Tests for Olympics

Our Ship Sets SailThere was so much to do at the last (0) ... that there was not time to be nervous. All of us wanted to be on our way (1) ... to sea, but there was still one more problem to overcome: the anchor became (2) ... under a rock. We (3) ... it a mighty pull, but it would not come loose. In the end a fishing boat had to pull us (4) ... .The crowd waved and as we sailed out of the mouth of the river and passed the cliffs (5) ... on each side, I turned back and (6) ... a sight that will remain in my memory for ever: two hundred or more people were (7) ... their way to the cliff-tops for a final (8) ... . The sight had a dreamlike (9) ... because the sun was (10) ... in the west and the evening light picked out the shapes of the people climbing the hill. The figures were tiny and black, all hurrying (11) ... one direction and with the same (12) ... towards the farthest tip of the cliff.(13) ... we were well away from the entrance to the river and there was no longer any (14) ... of the tide carrying us back onto the rocks, I (15) ... the crew to raise our sails. We were finally on our way.

1 A out B across C down D Under

2 A stuck B fixed C attached D Held3 A took B put C gave D Let4 A clean B free C safe D Secure5 A mounting B raising C rising D Lifting

6 A realised B looked C Saw D remarked7 A making B setting  C going D Moving8 A scene B view C vision D Outlook9 A quality B state C condition D Capability10 A lowering B drawing C setting D Closing11 A For B to C in D At12 A scheme B sense C meaning D Intention13 A As soon as B In case C As long as D If only 14 A alarm B anxiety C risk D Concern15 A suggested B said C demanded D Ordered

Part Two: Open Cloze

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

Example: 0 – than

Nicolas-Francois Appert (1749-1841)

Tinned food and drink is big business: every day more (0)than 175,000 million tins are sold throughout the world. The process by (1) how food products can be preserved in tins was invented in 1810 by a Frenchman (2) called Nicholas-Francois Appert.

His father ran a small hotel, (3) ... . Appert learned about preserving fruit and vegetables (4)as a boy. He then became a cook and sweet-maker and grew fascinated by the idea of (5)being able to preserve food for (6) longer than is naturally possible. He experimented with various foods and finally (7)succeeded in preserving vegetables, fruit juices and jams. What he did (8)was to put the food in glass containers which were then boiled for a long time.

In 1810 the French government offered a prize to (9) anybody who invented a means (10)of preserving high-quality food. The food was needed (11) to feed Napoleon's rapidly expanding army and navy. Appert won the prize and with the money he received he set (12) up a commercial food-preserving factory. At (13) work Appert used only glass jars and bottles but in 1822 he changed to metal containers. His achievements (14) were widely praised and his method was soon in use throughout France and the (15) rest of the world.

 

Part Three: 'Key' Word Transformation

For questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Example: I haven't seen you for years. ages It's (been ages since I) saw you.

1. This is a 'no smoking' office. allowed You are not allowed to smoke in this office.

2. Maria didn't listen carefully to the news broadcast. attention Maria didn't pay attention to the news broadcast.

3. Sally decided not to do her homework and went to a nightclub. instead Sally went to a nightclub instead of doing her homework.

4. I expect you were completely exhausted by the end of the evening! must By the end of the evening you must have been exhausted!

5. "Is cleaning the room now really necessary?. have "Does this room have to be cleaned now?

6. Lisa's grandfather is teaching her Chinese. taught Lisa is being taught Chinese by her grandfather.

7. It's too cold for swimming today. if We could go swimming if it wouldn’t be so cold today.

8. If you're not travelling more than 10 kilometres from the city centre, you can use this ticket. within If you're travelling within less than 10 kilometres to the city centre, you can use this ticket.

9. Did you mean to hit him or did it happen accidentally? purpose Did you hit him on purpose or as an accident?

10. 'I'm sorry I forgot your birthday,' Harry told Mary. for

Harry apologised for forgetting of her birthday.

