave home.
C. no one lived in the caves.
D. cave dwellers worked on the land.
2. All modern cave homes today
A. have Internet.
B. have satellite TVs.
C. have modern conveniences such as electricity.
D. have large rooms and windows.
3. Most people who buy property in Spain
A. prefer to live in a village.
B. only go there during the summer.
C. want to buy something cheap.
D. would rather live near the sea.
4. Section IV suggests that cave homes
A. could be ideal for everyone.
B. can only be bought via the Internet.
C. are all different in some way.
D. are only on sale in Spain.
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D)alternatives
D)products
D)similar
What is happening to our weather?
What is ‘extreme’ weather? Why are people talking about it these days? ‘Extreme’ weather is an
unusual weather event such as rainfall, a drought or a heat wave in the wrong place or at the
wrong time. 1) ____________________________. But these days, our TV screens are constantly
showing such extreme weather events. Take just three news stories from 2010: 28 centimetres of
rain fell on Rio de Janeiro in 24 hours, Nashville, USA, had 33 centimetres of rain in two days and
there was record rainfall in Pakistan.
The effects of this kind of rainfall are dramatic and lethal. In Rio de Janeiro, landslides followed,
burying hundreds of people. In Pakistan, the floods affected 20 million people. Meanwhile, other
parts of the world suffer devastating droughts. Australia, Russia and East Africa have been hit in
the last ten years. And then there are unexpected heat waves, such as in 2003 in Europe.
2) _________________________________________ . So, what is happening to our weather?
Are these extreme events part of a natural cycle? Or are they caused by human activity and its
effects on the Earth’s climate?
3) _______________________________________ On the one hand, the most important
influences on weather events are natural cycles in the climate. Two of the most famous weather
cycles, El Niño and La Niña, originate in the Pacific Ocean. The heat from the warm ocean rises
high into the atmosphere and affects weather all around the world. On the other hand, the
temperature of the Earth’s oceans is slowly but steadily going up. And this is a result of human
activity. We are producing greenhouse gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. 4)
________________________________ .
Warmer oceans produce more water vapour – think of heating a pan of water in your kitchen.
Turn up the heat, it produces steam more quickly. Satellite data tells us that the water vapour in
the atmosphere has gone up by four percent in 25 years. This warm, wet air turns into the rain,
storms, hurricanes and typhoons that we are increasingly experiencing.
Climate scientist, Michael Oppenheimer, says that we have to face the reality of climate change.
5)____________________________ .
PART I: Read the text above and fill in the blanks with the sentences below.
A.
We also need to act now to save lives and money in the future.
B.
This heat warms up the atmosphere, land and oceans.
C.
Peter Miller says it’s probably a mixture of both of these things.
D.
That summer, 35,000 deaths were said to be heat-related.
E.
In theory, they are very rare.
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PART II
Read the article and choose the correct option.
1. The article says extreme weather is ...
a) becoming more common.
b) not a natural occurrence.
c) difficult for scientists to understand.
2. According to the article, extreme weather is a problem because ...
A )we can't predict it.
b) it affects places where lots of people live.
C )it’s often very destructive.
3. Extreme weather can by caused by ...
a) satellites above the Earth.
b) water vapour in the atmosphere.
c) very hot summers.
4. Why was the rain in Nashville considered to be an extreme event?
a) There was a lot of rain over a long time period.
b) It doesn’t usually rain in Nashville.
c) There was a lot of rain in a short time.
5. What happened after the extreme rain in Rio de Janeiro?
a) There were major floods.
b)There were many deaths.
c) Millions of people were affected.
6. What caused many deaths in 2003?
a) a period of hot weather
b) floods that followed a bad summer
c) a long drought
7. Which of these things is the basis of normal weather patterns?
a) greenhouse gases
b) human activity
c) El Niño and La Niña
8. Where does atmospheric water vapour come from?
a) the land
b) the ocean
c) greenhouse gases
9. We can use satellites to ...
a) change where storms will happen.
b) trap greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
c)measure changes in atmospheric water vapour.
10. According to Michael Oppenheimer ...
a) we don't understand extreme weather events.
b) we can limit the effects of extreme weather.
c) we can stop climate change.
