Testing Reading.
Reading is one of the main skills that a student must acquire in the process of mastering a foreign
language in school. Reading is of great educational importance, as reading is a means of
communication, people get information they need from books , journals, magazines, newspapers,
etc. Through reading in a foreign language the students enriches his knowledge of the world
around him. Reading develops students’ intelligence, their memory, will, imagination.
The aims of testing reading are:
 to test the ability to understand how information is structured within a text;
 to test total understanding of a text by giving students different tasks;
 to test the ability to scan a text and select the relevant information needed in order to perform
a given task;
 to prepare students for examination papers such as «Reading Comprehension», «Reading and
Writing»
Students will be expected to show that they can use the following skills:
 skimming;
 scanning;
 deducing meaning and use of unfamiliar words;
 understanding explicitly stated information;
 understanding information not explicitly stated, by inference;
 understanding relations within the sentence and between parts of a text through link words;
 identifying the main point or important information.
Guidelines for preparing reading tests
The heart of reading evaluation in most schools is reading comprehension, and that will be our
main emphasis in this chapter.
I.
Selecting Texts
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
II.
Choose texts which are similar to the type of texts that students will have to deal with in
ordinary life.
Try to keep the appearance of the text as similar as possible to the original- with headlines,
photos, typeface, etc.
When trying to determine how difficult a text is, consider not only the language, but also the
topic, the number and complexity of the ideas.
Choose texts which will be interesting for the students.
Don’t believe that the difficulty of a text is determined only by the difficulty of the text. You
can ask easy questions on difficult texts and difficult questions on easy texts.
Reading Text Types





various types of letters ( formal/ informal / official) ;
post-cards, telegrams and messages;
forms, questionnaires and advertisements;
menus, tariffs, sets of instructions and rules, catalogues and all types of public notices;
passages of description, argument and opinion from literary sources, literary texts such as
folk tales, short stories, magazines and newspapers;
 texts supported by graphs, tables, diagrams ;
 informative academic texts e.g. scientific, technical and encyclopedias;
III.
Reading Items
 Use a variety of item types, not just multiple-choice;
 the language of reading items should be easier than the language of the text;
 it should not be possible to answer reading items (tasks) correctly without the written text;
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
make sure that the students have to read the text in order to answer the questions.
Examples of Item Types
I. Testing Sentence Comprehension.
 True / False statements
 Multiple-choice (sentence-based, picture-based)
 Matching (sentence-based, picture-based)
 Information gap-filling
 Transformation
II.
Testing Text Comprehension
1) True / False statements
2) Multiple-choice (text-based)
3) Matching
4) Re-order sentences
5) Text-completion
6) Compare exercises
7) Understanding information which is not stated in the text
8) Give comments on the text
9) Selecting the relevant information
10) Question-answer exercises:
 memory questions (tell us..... , describe......, Wh-questions)
 translation questions (tell in your own words....., write a paragraph about.......)
 interpretation questions ( compare and contrast....., explain the relationship....... ,
draw a conclusion from figures in the table......)
 application questions (use the given information to solve......, show how you
might use.......)
 analysis questions (what are the conclusions......, list all the problems......, what
are the steps in the process........)
 synthesis questions (what would happen if......, suppose.........., in what ways can
you improve........)
 evaluation questions (evaluate the results........, judge the evidence.....)
11) Tricky texts
III. Complex Reading Tests.
Testing Sentence Comprehension.
There is no need to test comprehension of an essay if students still have difficulty understanding
a sentence. Sentence comprehension must precede essay comprehension. Some sentence-level
comprehension items are good for beginners.
True / False statements.
Exercise 1. ( sentence comprehension) Read these sentences and say which of them are true
and which are not true.
1) The sun rises in the east. (T/F)
2) If we say « the sun is shining brightly today», it means that the weather is cloudy. (T/F)
3) To play games in the open air means to play outdoors . (T/F)
4) To wipe something means to dry something. (T/F)
5) December, January and February are summer months. (T/F)
6) Monkey live in the trees. (T/F)
7) Crocodiles like fruit. (T/F)
Answer: 1)-T 2)-F 3)-T 4)-T 5)-F 6)-T 7)-F
1.
2
Exercise 2. (picture-based)
The students look at the picture and read the sentences. The answer is based on « yes/no »
clue.
They can use a «polar clue» ( + for ‘yes’, - for ‘no’). This task is time-limited.
This is a living-room.
This is a bed-room.
There are two beds in the room.
There is a round table in the room.
There is a square table in the room.
There are ten chairs in the room.
There is a TV set in the corner of the
room.
8) The girl is sitting in front of the TV
set.
9) There are two pictures on the wall.
10) There is a radio on the shelf.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
2.
11) There is a bookcase on the right.
12) There is a lamp on the bookcase.
13) There are a lot of books in the
bookcase.
14) There is a sofa by the wall.
15) The cat is sitting on the sofa.
16) There is a telephone in the room.
17) The telephone is on the round table.
18) There is one window in the room.
19) There are two armchairs at the TV set.
20) Two boys are sitting in the armchair.
Multiple-choice.
Exercise 1. Read each sentence and choose the closest meaning.
1) The question is too important to forget.
A) We must ask the question. B) We must remember the question. C) We must try to forget
the question.
2) The woman wanted to keep her accident quiet.
A) She wanted to hide her accident. B) She wanted to talk about her accident quietly. C)
She wanted to report her accident.
3) Bill has no business going to New York next December.
A) Bill runs a business in New York. B) Bill shouldn’t go to New York. C) Bill will open a
business in New York.
4) When I told Mark the news, he blew up.
A) Mark became worried. B) Mark became angry. C) Mark became nervous.
5) The sole survivor of the plane crash was Mary Peters.
A) Mary Peters was the only passenger killed. B) Mary Peters was the only passenger not
killed.
6) John has three books and a couple of pencils.
A) John has fewer pencils than books. B) John has more books than pencils. C) John has
fewer books than pencils.
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If your plane leaves at eight, you must arrive twenty minutes ahead of the time to check
your luggage.
A) You should arrive at 8.00. B) You should arrive at 8.20. C) You should arrive at 7.40.
8) It’s a shame John eats sweets whenever he gets the chance.
A) John never has a chance to eat sweets. B) John likes sweets , but he rarely eats any.
B) John enjoys eating sweet things.
9) We would have had a better time if we had known some of the other guests.
A) None of the guests had a good time. B) Everyone had more than we did. C) We knew
few people at the party.
10) I’m only an acquaintance of Bill Jones, but he seems a likeable fellow.
A) I like Bill Jones , but he doesn’t like me. B) Bill Jones and I don’t know each other very
well. C) Most fellows are acquainted with Bill Jones.
Answer: 1)-b 2)-a 3)-b 4)-b 5)-b 6)-a 7)- c 8)-c 9)-c 10)-b
7)
Exercise2. (picture -based) Look, Read and Choose.
Look at these pictures and choose only those sentences which correspond to each picture.
1)
This is a woman. 2) This is a man. 3) This is a girl. 4) This is a boy. 5) She is in the
classroom. 6) He is in the street. 7) She is a teacher. 8) He is a doctor. 9) He is in
hospital. 10) He is at work 11) She is at school. 12) She is at university. 13) She is at the
seaside. 14) He is on a farm. 15) He is reading a newspaper. 16) She is writing. 17) She is
reading a book. 18) She is sitting at the desk. 19)She is a student. 20) He is writing. 21)
She is looking at the picture. 22) She is in bed. 23) He is showing a picture. 24) They are
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playing with their toys. 25) She is sleeping. 26) The man is an engineer. 27) The man is
young. 28) The man is old. 29) The woman is young. 30) The woman is old. 31) The man is
sitting on the bench in the park. 32) The girl is playing tennis. 33) She is having a bath. 34)
She has a book in her hands. 34) He has a newspaper in his hands. 35) She has a pen in
her hand.
