Facoltà di Lingue e Letterature Straniere
2nd Year Lettorato Exam May 28th 2008
Mediazione
Section I
Choose a,b,c or d to fill in the blanks in the most appropriate way.
1. Surprisingly, he succeeded ……… his driving test first time.
a) to pass
b) with passing
c) of pass
d) in passing
2. Tribal vendettas have been an underlying feature of the Iraq war since it ………..
a) has begun
b) was beginning
c) had begun
d) began
3. If you’re going to Scotland for your holidays, remember to take warm clothes as it ………..be quite cold even in
the summer.
a) can
b) is to
c) won’t
d) shall
4. Those who thought the President………. were mistaken.
a) will apologize
b) would be apologized c) was about apologizing
d) was going to apologize
5. The prime suspect had a strong alibi. So, the museum director asked desperately, “Then, ……. that sculpture?”
a) who steal
b) who was stealing
c) is it who steals
d) who did steal
6. That girl over there , …… is Spanish, has just moved in next door to us.
a) that
b) which
c) whom
d) who
7. “I don’t know my matriculation number. I’ll …… have it as soon as possible.”
a) make you
b) let you
c) assure that you
d) get you to
8. Gary couldn’t bring himself to tell his mother about ……….. by the police for speeding
a) being stopped
b) he’s been stopped
c) he was stopped
d) been stopped
9. It’s a pity …… the fireworks last night.
a) to not have seen
b) not have seen
c) not to have seen
10. You can borrow my car …………………… you promise to drive carefully.
a) as long as
b) unless
c) in spite of the fact that
d) not having seen
d) whereas
Section II
In the following, choose the option which is correct and has a similar meaning to the first sentence.
11. When did you start writing songs?
a) How much time have you written songs?
b) How many times have you written songs?
c) How long have you been writing songs?
d) Since how long are you writing songs?
12. I don’t know anybody that wants to live in Los Angeles.
a) I know nobody that does not want to live in Los Angeles.
b) Everybody doesn’t want to live in Los Angeles.
c) I know nobody wants to live in Los Angeles.
d) I know no one who wants to live in Los Angeles.
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13. Despite what the advertisement would have you think, that cell phone was not worth €250.
a) The advertisement leads you not to believe it, meanwhile the cell phone was worth €250.
b) The advertisement misleads you into thinking that the cell phone was not worth €250.
c) Nevertheless, the advertisement persuades you that the cell phone was not worth €250.
d) That cell phone was not worth €250 even though the advertisement was intended to make you believe so.
14. Barry offered to babysit while his wife went out with her friends.
a) Barry offered babysitting while his wife went out with her friends.
b) Barry suggested that he babysit while his wife went out with her friends.
c) Barry offered that he babysit while his wife went out with her friends .
d) Barry suggested to babysit while his wife went out with her friends.
15. Alitalia rejected Aeroflot ‘s financial offer.
a) Alitalia broke Aeroflot‘s financial offer down.
b) Alitalia turned Aeroflot‘s financial offer down.
c) Alitalia did not accept the financial offer that Aeroflot turned down.
d) Alitalia discarded Aeroflot‘s financial offer down.
16. The other carmakers invented the expression SUV because they can’t call their cars Jeeps because it’s a registered
trademark.
a) The other carmakers invented the expression SUV because they might not call their cars Jeeps.
b) The other carmakers invented the expression SUV unless they may have called their cars Jeeps.
c) The other carmakers weren’t able to call their cars Jeeps, so they should have called them SUVs.
d) Not being able to call their cars Jeeps, the expression SUV was invented by other carmakers.
17. They will probably visit the Vatican first.
a) It’s hardly likely that the Vatican will be visited first.
b) The Vatican is to be visited first.
c) Visiting the Vatican is the first thing to do.
d) The Vatican is expected to be the first visit.
18. I wish I knew more languages!
a) I would I knew more languages!
b) If only I knew more languages!
c) I dream to know more languages!
d) If only that I knew more languages!