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Norwich
Norwich, the capital of the part of Britain known as East Anglia, has existed as a place to live for more
than two thousand years. It began as a small village beside the River Wensum. The first cathedral was
built in 1095 and has recently celebrated its 900th anniversary, while Norwich itself had a year of
celebration in 1994 to mark the 800th anniversary of the city receiving a Royal Charter. This allowed
it to be called a city and to govern itself independently.
Today,1) ___________ , Norwich is quite small, with a population of around 150,000, but in the 16th
century Norwich was the second city of England. It continued to grow for the next 300 years and got
richer and richer, becoming famous for having as many churches as there are weeks in the year and
as many pubs as there are days in the year. Nowadays, there are far fewer churches and pubs.
2) ___________, the city now has a wide choice of entertainment: theatres, cinemas, nightclubs,
busy cafes, excellent restaurants, and a number of arts and leisure centres. Now the city's attractions
include another important development, a modern shopping centre called 'The Castle Mall'. The
people of Norwich lived with a very large hole in the middle of their city for over two years,
3) _______________. Lorries moved nearly a million tons of earth so that the roof of the Mall could
become a city centre park, with attractive water pools and hundreds of trees. However, the local
people are really pleased that the old open market remains, right in the heart of the city and next to
the new development.
Part I
Some sentences are missing in the text above. Find the suitable answer to fill in the gaps. There is
ONE EXTRA!!
A) in comparison with places like London or Manchester
B) although Norwich doesn’t suffer from extreme temperatures and benefits from rainfall
throughout the year
C) as builders dug up the main car park
D) with its fast growing university student population and its success as a modern commercial
centre
Part II
Find the True or False sentences below according to the text and correct the false ones.
1. The River Wensum flows through East Anglia. T/F
2. People have lived by the River Wensum for at least 2,000 years. T/F
3. In the 11th century Norwich was a small village. T/F
4. Norwich has been a city since its first cathedral was built. T/F
5. Norwich has always been one of the smallest English cities. T/F
7. The number of students in Norwich is increasing. T/F
8. The Castle Mall took more than two years to build. T/F
9. Norwich people still like shopping at the old market. T/F
10. The city park surrounds the Mall. T/F
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Extreme sports
James I’ve been really into surfing for more than fifteen years. I started learning in England,then I
began going on surfing holidays abroad with my mates – we went to Bali in Indonesia, and also South
Africa. After that I started wanting bigger challenges, so five years ago I decided to try the really big
waves in Hawaii. Of course they can be dangerous and you have to concentrate one hundred
percent, but it’s worth it for the thrill you get when you’re riding them. It’s a magical feeling, like
flying above the ocean, and for those few seconds you totally forget everything else in your life.
Susan Part of me had always wanted to try skydiving, but I was really scared the first time. The worst
bit was just before I jumped out of the plane – I wanted to be back on the ground, not 4,000 metres
up in the air. Of course, as a beginner you don’t do it on your own – you’re attached to the instructor
who opens the parachute for you. Falling through the air at 180 kilometres per hour is a massive
adrenaline rush. That first time was five years ago, and since then I’ve done more than twenty solo
jumps.
Mike Mountains offer a challenge I find impossible to ignore. I started climbing about twenty years
ago, and I’ve now climbed three of the highest five peaks in Europe. Of course it can be dangerous,
and I’ve had some scary moments, but the sense of achievement when you reach the top is amazing.
When you’re pulling yourself up that wall of rock it feels like you’re in a battle against nature – it’s
not a feeling you can get from anything in everyday life.
Teresa I became hooked on snowboarding the very first time I tried it. I soon realized I had a natural
talent for it, and it wasn’t long before I was winning competitions and getting a bit of prize money.
My dream is to be able to make my living just from boarding, so I now take three months off work
every winter and concentrate on improving my technique. I’d recommend boarding to anyone. The
exhilaration of going down the mountain, plus the beauty of the scenery – it’s just fantastic.
PART I) Four people are talking about their hobbies. Match their names with the suitable
information given below.
1) ......... plans to do it as a profession.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
2) .........thinks it makes you feel like a warrior.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
3)......... thinks that although it is an individual activity, you need an assistance initially.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
4)......... thinks it not only gives you excitement, but also keeps you happy with lovely views.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
5) ......... thinks it leads to a total isolation.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
6) ........ thinks excitement replaces fears in time.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
7) ........ thinks ”The higher the better”.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
8) ....... thinks anyone who is interested in it has to focus fully.
A) James
B) Suzan
C) Mike
D) Teresa
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