Answer: Picture(1)-1,5,7,11,16,29, Picture (2)-1,21,29, Picture (3)-2,8,9,10,27,
Picture (4)-1,16,18,29,35 Picture (5)-3,19, Picture (6)-2,14,15,28,34,
Picture (7)-1,5,7,11,17,30,34, Picture (8)-2,10,14,20,26,
Matching ( sentence-based, picture-based)
Exercise 1. (sentence-based)
Complete the information in column A with suitable information in column B.
A.
B.
1) Many tourists go to California........
a) so they can go skiing
2) A lot of foreign students go to Britain b) because they want to see the pyramids
in the summer............
c) to take English courses
3) Not everyone flies first class when d) because it is usually too expensive
travelling.........
e) to visit Disneyland
4) Thousands of people go to Switzerland
in the winter...........
5) Lots of tourists go to Egypt.........
Answer: 1)-e 2)-c 3)-d 4)-a 5)-b
3.
Exercise 2. (picture-based) Look, read and choose the correct answer.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Questions
Is this a kitchen?
Is this a bedroom?
Are there two beds in the room?
Is there a wardrobe in the room?
Is there a sofa by the wall?
Is there a picture on the wall?
Are there chairs in the room?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Answers
Yes, it is.
No, it isn’t.
Yes, there is.
Yes, there are.
No, there isn’t.
No, there aren’t.
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8) Is there a cat on the bed?
9) Is there a sideboard in the room?
10) Is there a round table in the room?
4.
Information gap-filling.
Exercise 1. (sentence -based) Complete these sentences.
1) Some days ago I went to the forest.......
2) I’ve just seen a very interesting..... about......
3) I enjoy going to the Zoo because......
4) Yesterday I got up at 7 o’clock, because.......
5) In our class we have a naughty boy.......
Exercise 2. (picture-based) I think you’d like to know what my room is like. It is very nice.
Complete these sentences.
This is a nice comfortable room with.......
1) There is one.....in the room. It is rather large.
2) It is a sunny morning because.....
3) What a cosy.....is standing by the window!
4) On the left there is a high....... ; there are some books on the upper shelf.
5) In front of the bookcase we can see a round....... and a lovely cat under it.
6) There are some......and......on the round table.
7) Behind the table on the wall there’s........
8) The TV set is on the small table......
9) On the floor there is........
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Transformation.
Exercise: 1. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same
as the original sentence.
1) I’m sure she’s French. - She must be French.
2) ‘I am sorry I was late’, he said. -He apologised.........
3) I haven’t seen this film before. -This is......
4) Peter can run faster than me. -I can’t.......
5) ‘Have you done this sort of work before?’ she asked me.- She asked me.........
6) I’m sure she didn’t do it on purpose. -She can’t.........
Answer: 2) He apologized for being late.
3) This is the first time I’ve seen this film.
4) I can’t run as fast as Peter.
5) She asked me if I had done that sort of work before.
6) She can’t have done it on purpose.
Testing Text Comprehension.
5.
True-False statements (text-based)
Exercise 1. Read the text and write if the statements are TRUE or FALSE:
1.
Bad Habits.
Heart disease kills more than a million people in the world every year. In Britain alone 170,000
die from the disease annually. There are three main reasons for this: smoking, a bad diet, and not
taking enough exercise. Many people travel to work by car, bus or train and then sit down at
work all day! The food they eat is unhealthy and they eat too much. In a typical British dish of
sausages, chips and beans there is too much salt and too much sugar- an important ingredient in
tinned food - and there are not enough vegetables. And there is not enough fibre in most meals.
There are too many deaths from heart disease. We can reduce that number, but we have to
change our habits.
1) Only 10,000 people in the world die annually from heart disease.
2) There is only one reason for heart disease.
3) Many people do not take enough exercise.
4) There isn’t any sugar in tinned food.
5) Smoking can cause heart disease.
2. Multiple-choice (text-based)
Exercise1. Read the text and choose the correct answer.
A Detective
A French taxi-driver once played a joke on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The man had driven
Sir Arthur from the station to a hotel and when he received his fare he said, «Thank you, Mr
Conan Doyle».
«Why , how do you know my name?» asked Sir Arthur.
«Well, sir, I saw in the papers that you were coming from the south of France to Paris.
Your appearance told me that you were English; I could see that your hair had been cut by a
barber of the south of France. I put two and two together and guessed at once that it was
you».
«That is very clever. Have you no other facts to go by?»
«Well,» said the man, «there is also the fact that your name is on your luggage».
1) In what country did the taxi-driver live? A) England B)Germany C)France
2) How did A.Conan Doyle get to the hotel? A) by bus B) by underground C) by car
3) Where did A. Conan Doyle come to Paris from?
A) Russia
B) the south of France
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C)the north of France
4) How did the driver learn the nationality of A. Conan Doyle? A) by appearance B) from
TV news C) from newspapers
5) Did A. Conan Doyle have long or short hair? A) very long B) short C) he was bald
Exercise 2. Read the text and choose the correct answer.
Once Mark Twain and his friend were invited to a dinner party. When it was time to make
speeches, Mark Twain was asked to say a few words. He spoke for over a quarter of an hour and
his speech was a great success. Then it was his friend’s turn to say something. He stood up and
said, «Ladies and gentlemen, before this dinner Mark Twain and I agreed to exchange speeches .
He has just made my speech and I am glad to see how warmly you have received it. I am sorry to
say that I have lost the notes of his speech and cannot remember what he wanted to say».
Then Mark Twain’s friend sat down and the people had a good laugh.
1) When did Mark Twain go to the party?
a) early in the morning b) at 8 o’clock in the morning c) in the evening
2) How long was M.Twain’s speech?
a) 10 minutes b) less than 5 minutes c) over 15 minutes
3) Who was Mark Twain’s friend?
a) an old woman b) a man c) a young girl
4) What did Mark Twain and his friend agree to do before the dinner?
a) they agreed to exchange speeches b) they agreed to exchange books c) they agreed to
exchange dishes
5) What did Mark Twain’s friend lose?
a) the notes of his speech b) the notes of Mark Twain’s speech c) his invitation card
Answer:1)-c 2)-c 3)-b 4)-a 5)-b
Exercise3. Read five texts. In each case the text is incomplete. Choose A,B,C or D to complete
the text.
1) I get up at 7 o’clock in the morning. I wash, get dressed and have my breakfast . ....................
I arrive in school at 8.30. Another day has begun.
A) My alarm clock rings at six forty-five. B) I love school.
C) I go to school by bus .
D) I come home at four thirty.
2) I have two cats. They are both black and.............. One is called Tom and the other is called
Pussy.
A) they both have white ears B) he is very old
C) he loves them D) often plays with me
3) There are many great rivers in the world. The longest river in the world is the Amazon. The
longest river in North America is the Missouri and................
A) the Volga is longer than the Missouri
B) there are many great lakes in the world too
C) the longest river in Europe is the Volga D) the Mississipi is probably more famous
4) After school on Monday Anna was very tired. She ran out of school, got on the bus and went
home. She had some tea and then............... . She watched television for half an hour and then
went to bed.
A) did her homework B) she was thirsty C) is going in the garden D) telephones her friends
5) Many different kinds of people work in a large hotel-.......................... , for example. Some
jobs are
interesting but others are not.