19. I’d sooner you told me the truth.
a) Thank you for telling me the truth.
b) As long as you tell to me the truth soon.
c) I would like you to tell me the truth
d) I want that you tell me the truth.
20. What’s the point in buying a new car?
a) I see no reason to buy a new car.
b) It’s a good idea to buy a new car.
c) We should consider buying a new car.
d) Do you think I should buy a new car?
21. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency.
a) Call me if it’s not an emergency.
b) If it’s not an emergency, don’t call.
c) Call me whenever you like.
d) Don’t call me under any circumstances.
22. I would have liked to visit Pisa while I was in Italy.
a) The speaker visited Pisa.
b) The speaker is going to visit Pisa next time she goes to Italy.
c) The speaker didn't visit Pisa.
d) The speaker liked what she saw of Pisa.
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23. What's the quickest way to reach Trafalgar Square?
a) They wanted to know what the quickest way to reach Trafalgar square was.
b) They wanted to know what was the quickest way to reach Trafalgar square.
c) They wanted to know how was the journey to Trafalgar square
d) They wanted to know where was Trafalgar square.
24. Janey wasn’t used to living on her own.
a) Janey didn’t get used to live alone.
b) Janey didn’t used to live alone.
c) Living alone was new for Janey.
d) Janey never lived alone.
25. If only we could go swimming, it would be fantastic!
a) It would be fantastic if we could go swimming alone.
b) To have gone swimming is fantastic.
c) I wish we can go swimming!
d) I’d be really happy if we could go swimming.
Section III
Cigarette display ban considered
Displaying cigarettes in shops could be banned in England under government plans being considered
…26… smoking and discourage children …27…. Tougher controls on vending machines in pubs and
restaurants …28… , and the public will be consulted on the proposals soon.
…29… and Tory leader David Cameron said the idea was worth …30… . But the Association of
Convenience Stores said the move would be …31… and present major problems. It said forcing shops to
hide their cigarettes …32… practical difficulties and result in extra expense for shop owners.
Outlining the proposals, the Public Health Minister said it was "vital" to teach children that "smoking is
bad". "Children who smoke are putting their lives at risk and …33… to die of cancer than …34… start
smoking later." The Department of Health, …35… is keen to prevent youngsters …36…, has cited
research that suggests someone who starts smoking at the age of 15 …37… more likely to …38…
smoking-related cancer than someone who starts …39… . …40…, measures that make it easier to sell
nicotine replacement gums and patches are also under consideration.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
a) to stop
a) to start
a) are discussing
a) Ex-smoker
a) to look at
a) diseffective
a) creates
a) are
a) those who
a) that
a) to smoke
a) is tripled
a) dead from
a) in the 20
a) Moreover
b) for stop
c) for to stop
d) stopping
b) from start
c) from starting
d) starting
b) are also being discussed c) are being also discussed
d) are been discussed too
b) A has been smoker
c) Before smoker
d) A late smoker
b) of looking at
c) looking at
d) look at
b) uneffective
c) noneffective
d) ineffective
b) would have created
c) is creating
d) would create
b) may be bound
c) are more likely
d) have more chance
b) who
c) the one who
c) people which
b) who
c) which
d) what
b) to smoking
c) from smoking
d) while smoking
b) is three times
c) is triplicated
d) triples
b) death of
c) die of
d) died from
b) in their late 20s
c) at 20s
d) at late 20
b) At last
c) Despite it
d) Notwithstanding
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Section IV
Flexible working has had a positive impact on employee…41… and improved …42… by the workers at SE
Electronics. Most importantly there has been a significant reduction in staff …43… since the …44… of their
flexible working program in 2004.