Part Four: Error Correction

Read the text below. Some of the lines contain an extra, incorrect word. If there is an extra, incorrect word in the line, write the word on the right of the line. If the line is correct, write 'OK'.There is an example at the beginning.

Example: 0 OK00 do

Looking For A Job

0  I finished university six months ago and I've got a degree in OK00 business administration. I enjoyed do the course very much do1  although I realise I should have been studied a lot harder! A few of been2  my friends have already got all full-time jobs but most, like me, are still OK3  waiting for something suitable to turn up. Meanwhile, I make sure that 4  I keep myself being busy. I look through the job advertisements in the being5  newspapers every day and I also ask all the people I know to tell OK6  me if they will hear of any vacancies where they work. What I'm OK7  looking for is something challenging, and I would certainly be happy OK 8  to move to another city or even work myself abroad for a while. The myself 9  salary is not so important at this stage, provided I earn enough for to OK10 live on, because I don't want to continue having to be depend on my be11 parents, although they are very much generous to me. At the moment, much12 I'm working in a nearby restaurant two evenings of a week, washing of13 up and generally helping out, which brings in a little bit money. The bit14 other people who working there are very friendly, and many of them who15 are in the same kind situation as me, so we have lots to talk about. Kind

Part Five: Word Formation

Read the text and then write the correct form of the word in CAPITALS to complete the gaps. There is an example at the beginning.

Example: 0 traditional

Puppet ShowsPuppets are dolls representing (0) traditional or modern characters in TRADITIONstories. They are a popular form of (1) entertainment for both children and adults. ENTERTAINSome puppets seen in Europe today were (2) originally created in Italy in the ORIGIN1500s. A puppet show was an (3) expensive EXPENSIVEway to enjoy yourself so people couldgo to see the same (4) performance again and PERFORM

again.  

So what is the continuing (5) attraction of the ATTRACTpuppet show? Used (6)cleverly by artists, CLEVERpuppets have a living magic. Howeverbeautiful, funny or (7)fascinating to look at, they

FASCINATE

are really simple tools used by artists  to express their ideas, (8) person and PERSONalitycharacter. Of course they must have  great technical (9) ability but the fun and ABLEcharm come from the way the artists establish (10) communication with the audience.

COMMUNICATE 

Test 2 

Part One: Multiple Choice Cloze

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.  

Example: (0) A bank B border C shore D coast

The London Tea TradeThe London Tea Trade Centre is on the north (0) ... of the River Thames. It is the centre of an industry of (1) ... importance in the (2) ... lives of the British. Tea is without (3) ... the British national drink: every man, woman and child over ten years of age has (4) ... average over four cups a day or some 1500 cups annually. Some thirty per cent of the world’s exports of tea makes its (5) ... to London. Britain is (6) ... the largest importer of tea in the world. Samples of the vast amounts of tea brought into the country to (7) ... the national thirst go to the London Tea Trade Centre, where they are tasted by (8) ... professional tea tasters before being sold at each week’s tea sale. It is fascinating to see them at (9) ... . Over a hundred samples are

(10) ... in a line on long tables. Teas are generally tasted with milk, (11) ... that is how the majority in Britain drink their tea. The tasters move down the line with surprising (12) ..., tasting each sample from a spoon and deciding what is a (13) ... price for each tea. The types of tea that are popular in Britain are (14) ... inexpensive but they are of a very high quality. The best are delicate (15) ... of numerous teas from different sources and countries of origin.