A) I’d like to work in a hotel B) the beach is wonderful C) small family hotels and big
restaurants
D) waiters, cooks and receptionists
Answer: 1)-c 2)-a 3)-c 4)-a 5)-d
3. Matching.
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Exercise1. (text-based)
If a text has rather a large number of characters and the students are becoming confused
about who did what , we can try a simple matching exercise to help them.
A. Mr Fothenrengay
1. The fat lady who serves drinks
B. Toddy Beamish
2. The policeman sent to San Francisco
C. Mr Cox
3. One who always disagrees with
D. Miss Maybridge
Fothenrengay
E. a cyclist
4. The man with the power to work
F. Mr Winch
miracles
5. The clergyman who wants to stop time
6. The housekeeper who reforms
Exercise 2. (picture -based) Look at these pictures and then read the short texts. Match the text
with the picture
The Lion and the Mouse
One afternoon a lion went to sleep in the forest and didn’t hear what was happening around
him. Soon a little mouse appeared and began to sing a merry song. The lion woke up and
looked at the mouse. Then he said, «I’ll kill you for waking me up!» When the mouse heard
these words he said, «Please, please do not kill me. One day I may help you». «What?» said
the lion. «How can you, a little mouse , help me, the great lion?» He began to laugh. He
laughed and laughed. Then he said, «All right, mouse, run away. I am not going to kill you.
Will you help me? Ha! Ha! Ha!
2) One day some people placed a large net in the forest. When the little mouse came to that
place he saw the lion in the net. «I cannot get out of the net», said the lion. «Can you help
me, little mouse? Who can help me, please?»
3) «Oh, just a minute», the mouse said to the lion. «I shall help you. Do you think I cannot help
you? Oh, you are wrong. Let’s see what I can do». The mouse worked very quickly with his
teeth and soon the lion stood up.
4) «Well,» said the mouse. «You laughed at me. Now you see that a little mouse can help a great
lion». The lion did not answer. Then he said, «Thank you , little mouse» and went away into
the forest.
Answer: text 1-picture D; text2-picture C; text3-picture A; text4-picture B
1)
4.
Re-order sentences
Exercise: (based on the text ‘Mistaken Identity’ by Mark Twain)
The students read the text, then the text is removed and the students are asked to
number the facts below in the order in which they come in the text.
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Mistaken Identity
Years ago I arrived one day at Salamanca near New York, where I was to change trains and
take the sleeper. There were a lot of people on the platform, and they were all trying to get into
the long sleeper train which was already packed.
I asked the young man in the booking -office if I could have two tickets, and he answered
«No!» and shut the window in my face.
I found a local official and asked him if I could have some poor little corner somewhere in a
sleeping -car , but he cut me short saying, «No, you can’t , every corner is full. Now don’t
trouble me any more», and turned his back on me and walked off.
I said to my companion, «These people talk to me like this because they don’t know who I am.
If they knew....»
But my friend stopped me. «Don’t talk such nonsense», he said, «if they knew who you are, do
you think it would help you to get a vacant seat in a train which has no vacant seats in it?» That
was too much.
I found the same local official and said very politely that my name was Mark Twain and ... But
he cut me short again, «I told you not to trouble me any more», and again turned his back on
me.
I looked around helplessly but just then the conductor came to me, his face all politeness.
«Can I help you, sir?» he said. «Will you have a place in the sleeper?»
«Yes, certainly,» I said.
«We have only the big family compartment», he continued. «Here, Tom, take these suitcases to
the big family compartment.»
The porter made us comfortable in the compartment, and then said , «Now, is there anything you
want, sir? Because you can have just anything you want».
«Well. Now , that lamp is rather too high. Can I have another lamp just at the head, so that I can
read comfortably?»
«Yes, sir. The lamp you want is in the next compartment . I’ll get it from there. Yes, sir, you can
ask for anything you want .» And he disappeared.
Here I smiled at my companion and said, «Well, what do you say now? Didn’t their attitude
change the moment they learned that I was Mark Twain?»
As I was saying this, the porter’s smiling face appeared in the doorway, and this speech
followed ,
« Oh, sir, I recognised you the minute I set my eyes on you. I told the conductor so.»
«Is that so, my boy?» I said. «Who am I?»
«Mr McClellan, Mayor of New York,» he said and disappeared.
Number the facts below in the order in which they come in the text.
1) Mark Twain said to his friend that if the booking clerk knew him he would give him the
tickets.
2) But in fact he didn’t recognise him. He thought that it was Mayor of New York.
3) It was very difficult to get the tickets on the train.
4) He asked the man in the booking-office if he could have two tickets.
5) The man in the booking -office was not polite.
6) The conductor offered Mark Twain his help.
7) Mark Twain thought that the conductor recognised him.
8) The conductor helped Mark Twain to get two tickets in the sleeper.
9) Some years ago Mark Twain arrived one day at Salamanca near New York.
10) Suddenly the conductor came up to Mark Twain with smiling and polite face.
Answer: 9,4,3,1,5,10,6,8,7,2.
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5.
Picture / Map /Chart/ Text -Completion
Exercise 1. Look at the map. Read what the tour guide says and complete the key.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to our sightseeing tour. We’re in front of the
railway station now not far from Riverside Walk. In front of us you can see New Bridge and next
to it the railway bridge. But we won’t cross this bridge, because we’re turning left into Riverside
Walk.
On our right now you can see the River Raddle and the large building on the left is Pendle
Palace. This was built in 1745. Behind the palace is a large Zoo.
We’ve just been over Cannon Bridge and we’re now in Brook Street.On the left you can see the
City Museum and straight ahead is St.Paul’s Cathedral. The small building next to the cathedral
is the oldest building in the city-the Westland Bank.
Now we’re going along Manchester Road. Straight ahead is William Square and Victory
Fountain in the centre. Now we’re going round the square into Hill Street, and towards Green
Park. In the park you will see the Black Tower on the top of the hill. This was built in the 12 th
century.
We have turned right and now we’re in Preston Street. The big building on the left is the city’s
largest shop, Hambridge’s.Now we’ve turned into Raddle Street. In front of us you can see Old
Market Square next to the river. We’ll stop here for an hour and you can do some shopping.
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Answer: 1) St.Bernard’s Cathedral
2) Westland Bank
3) William Square
4) Black Tower
5) Green Park
6) Victory Fountain
7) Hambridge’s
8) City Museum
9) Old Market Square
10) Cannon Bridge
11) Pendle Monument
12) River Raddle
13) New Bridge
14) Railway Bridge
15) Zoo
16) Railway station
Exercise 2. Text-completion.
Read the text and do the tasks.
The Umbrella Man (part 1)
I’m going to tell you about a funny thing that happened to my mother and me yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon, my mother took me to London to see the dentist. After that we went to the
cafe. When we came out of the cafe it was raining. «We must get a taxi», my mother said. Lots
of them came by, but they all had passengers inside them.
Just then a man came up to us. He was a small man and he was probably 70 or more. He said to
my mother politely, «Excuse me». He was under an umbrella which he held high over his head.
«- Yes?» my mother said, very cool and distant.
«-I wonder if I could ask a small favour of you», he said.
I saw my mother looking at him suspiciously. She is a suspicious person , my mother.
The little man was saying , «I need some help». My mother was staring down at him along the
full length of her nose. I wanted to say to her «Oh mummy, he’s a very old man , and he’s
polite, and he’s in some trouble, so be nice to him». But I didn’t say anything.
«- I’ve never forgotten it before», he said.
«-You’ve never forgotten what?» my mother asked.
«-My wallet», he said, «I must have left it in my other jacket».