…45… , people who had special needs – for example women who did not want to work in school holidays –
would have moved to a …46… offering easier conditions; now they are staying with SE. ‘ People are our
greatest …47… at SE, and with a(n) …48… cost of £30,000 for each …49… who leaves the company (for
advertising positions and training new staff) , it makes sense to keep our …50… happy. We do this through
our flexible compensation and benefit package which aims to reinforce a(n) …51… of flexibility and …52…
to our company’, says their Human …53… Director.
Recent initiatives include a standard request process for flexible working, …54...hours and term-time working
and a childcare and eldercare helpline service.
Employee reaction has been very positive, and both present and potential staff see the …55… of working for
the company.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
a) events
a) efforts
a) critics
a) forecast
a) Since
a) other
a) asset
a) estimated
a) people
a) payroll
a) culture
a) fulfil
a) Research
a) small
a) outcome
b) features
b) performance
b) hours
b) failure
b) Previously
b) elsewhere
b) perk
b) guessed
b) employer
b) workforce
b) bid
b) commitment
b) Sales
b) undertime
b) benefits
c) agents
c) numbers
c) turnover
c) launch
c) At once
c) work
c) drive
c) statistical
c) earner
c) entrepreneurs
c) imagine
c) mission
c) Marketing
c) reduced
c) features
d) loyalty
d) drawbacks
d) fees
d) outlet
d) Least
d) competitor
d) complaint
d) middle
d) employee
d) society
d) peak
d) marketing
d) Resources
d) redundant
d) liaise
I …56… my degree in law at Southampton University, then I joined this company as a …57… trainee four
years ago. They decided right at the beginning that I was someone they wanted to keep, so they put me on
the fast track to …58… . I have worked in three different divisions of the company and I also worked as
assistant divisional manager in Brazil for six months last year. The company encouraged me to continue
…59… and I have done my professional exams in …60… .
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
a) attended
a) studying
a) networking
a) training
a) promotion
b) did
b) graduated
b) mortgage
b) liaising
b) accountancy
c) made
c) graduate
c) milestone
c) monitoring
c) overheads
d) frequented
d) degreed
d) promotion
d) outstanding
d) economy
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2ND YEAR ENGLISH LETTORATO – MAY 2008 KEY
1. D
2. D
3. A
4. D
5. D
6. D
7. B
8. A
9. C
10. A
11. C
12. D
13. D
14. B
15. B
16. D
17. D
18. B
19. C
20. A
21. B
22. C
23. A
24. C
25. D
26. A
27. C
28. B
29. A
30. C
31. D
32. D
33. C
34. A
35. C
36. C
37. B
38. C
39. B
40. A
41. D
42. B
43. C
44.C
45. B
46. D
47. A
48. A
49.D
50. B
51.A
52.B
53.D
54 .C
55. B
56.B
57.C
58. D
59. A
60. B
Writing
Please note that you must do both tasks:
Part 1 – short task
Your boss, Martin Brown, has received a letter by email from a student called Maria Prentice who
would like to gain work experience with your company. He has asked you to write an email in reply
in which you should:
 invite the person to an interview
 say when and where the interview will be held
 ask the person to phone you to confirm the time.
Write no more than 50 words. Copy and complete this at the top of your e-mail:
To: mariaprentice@awol.com
From:
cc: Martin Brown
subject:
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Part 2 – long task
You have seen the following advertisement:
Hello Holidays
We are a leading player in the international holiday market, based in the UK and specialising in holidays for
young single people aged 18 – 30. We organise a wide range of adventure holidays for people of different
nationalities and cultures, where they have the opportunity to mix and have fun together. Our aim is to
promote international integration and understanding through shared experiences.
Currently we are planning to open a new office in your country with the intention of bringing our
products to a wider public.
We are recruiting the following posts:
sales manager
office manager
PA to director
For further details contact Colin Smith on 012174638448 ext 223 during office hours.
Hello Holidays, 35 Obelisk Road, Southampton, SO97DI
Write a letter of application for the job. Include the following details:
 age
 occupation
 reasons for wanting the job
 why you are suited to the job
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