1   A    high B  wide   C  great D   Large2 A  common B typical C everyday D  Usual3 A  doubt B dispute C disbelief D  Uncertainty4 A  for B by C at D  on 5 A  route B way C direction D  Journey6 A  considerably B by far C largely D  by much 7 A  satisfy B match  C answer D  Serve8 A  effective B skilled C developed   D  Handy9 A  action B operation C practice D  Work10 A  composed B put up C settled D  laid out 11 A  out of B since C so   D  owing to 12 A  speed B hurry C rush D  Dash13 A  fine B right C fair D  Deserved14 A  roughly B comparatively C slightly D  approximately15 A  mixtures B associations C unions D  gatherings

2

Part Two: Open Cloze

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

Example: (0) doing

Department StoresIn 1846 an Irish immigrant in New York named Alexander Stewart opened a business called the Marble Dry-Goods Palace. By (0) ... so, he gave the world something completely new - the department store. Before this, no-one (1)even tried to bring together such a wide range of goods (2) under a single roof. The business did very (3) good . It expanded rapidly and soon had (4) people staff of two

thousand. For Stewart even that was not enough, (5) ... . In 1862 he moved to an eight-storey building nearby, (6) that he renamed A.T. Stewart's Cast Iron Palace. It was, (7) as for many years would remain, the largest shop in the world.Others followed Stewart's example and soon there were stores (8) like his in many major cities in the United States. We don't (9) know when people started calling them department stores. The expression wasn't used in print (10) until 1893, when it appeared in Harper's Magazine, but the way that it is used there (11) made it clear that it was already widely understood.(12) What is certain is that department stores completely changed the shopping experience for millions of people. They offered not only an enormous range of goods, (13) but also levels of comfort, luxury and excitement previously unknown to customers. Almost from the start they had restaurants, toilets and many (14) other facilities, so (15) there was no need to go elsewhere for anything.

Part Three: 'Key' Word Transformation

For questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Example: I haven't seen you for years. ages It's (been ages since I) saw you. 1. Why are you interested in taking up a new hobby? want Why do you want to take up a new hobby?

2. "Have you seen my gloves anywhere, Eric?" asked Mrs Noble. seen Mrs Noble asked Eric if he had seen her gloves anywhere.

3. Suzanne was too excited to sleep. that Suzanne was so excited that she could not sleep.

4. Robert has not had a job for two years. out Robert has been out of a job for two years.

5. "I will complete the work only if you pay me 500 pounds extra," said Frank. not "I will not continue working if you do not pay me 500 pounds extra," said Frank.

6. The thief ran past you so I'm sure you saw his face. must The thief ran right past you so you must have seen his face.

7. The clients demanded to stay in a first-class hotel. staying The clients ordered their staying in a first-class hotel.

8. I don't object to the council building a new road here. objection I do not have any objection about to the council building a new road here.

9. The author wrote her latest novel while she was staying in Majorca. was The author's latest novel was written during her stay in Majorca.

10. The newspaper offered Lynda 5,000 pounds for her story, but she refused. turned Lynda turned down all of 5,000 pounds from the newspaper for her story

  )

Part Four: Error Correction

Read the text below. Some of the lines contain an extra, incorrect word. If there is an extra, incorrect word in the line, write the word on the right of the line. If the line is correct, write 'OK'.There is an example at the beginning.

Example: 0 over00 okA Holiday Job

0  Congratulations on getting over your teaching diploma. Your over00 parents must be really proud of you. I've got some great news. OK1  one of my father's friends who has a small travel agency, and who2  she has been very kindly given me a holiday job. It was been3  difficult in the beginning because I tend to find it very hard to OK4  get up in the morning. My boss is very keen on some punctuality, some5  and because I was often late I got into terrible trouble 6  at first. So I make sure of I'm always on time now. I have to of7  work very hard and, although the pay isn't much good, I'mmuch8  quite enjoying myself so far yet. The main thing I've learnt yet9  to do is how to give up detailed information to customers over the OK10 phone. Unfortunately, I also have to make the coffee and do other OK11 boring things! Sometimes there's no-one except from me in the OK12 office and it gets really busy. I intend to working until the end of to13 the month and then I'm going off on a short holiday by the off14 sea, where I just hope I'll manage to relax myself on the OK15 beach before going back to college in next month in

 

Part Five: Word Formation

Read the text and then write the correct form of the word in CAPITALS to complete the gaps. There is an example at the beginning.