«- Are you asking me to give you money?» my mother said.
«-No, I’m offering you this umbrella to protect you and to keep, if you would give me two
dollars for my taxi fare just to get me home».
«-Why don’t you walk home?» my mother asked.
«-Oh, I don’t think I could manage it. I’ve gone too far already.»
The idea of getting an umbrella to shelter was very attractive.
«-It’s a lovely silk umbrella», the little man said. «Why don’t you take it, madam? It cost me
over $20, but that isn’t important because I want to get home.»
«-I don’t think it’s quite right that I should take an umbrella from you worth $20. I think I’d
better just give you the taxi-fare».
«- No, no, no!» he cried. «I would never accept money from you like that! Take the umbrella,
dear lady, and keep the rain off your shoulders».
She took out two dollars and gave them to the little man. He took them and gave her the
umbrella. He said, «Thank you, madam, thank you». Then he was gone.
«-Come under here and keep dry, darling», my mother said. Aren’t we lucky! I’ve never had a
silk umbrella before!»
«-Why were you so unpleasant to him?» I asked.
«-I wanted to be sure he was a gentleman , I’m very pleased I was able to help him.»
«- There he goes», I said. «Over there. He’s crossing the street. He’s in a hurry».
We watched the little man. When he reached the other side of the street, he turned left, walking
very fast.
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«-He doesn’t look very tired, does he, mummy? He doesn’t look as if he’s trying to get a taxi
either».
My mother was standing very still. «-He’s up to something. Come with me».
We crossed the street together. It was raining very hard now, but we were under the silk
umbrella.
«-He said he was too tired to walk and now he’s almost running». «He’s disappeared!» I cried.
«Where’s he gone?» (to be continued)
Tasks:
I. Comprehension
1) My mother wanted to get a taxi because.........A) she felt bad
B) we were in a hurry C) it
was raining
2) The old man said to my mother, «Excuse me», because.......A) he hit her B) he wanted to ask
her something
C) he wanted to give her something
3) My mother looked at him suspiciously because..... A) she didn’t like his appearance B) she
was a suspicious person C) she was shocked by his words
4) The old man wanted to offer his nice umbrella because.......
A) he didn’t like it
B) he
wanted my mother and me to protect from the rain C) he needed two dollars for his taxi
fare
5) My mother took his nice umbrella because.......
A) she’d never had a silk umbrella before
B) she wanted to help him get home
C) she was fond of collecting umbrellas
II. Language. Give close meaning.
6) «Yes?» my mother said , very cold and distant.
A) showing lack of politeness B) showing
lack of friendliness C) showing lack of interest
7) «I’ve forgotten my wallet», he said. A) portfolio B) a large flat case like a large book cover
C) a small flat leather case for holding paper money
8) «I don’t think I could manage to walk home», he said. A) I don’t think I’ll be able to get home
B) I don’t think I’ll have to go home C) I don’t think I must go home
9) «I wonder if I could ask a small favour of you», he said. A) if you could make me a present B)
if you could oblige me.... C) if you could answer my question
10) My mother was staring down at him along the full length of her nose. A) .....was looking at
him steadily for a long time B) .....was looking at him in great shock C) .....was looking away
under the power of his steady look
III. Grammar.
Transform into reported speech.
11) «Are you asking me to give you money?» , my mother said.
12) «Do you think you won’t be able to walk home ?» my mother asked the
13) «My wallet was stolen a few minutes ago», complained the old man.
14) «Who is that old man?» , my daughter asked me.
15) «You must give me $2», said the old man to my mother.
man.
IV Complete the story. Use your own imagination.
Answer: 1)-c 2)-b 3)-b 4)-c 5)-a 6)-b 7)-c 8)-a 9)-b 10)-c 11) if I was asking her to give... 12) if
he wouldn’t be able..... 13) had been stolen 14) who that man was 15) she had to give
The Umbrella Man (part 2)
«He went in that door!» It was a pub. The room we were looking into was full of people and
cigarette smoke, and our little man was in the middle of it all, without his coat and hat, and
moving towards the bar. When he reached it, he spoke to the barman . The barman gave him a
13
drink. The little man gave him $2. The barman didn’t give him any change. The little man drank
it in one go.
«That’s a very expensive drink», I said. He was smiling now. He went to where his hat and coat
were. He put on his hat. He put on his coat. Then, very quickly, he took from the rack one of the
many wet umbrellas , and left. «Did you see that!» my mother shouted. «Sssh!» I whispered.
«He’s coming out». He didn’t see us. He opened his new umbrella and went down the road. We
followed him back to the main street where we met him first, and we watched as he exchanged
his new umbrella for another $2. This time it was with a tall, thin man who didn’t even had a hat
or a coat. When it was over he went off again, this time in the opposite direction. «He never
goes in the same pub twice», my mother said. «I expect he’s always hoping for rainy days».
Tasks
Grammar: Conditionals.
1) What would you do if..........
a) a stranger asked you for money
b) someone lied to you
c) someone offered you an expensive gift
d) you found $100 in the street
e) you met an old friend on the way to school
I.
2) Complete the sentences:
f) If I was extremely rich, ......
g) If I won a free holiday,......
h) If I lost my wallet,.......
i) If I had a lot of friends in America,......
j) If I could travel everywhere,......
II.
Grammar. Adjective or Adverb?
The old man.....(slow) crossed the street.
She hoped her reply was.....(polite).
When she had told him she could see that he was.....(complete) surprised .
It’s been raining all day. I hate this weather. This weather makes me .......(depress-).
You look......(terrible)! Are you all right?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
III. Answer the questions:
1)Where has the old man gone?
2) Do you think they will see him again? (give your reasons)
3) How do you think the narrator and her mother feel?
4) What do you think about the old man’s behaviour?
IV. Talk about what you would do in the circumstances if you were.....
a) the narrator b) the narrator’s mother c) the old man
V. Imagine you are writing a letter to your friend. You want to write her/him about that funny
thing that happened to you and your mother yesterday. (20 sentences)
Answer: II. 1)-slowly 2)-polite 3)- completely 4)-depressed 5)- terrible
6. Compare exercises ( text-based, picture-based)
Exercise1. First look at these pictures which have much in common. Then read the text. It
describes one of the pictures. Which one? Which girl is Linda?
14
Hello! My name is Linda. Look! Last summer I was on a picnic with my family and my two
friends, Diana and Rachel. I remembered that day very well. It was Sunday and it was hot. My
little sister and my friend Rachel played with a ball. Mum prepared the sandwiches , and Diana
and I helped Dad with the bags. My bag was too big for me. Napoleon, my dog, helped me!
Answer: picture 3.
Exercise 2. In the following dialogue, a police officer is questioning an eye-witness . After you
have read it, look at the drawing and pick out the person you think the witness is describing.
15
Police officer: How old do you think he was?
Witness:
Well, he was quite young. In his late twenties, I 'd say.
Police officer: And was he tall?
Witness:
Yes, quite tall; taller than me, anyway. I'm 160 cm so he must have been about 175
to 180.
Police officer: What about his build?
Witness:
Well, he was fairy slim. Not a bit muscular. Maybe even a bit skinny.
Police officer: And what did he look like?
Witness:
Not very handsome. He had dark hair, but I can 't really remember if it was long
or short. But it was swept back. He didn’t have a fringe or anything.
16
Police officer: And did you notice what he was wearing?
Witness:
Oh yes! He was wearing jeans and this horrible striped sweater. Oh, and he had
white trainers too.
Police officer: Anything else?
Witness:
No, I don 't think so. Oh, wait.1 He had an earring. In his left ear, I think.
Police officer: Right, thank you. You 've been very helpful.
Answer: picture 2.
Exercise 3. Can You Act in an Emergency?(compare texts)
A friend of yours had an accident recently, and was taken to a hospital. You visited your friend
and read his reports of what had happened. He asked you to choose the best one.
History Notes: Nick Compel, 14years old: 6 Rambell Street. Accident on 27 March. Crossing the
street. Going home from school. Knocked down by a fast moving car. Lay unconscious, head hit
pavement in the street. Police patrol transported to hospital. X-ray: fracture left leg and right
arm. Cut in forehead-5 stitches. Splint on left leg and right arm.
• Report I: I had an accident which was crossing the street going to the home after the
finishing school. Suddenly a fast moving car knocked me down and I lay unconscious. I had
head hit pavement in the street. Police patrol transports me to hospital. The doctor did X-ray .
He fond that I had fracture left leg and right arm and he splinted them. The doctor did 5
stretches on my forehead.
• Report 2: I had a terrible accident yesterday. I 'm fourteen years old and I live in 6,Rambell
Street. I'm a student. The accident happened when I was crossing the street going home after
school. Suddenly a very fast car knocked me down. Then I felt down unconscious and my head
hit the pavement and started bleeding. Fortunately there was police patrol in the same street so
they took me to the nearest hospital. The doctor made me X-ray and the result was fracture in the
left leg and in the right arm , also I cut in the right side of the forehead so I have 5 stitches.
• Report 3: My name is Xick Campel, I'm 14years old. I live in 6, Rambell Street. I'd like to
inform you that I was knocked down by a car while I was crossing the street on my way back to
my house on 27 March. After that I lay unconscious and the police patrol transported me to the
hospital. There I had an X-ray which showed that I had fractured my left leg and my right arm. I
have a cut on the right side of my forehead. The doctors started treatment by giving me
injections, putting splint on my leg and arm, and stitching my head.
• Report 4: My name is Nick and I'm 14. On the 27th of March I had a terrible accident in the
street. The accident happened when I was crossing the street going home after school. Suddenly
a very fast car knocked me down, then I fell and laved unconscious. My head hit the pavement in
the street and started bleeding. There was police patrol in the same street , so they took me to the
hospital. After I have been X-rayed I understood that I fractured my leg and my arm. I also had a
cut on my head. The doctors splinted my leg and my arm and made 5 stitches on my head.
• Report 5: I'm writing to you to report about an accident which happened on 27 March with
me. I'm Nick Campel and I'm 14 years old. I live in 6, Rambell street. I was going home after
school when a fast car knocked me down. I fell and had been unconscious for some time. I hurt
my head and broke my right arm and left leg. Then I was sent to the hospital by police patrol.
The doctor made 5 stitches on my head and put bandage round my leg. I'll have to stay in the
hospital for some days.
7. Understanding information which is not stated in the text
Read the text and do the exercises.
17
I hated almost every day of my time at boarding school and, in my case, my first term was a
disaster. I found it very difficult to settle down, and my unhappiness was made worse because I
was also unhappy at home.
A happy home life gives you a base from which you can go into the world with confidence. But
if life at home is difficult, life away at boarding school is almost impossible. Apart from having
to keep to a great many rules and customs, many of which seemed to me stupid we were never
allowed to be alone. You had to be with another boy at all times. I am extremely dependent on
being alone part of every day, so daily life at school was very hard for me, though the other boys
managed fairly well. In the middle of the first term I developed a cough. The school nurse said it
was a 'stomach - cough', whatever that may be, and gave me some pills. However, playing
football in a snowstorm , I suddenly could not breathe properly and was taken to the hospital ill
with bronchitis and pneumonia . Almost at once I was put into a small room with another boy
who was also very ill. He died and I nearly did. My main memory of my stay at the hospital was
that the night-nurses used to get together in my room and play cards and chat. Keeping the light
on and keeping me awake when I was seriously ill didn't bother them. When I had recovered I
was sent home for a few weeks and missed a term. When I returned to school, I was sent to bed
early because of my illness, and so managed to get a brief period alone every day. Later on,
when I went into the senior part of the school I was allowed to go to the school library by myself,
which was a great improvement.
The day I left the school, the headmaster said good bye and asked whether it was a sad day for
me. I replied that it was the happiest day of my life. He said I would come to think of my time at
the school very differently. I said that I was sure that I would not. Though I have had unhappy
days since that day, I have found that my conclusions then- that nothing afterwards could ever be
so bad as boarding school- have been proved true.
1) Find the best heading for the story.
2) Answer the questions:
• What gives a base to a child to be confident in the world9
• What makes unhappiness of children worse?
• Does the example from the text remind you any other example from literature?
• Have you ever heard of any happy child living in a boarding school?
• Can you point out any advantages or disadvantages of life in a boarding school'7
• What school do you prefer to study and why?
3) List all the boy's problems and identify the main one. Specify the causes of boy's
unhappiness. homesickness; sickness; despair; delight; sadness; loneliness; patience;
industriousness; enthusiasm; persistence; diligence; firmness; competence; straightforwardness;
seriousness.
4) Guess the meaning of the word 'a disaster' in line 2:
• a thing never to be forgotten
• an exciting period of time
• an unhappy experience
5) Say what the sentence ' We were never allowed to be alone ' expresses9
Happiness, complaint, unfriendliness, sadness, anger, sense of humour, regret, fright, shyness,
disappointment, delight, sorrow.
6) Give evidence to support the conclusion:
I hated almost every day of my time at the boarding school because........
• // was very boring to attend lessons
• I hated my classmates
• I was never allowed to be alone
• Teachers only gave me bad marks
7) What would happen to the boy after leaving the boarding school. Give your reasons. (Write
a short essay)
18
8. Give comments on the text (see tasks 3,6 from above)
9. Selecting the relevant information
Exercise 1. Read the text and find the information from the text to complete the form. I go to
Forest Glade school. It is quite a small school with 250 pupils in all. In my class there are
twenty eight pupils- twelve boys and the rest are girls. My teacher is very nice. Her name is Miss
Brown. There are twenty teachers in the school. Fifteen of the teachers are women and five are
men.
The Head -teacher is Miss Jones. She is very strict and we are all a little bit afraid of her. We
don’t have a swimming pool at school but we have very good tennis courts.
We play tennis, football and basketball at school. I go to school by train . It takes twenty
minutes. I get on at the station near my home and get off at Glade station. Glade station is only
half a kilometre from the school. Most children go to school by train. We can walk to school
from the station in five minutes. School starts at a quarter past nine and finishes at half past
three. I leave home at half past eight in the morning and I get home at a quarter past four.
/. Name of school................
2.............pupils in the class.
3. Number of the girls in the class..............
4. There are sixteen women teachers in the school........TR UE/FALSE
5. Miss Jones is........
6. Every Monday pupils have swimming lessons..... YES/NO
7. Most children go to school by.....................
8. Glade station is only..................from the school.
9. School day starts at.......a) 8.15 b)8.45 c)9.15
10. School day finishes at....a) 3.30 b) 2.30 c)4.30
Exercise 2. Read the article and then complete the chart.
Kids at Work
Lots of children in Britain have got a part-time job. We talked to four young people about their
jobs. As you can see. their experiences vary a lot.
1. I'm John Murray ; 1 'm thirteen years old, and I'm a paper boy. 1 do a paper round every day
of the week, so 1 get up at 6.30 every day. My round isn 't very long ; it takes about an hour.
Sometimes it takes me longer on Saturdays because the Sunday papers are verv heavy. The
newsagent pays me a pound a day and two pounds on Saturdays, so in a week 1 get 1.8. My job
's OK but 1 don 't like getting up early or going out in the rain.
2. My name 's Jane Scott and I'm fifteen years old. 1 work as a babysitter . usually one night a
week. In fact 1 started babysitting when 1 was twelve because I've got two young brothers. Of
course my parents didn't give me any money, but now I can get 1.6 a night- that's about LI.50 an
hour. Babysitting's a good job because the children usually just sleep. And so you can watch TV
or do your homework.
3. I'm Karen Brown and I'm sixteen. 1 still go to school- 1 just work on Saturday mornings,
from eight till one. I'm a waitress in a local snack bar. It isn't ver\> exciting, but it's all right,
1 suppose. It's certainly nice to have some money in your pocket.11 earn L7 for a morning's
work. I don 't usually have any problems with the customers; they 're very friendly.
4. I'm David Jenkins and I'm fourteen. I work on Saturdays- I'm a milkman's assistant. The
customers pay on Saturdays, so the milkmen need help. I work about six hours. I carry bottles
of milk and heavy crates , so it's hard work. And how much do I get'1 Only L6! And I have to get
up at 5.30. It's awful, but I need the money because my parents don 't zive me any pocket money!
Name
AgeJob
Hours (a week)
John Murray
Jane Scott
Karen Brown
David Jenkins
19
Pay (a week)
Opinion
Answer:
Name
Age
Job
John Murray
13
paper boy
Jane Scott
15
babysitter
Karen Brown
16
waitress
Hours (a week)
Pay (a week)
1 Opinion
/
L8
OK
4
L6
good
5
L7
all right
David Jenkins
14
milkman 's
assistant
6
L6
awjul
10. Question-answer exercises:
Exercise 1. Read the text and do the tasks.
HOW ANIMALS LEARNED TO DO SOMETHING.
Many years ago, in the early days of man's history, when people and animals were great friends,
a man called all the animals together. He got on a large stone for all animals to see him and
began to speak: « Are all present'7» he asked. «Yes, everybody is present», answered the horse.
«My dear friends! Listen to me!» the man went on to say. «I am angry with you. You are very
lazy, you do not do anything. You have learned nothing. You cannot go on like this, it's time for
you to learn to do something. In a month's time I want you to come here and show me what you
have learned. I am sure you can learn a lot of things if you want to.»
With these words the man got off the stone and said good bye to the animals. The animals said
good bye to the man and to each other and left.
The animals thought and thought, they thought from early morning till late at night. In the end
they thought of something and each animal began to learn to do something. The horse began to
learn to run quickly. It was going to carry the man because at that time there were neither trams
nor buses . The dog learned to bark, it wanted to help the man to watch his animals. The cow
began to give milk, some of the animals began to wear long warm wool. The cock learned to
sing early in the morning to tell everybody of the coming day. And it was very nice of him
because at that time there were no alarm clocks to wake the man up. The cock's wife, the hen,
began to lay eggs. The bee learned to make honey. The monkey learned to jump from tree to tree
and get fruit from high trees. And what is more, the monkeys learned to make faces - he wanted
the man to laugh looking at him, because there were neither cinemas nor theatres at that time.
Many birds learned to sing beautiful songs, they had their Singing lessons every day. And some
birds learned to carry letters because there were no post-offices at that time. So everybody
worked from morning till night and there were even no time to play games or run about. A
month passed and the man again called all the animals together, «Well,» he said, «I think you
have learned to do something. It's time for you to show me what you have learned». The lion
came to the front, opened his mouth and said something. But how loudly! The man quickly
closed his ears with his hands and cried out: «That'll do! Oh. stop it! Please, stop it!» And the
lion shut his mouth. «You have learned to speak wonderfully. For that you must be the king of
all animals . Now, the others, show me what you can do.» The bee began to make honey, the hen
laid eggs, the cow gave milk, the horse ran quickly, the birds began to sing wonderful songs.
The man was very pleased with them all. To have milk, eggs and honey every day. It was
wonderful! «And what about you?» the man said to the fish. The fish stood behind the other
animals and didn't do anything. 2What's the matter with you? Haven't you learned anything?»
The fish only opened and shut its mouth - it didn't know what to say. «So you haven't learned to
do anything and you cannot say a word», said the man angrily. «Very well, then you must
always be like that and I don't want to see у<Л again.» And from that day on the fish has not said
a word and has lived in the water where nobody can see it.
20
Task 1. Answer the questions. ( and choose the correct answer)
What do we call an animal/ a bird/ an insect which:
1) .....sings beautiful songs, (a bird)
2) .....carries a rider and draws a cart, (an animal)
3) .....makes honey, (an insect)
4) ....is our friend, barks and guards our house, (a domestic animal)
5) ....gives us milk, (a domestic animal)
6) .... wakes us in the morning, (a bird)
7) .... lays eggs, (a bird)
8) ...Jumps from tree to tree and gets fruit from high trees, (an animal)
9) .... is powerful and has a big mane, (an animal)
10) .... has a beautiful brown/or yellow skin with black stripes, (an animal)
11) .... is very big and has a long trunk, (an animal)
12) ....is very timid and is afraid of everything, (an animal)
13) ....has a pouch in which it carries the babies, (an animal)
14) ...has a horn on its nose, (an animal)
15) ... can go without food and water for a long time, (an animal)
Answer:1l-f, 2-g 3-j, 4-m, 5-n, 6-b, 7-a, 8-o, 9-e, 10-c, 11-h, 12-p, 13-k.
14-l, 15-i
a) a hen
b) a cock
c) a tiger
d) a bear
e) a lion
a) a
nightingale
g) a horse
h) an elephant
i) a camel
j) a bee
k) a kangaroo
l) a rhinoceros
m) a dog
n) a cow
o) a monkey
p) a hare
q) a cat
Task 2. Describe one domestic animal and one wild animal. Task 3. Answer these questions:
1) When were people and animals great friends?
2) What did the man say to the animals when he call them together?
3) Did the animals learn to do something?
4) What did they learn to do?
11. Tricky Texts.
You may use the following texts and ask one question at the end. The unexpected ending usually
motivates the students to re-read the text quite intensively. They can discuss the possible answer
in groups.
Text 1.
The manager of an important bank had just arrived at work one morning
when one of his employees came into his office. The man told the manager
that while he was asleep that night, he had dreamt that there was a bomb in
the bank vaults. The manager agreed to look in the vaults and, in fact, a
bomb was found. The manager thanked the man and then told him he had
lost his job. Why? (Answer: The man was a night guard. He had fallen
asleep and this proved that he was not doing his job.)
Text 2.
A woman sat at the kitchen table with her two sons. She spoke to each of them in turn and they
replied to her but the sons never spoke to one another. The boys had not had an argument and
they did not dislike one another . Although they spoke freely with their mother , they didn’t say
one word to one another. Why? (Answer: One boy could speak Russian and the second boy could
speak only French, because the woman 's first husband was Russian and her second husband
was French)
Text 3.
One day two sisters decided to clean out the old shed at the bottom of the garden. When they had
finished , one of them had a dirty face and the other had a clean face. The sister with the clean
face went and washed her face but the girl with the dirty face did not wash. Why? (Answer: After
they had done the cleaning, they had no mirror to look in so each girl looked at her sister. The
21
girl with a clean face saw that her sister was dirty so she thought that she was dirty too and
washed her face. The other girl thought the opposite)
Text 4.
A man looked through a window on the sixth floor of an office building . Suddenly, he opened the
window and jumped through it. He didn't use a parachute or land in water or on anything soft.
However, he wasn't hurt. How could that be? (Answer: He had been on a ladder outside the sixth
floor office, cleaning the windows. He had jumped through the window , into the office)
Text 5.
A woman in a restaurant complained to the waiter because there was a fly in her cup of coffee.
The waiter took the cup away and promised to bring a fresh cup of coffee. He returned a few
moments later. The woman tasted the coffee and complained that this was her original cup of
coffee . Was she right and how did she know?(Answer: She had put sugar in the coffee before she
complained to the waiter).
Complex Reading Tests
Test 1. « Meeting.»___________Read the text and do different exercises.
The meeting was at 9 o'clock at the bus stop in Shakespeare street. It was now 8.30 and Palmer
was still in his hotel room. He knew his orders perfectly, but he was reading then again. His
chiefs note said, «Meeting -9 p.m.; place-bus stop in Shakespeare street. Take documents inside
the newspaper. Your contact will identify himself with the question «May I see your newspaper?
You will answer «Take it. I don't need it any more». Then leave, return to your hotel room and
telephone me». Everything was clear: 9 o'clock, Shakespeare street, documents, newspaper,
telephone. So, he left. Shakespeare street was empty. The church clock was striking nine when
he heard footsteps behind him. A woman came up to the bus stop and stood next to him waiting.
After a moment or two she noticed Palmer's newspaper and asked, «May I see your newspaper?»
«-Take it. I don't need it any more», Palmer answered. In a moment the woman took bus 13 and
left. Something was wrong but what'?
1) How do you feel when you know you 've made a mistake? (give your reasons)
2) How would you feel if..........
• you were going to Washington for six months?
• you were alone in a dark street at night?
• you couldn 't find your way home ?
3) Palmer found something in the street a few weeks ago, and took it to the police. It was one of
these things: a puppy, a gold watch, a pair of woollen gloves, a diamond necklace, an umbrella.
Fund out what it was.
• // wasn 't alive, so it can 7 have been......but it could have been........
• // was very valuable, so it couldn 7 have been.....hut it might have been.....
• It's worn round the neck, so it can 7 have been......It must have been......
4)
•
•
•
•
•
Choose the correct modal verb.
Somebody will......to meet Palmer. A) ought B) need C) have
Palmer......know his orders perfectly well. A) might B) should C) could
«The woman......be in this bus», thought Palmer. A) must B) would C) has to
You.....walk, there is a bus going there. A) needn 7 B) mustn 7 C) can 7
Palmer hasn 7 come yet. He.......still be working. A) must B) ought to C) has to
22
5) People show their emotions by their behaviour and by gestures they make as well as by the
words they use and how they say them. Imagine Palmer's behaviour after meeting the woman,
what he felt and what he said to his boss.
Answer: I) He has met a woman instead of a man. (.... .your contact will identify himself......)
3) puppy, an umbrella, an umbrella or a pair of gloves, a necklace or a watch, a watch, a
necklace
4) have, should, must, needn’t, must
Test2. Read the text «Working Class Children at a Grammar School». Then do the exercises.
During the first weeks at grammar school, the pupils showed a strange mixture of types
behaviour. There were those children for whom those days were the exciting prelude to
promised satisfactions.
Whole new areas of study presented themselves- algebra, physics, Latin, French.....
« I took to grammar school like a duck to water», said Ronald Turnbull. He had to break most
friendships and connexions with the old neighbourhood- but here were fresh children, fresh clubs
and societies, and the school scouts to join. The invitation was irresistible , and many were glad
to accept it in full. Their enthusiasm was naturally reflected in their first successful pieces of
work, and finding themselves soon well placed in class, they became conscious of power hidden
until then, and of their ability to cope with new and more testing situations.
The majority of the children, however, unlike Ronald, did not feel as if they were catered for by
the grammar school. They were to a greater extent aware of being without the securities ,
expectations that they had received in their former neighbourhood - with nothing in return. «1
had the feeling of
belonging nowhere» , said Patricia Joy. She and her friends found themselves surrounded by
more middle-class children than they ever met before. These children spoke better, seemed more
confident, some already knew bits of French and Latin, their fathers had told them what 'physics'
was all about, a few even knew the teachers. They obviously, seemed to belong.
The insecurity of Patricia and her friends was increased by confusions over getting the right
books, the right sports equipment, the right uniform. «I didn't like it», said Rita Watson. «My
uniform seemed too big all round - long sleeves -1 suppose my mother had to do it like that so it
would last longer, but I felt awful».
On top of this came the new subjects, the new vocabulary (not 'kept in', but 'detention' , not 'play
time', but 'break').
Some schools made a practice of teaching the new children aggressively' for the first weeks ( a
lot of homework, difficult tests....) , probably to avoid behaviour problems from the very
beginning. Even highly gifted middle-class children could be so robbed of confidence in the first
three months as to be able to meet the requirements. For some of the working class children,
confused by a genuine loss of part of their social life, conscious of new social barriers thickening
the normal barriers between pupil and teacher, and unable to turn to parents for explanations,
because mum and dad were at a loss themselves - for these children the risk was great that they
would soon start staying away from school sometimes and, eventually, drop out.
( abridged and adapted from a study «Education and the Working Class» by Brian Jackson and
Dennis Marsden)
Task:
1) Understanding the text. (Avoid its vocabulary as far as possible)
• How does Ronald Turnbull describe his change from one school to another?
• flow did successful integration influence some pupils' school life?
• Give two examples that show the influence of the family background on the pupils' life at
school.
• Why did some schools set rather high standards at once?
• How do the authors try to prove that these standards were unfair?
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• What might, according to the authors, happen to those children who cannot adapt themselves
to the life at a grammar school? (two ideas)
2) Commenting the text.
• What are your feelings when you think of the kind of new start that you are having next
September?
• How can friendship and connexions with the (...) neighbourhood' help you in school life?
• What does this grammar school have in common with your school?
• State some reasons (for/against) a school uniform at your school?
• Try to suggest a number of motions for a debate on school problems. Think over the
arguments in favour of the motion proposed and the counter-arguments against it.
Test 4. Read the text «First Prize» by Rose lee Rockman . Then do the exercises.
«I don't know what has come over you lately, Jean», Mother complained. «You are either
picking on Willie or ignoring him, and you used to be so good to your little brother».
Unfortunately, Willie, stepping into the room just then, heard this speech. He made a face. He
hates to be called 'little1 now that he is thirteen and a freshman in high school. My little brother!
At this moment I hated him not only because he had turned into a liar and a cheat, but because
actually 1 was even more guilty than he was. It all happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. I know
1 should have confessed when the prize was announced, the arrangements for the assembly
made. But it would have meant not only exposing myself and my brother but also bringing
disgrace on Mother and Dad, and I just didn4 have the courage.
It hadn't occurred to me that it wouldn't stop there - with his winning the prize - that it would
mount and mount, that it would become a city -wide occasion; and that if 1 spoke up now, 1
should involve not only myself and my brother and my parents but our teachers and principal as
well, and maybe even the radio station.
« I know, Jean,» Mother was saying now, «that in your heart you are as proud of your brother as
your father and 1 are».
Proud! If she only knew! She turned to Willie and reminded him it was time for him to get to bed
so he could be bright and rested for his big moment tomorrow. I just stood there looking at him.
Maybe if he had said something even now, if he confessed the whole thing, we could still do
something. Tomorrow would be too late.
Tomorrow everything would be over, and he and I and Mother and Dad too would be disgraced
before the entire school and the whole city.
But no. He wasn't saying anything. He was only giving Mother a break this once, suffering
himself to be kissed goodnight, and off he went to his room.
«You didn't even say good night to him», Mother reprimanded after Willie had gone. «You've
been so sullen lately, so unlike yourself, dear», she went on. «Daddy and I understand. But after
all, Willie is still such a little boy and you are three years older and a senior, so you can't
possibly be jealous of him.
In your heart I'm sure you feel the way your father and I do - awfully proud that out of all those
thousands of pupils in the school our Willie's composition won the first prize».
That ring of pride in her voice as she said, «Our Willie!» His composition! If only I hadn't - but
how could I possibly have guessed where it would lead? It had started so innocently.
Mother had given a tea for her bridge club and her literary circle, a combined affair. It meant
twice as many guests as usual, and so she had borrowed some silver from her friend, Mrs
Brooks. After the guests had gone and the dishes were washed, Mom asked me to return the
silver. It is only a few blocks to Mrs Brooks' house and it would have taken me only a few
minutes. But the gang was going to the first show at the Grand, so I asked Willie to take the
stuff. Sure, he said, he'd take it for a nickel, only he didn't have time because he had homework
to do.
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«What homework?» I asked him,
«Some dopey composition»,
«I can fix that in a moment», I said.
I opened my notebook, took out an essay I had written that week on «If I Had My Wish» and
handed it to him, I don't usually bother much with compositions, but I had gone to town with this
one because the topic is right up my alley, It must have turned out all right, too, for my English
teacher actually marked it excellent and asked me to read it to the class,
«be sure to copy it in your own handwriting», I told Willie when I handed him the paper and the
nickel, «Leave out some sentences and misspell a few words».
Although homework is passed around all the time, I know it is not an ethical thing to do, You bet
I'II never, never do it again. I learned my lesson all right, the hard way, I probably thought
Willie's teacher wouldn't even look at the old paper. How was I to know that she would not only
read it but would enter it in the city-wide contest, that it would win the first prize? And tomorrow
morning Willie was to read it in the assembly, and the entire programme would be broadcast
over the municipal radio station as part of the celebration of Our Borough Day!
The fatal morning arrived at last. We all saluted the flag, they played 'The Star-Spangled
Banner', then the programme started, and went on and on like something in a dream that I
couldn't believe was really happening. But there was Willie , sitting on the platform, looking
shiny and wearing a white shirt, a tie and his blue Sunday suit- embarrassed and shy as any kid
would be - but more happy than anything else.
The principal, teachers, school officials, and people from the radio station were all over the
platform.
There were a lot of speeches, the school orchestra played, the students sang5 but I kept looking
into the palms of my hands, and breathing hard as if I'd been running,
Now Willie was standing in the centre of the platform. The man had lowered the microphone for
him.
He seemed very small standing there alone, I could hear Father clear his throat and I could feel
Mom stiffen a bit in her seat, As for me, I lowered my head, my cheeks, burning with shame. For
the moment Willie opened his mouth, they would all recognise the words I had read in the
classroom only a few weeks before, Oh, the disgrace of it! I shut my eyes tight when Willie
began to speak. His voice was loud and clear as he proclaimed the title «If I Had My Wish».
«If I had my wish, I'd want our team to win every game this season because they are fine players
and deserve it. They are also a great bunch of fellows and a regular United Nations so far as race,
colour, religion, and all that goes. If I had my wish, there would be teams like ours all over the
world, then the H and A bombs would never get out of the comic books Joe Vitale is the best
pitcher we ever had»,
Willie went on talking about each player for maybe two or three minutes. As far as I concerned,
it might have been a second or forever. Slowly my hands unclenched: I slumped further into my
seat, and suddenly I was sobbing. Mother placed a firm , steadying arm around me When I dared
look up, I noticed her eyes were shining with tears and even Dad's eyes looked a bit misty.
If I live to be a hundred, I don't think I'll ever be happier than I was for the rest of that day I
confessed everything to Mother and Dad, and although they scolded me, I felt it was well
deserved. I had learned my lesson and all that was behind me, Nothing could mar the joy I felt. It
was as if I had found my brother all over again.
That evening I was so happy, I couldn't help doing it although I knew he didn't like -1 asked
Willie what he had done with my composition. His face turned red.
« I stuck it in my pocket», he explained, « but I must have lost it somewhere because it wasn't
there when I got to school in the morning. Miss Farnum made me stay after school and write
one, I remembered your title, so I put that down. If I'd had your paper, I might have copied the
whole thing», he admitted ruefully, «I'm lucky I lost it».
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My composition was about an imaginary trip to Hollywood. In spite of Willie's protests I kissed
him, and then I apologised to him, and congratulated him on being honest and doing his own
thinking, « I'm so ashamed», I said, «I don't know what I was thinking of to suggest such a thing.
A fine example I am»
«Forget it, Sis,» he said,
I'm just crazy about my kid brother.
/. Comprehension.
1) Jean felt nervous because....
a) she looked forward to taking part in the competition;
b) she was even more guilty than Willie was;
c) she would be punished by her brother;
2)
a)
b)
c)
Jean didn 't confess when Willie won the prize because......
she taught everybody would laugh at her;
she wished Willie to win the first prize;
she just didn 't have the courage;
3)
a)
b)
c)
Jean asked her brother to visit Mrs Brooks' house because.....
she had to give them her composition;
she had to return the silver;
Willie had to take some plates and cups;
4)
a)
b)
c)
Jean gave Willie an essay because......
she wanted her brother to get an excellent mark in English;
Pier brother had to write a composition and couldn’t grant her request;
she wanted Willie to win the first prize;
5)
a)
b)
c)
At the programme Jean turned to look at her English teacher and classmates because.....
she wanted to know if they would like the composition;
she wanted to know if they had noticed her and her parents;
she wanted to know if they would recognise her own composition;
6) Jean asked Willie what he had done with her composition. He answered that....
a) he had given it to his friend;
b) he had sent it in the city contest;
c) he had lost it;
7)
a)
b)
c)
Willie 's composition is about.....
his own wishes;
an imaginary trip to Hollywood;
his future career; II. Vocabulary.
8) freshman in high school means.....
a) a graduate of a high school;
b) a student in the last year at a high school;
c) a student in the 1st year at a high school;
9)
a)
b)
c)
to confess means.....
to tell the lie;
to disclose one 's misdeed, fault or sin;
to make somebody do something;
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10) to bring disgrace (on) means....
a) to guess something;
b) to be out of favour;
c) to do something without difficulty;
11) The topic is right up my alley
a) it is in my area of interest;
b) it is out of my interest;
c) it is against our rules;
111 Grammar: 'IE- clauses 'fill in the gaps.
12) If Willie....(to copy) Jean 's composition, he wouldn 't have won the prize.
13) If Willie confessed the whole thing, they.... (to do) something.
14) Willie wouldn 't have been punished if he.....(to tell a lie).
15) If Willie had had Jean 's paper, he......(may) copied the whole essay.
IV. Grammar: Fill in the proper tenses.
16) While Mother was complaining, Willie.... (to stand, to listen) her speech.
17) While Jean.....(to wait) for something to happen she sat nervously looking at her fingers.
18) Willie.... (to read) the composition to the class in some minutes.
19) Jean......(to explain) how to correct some sentences before she. handed the paper.
20) Willie........(to do) his homework for two hours already.
V. Write an essay «If I Had My Wish» (10 sentences)
Answer: l)-b; 2)-c; 3)-b; 4)-b; 5)-c; 6)-c; 7)-a; 8)-c; 9)-b; 10)-b; 1 l)-a; 12)-had copied 13)would do 14)-hadn’t told 15)-might have 16)-was standing and listening 17)-was waiting 18)will read 19)-had explained 20)-has been doing
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