Example: 0 ability

Computers That Play GamesComputers have had the (0) ability to play ABLEchess for many years now, and their (1) performances PERFORMin games against the best players in the  world has shown steady (2)improvements . However, IMPROVEit will be years before the designers of  computer games machines can beat their  (3) bigger challenge yet - the ancient board BIGgame called 'Go'. The playing area is (4) considerably CONSIDERABLElarger than in chess and there are far  more pieces, so that the (5)combination of moves is COMBINEalmost (6)endless. The game involves planning END

so many moves ahead that even the (7) impressive IMPRESScalculations of the fastest moderncomputers are (8) insufficient to deal with the SUFFICIENTproblems of the game.  In a recent (9) competition for computer 'Go' COMPETEmachines, the best machine beat all its  rivals, but lost (10) heavily to three young HEAVYschoolchildren, so there is obviously still  a lot of work to do.  

Test 3

  

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.  

Example: (0)      A native    B real    C natural    D raw     

Write the Perfect Crime NovelMost people are born with the (0) ... ability to (1) ... stories, butonly a rare few have the determination to become (2) ... authors,and even fewer have the joy of seeing their novels top the (3) ...of bestselling books. Some of the world's famous crime writershave achieved the (4) ... success of all. Who can (5) ... theappeal of famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marpleor Hercule Poirot? Even if you haven't read the (6) ... books youwill have seen them in films or on the TV.If you have an ambition to become the (7) ... Agatha Christiewhat should you do? The best starting (8) ... is to read lots ofexamples of crime fiction written by good authors. You will need

a notebook to carry around with you or, (9) ... better, someloose (10) ... of paper that you can (11) ... notes on and then fileinto a folder. After all, the most (12) ... situation - for example,watching a woman get (13) ... a train - may be the (14) ... foryour first bestseller.Like any good recipe you have to know the main (15) ... of asuccessful novel. These are: an original story, strong charactersand a memorable setting.

1 A say B Tell C speak D announce2 A occupied B employed C working D professional3 A queue B List C row D line4 A largest B greatest C highest D prime5 A deny B refuse C insist D hide6 A first B initial C early D original7 A next B following   C subsequent D Later8 A spot B Tip C point D mark9 A even B Still C very D so10 A strips B sheets C layers D pieces11 A complete B Do C fill  D make12 A standard B everyday C average D regular13 A out B Down C off D from14 A notion B Idea C invention D inspiration15 A parts B ingredients C pieces D sections

   .

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

Example: 0 - inToo Good to be TrueSome say you can do it in seven days, others promise success(0) in 24 hours, or you may prefer to take (1) your time and do it in 5weeks. What are we talking about? Believe it (2)or not, theseperiods (3) of time refer to language learning courses thatpromise excellent results in less time (4) than it takes to say'Bonjour'!However, the advertisements of these companies are not

necessarily (5) of best guide and if you don't know what to look(6) for in a good course you could be left with little (7) more than alarge bill.A complaint was recently made (8) on SpeedLearn Systems andthe company has been forced to remove its claim that itstechnique is ten times better than any (9) other method. TheManaging Director of SpeedLearn Systems said (10)this "we stillbelieve our claim is true, we are willing to change our advert. Butthe fact remains, if you (11) learn 3 hours (12) a day for 5 weekson our language course you will soon be speaking the language.What we (13) only have done was to make (14) it clearer in theadvert. Then we wouldn't (15) have had these annoyingcomplaints"..

 

 

   For Questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Example:I haven't seen you for years.agesIt's (been ages since I) saw you.

1. Because it snowed heavily during the night the motorway is closed. due The motorway is closed due to that there was heavy snow the night before.

2. Did you manage to get in contact with the boss today? getting Did you managed getting in contact with the boss today?

3. I don’t care what you do. concerned As far I am concerned you can do what you like.

4. The meal we had in the restaurant was so nice.such It was such a nice meal in the restaurant.

5. He was ordered to leave the field for arguing with the referee. sent The referee sent him off the field for arguing.

6. Do you and your brother have the same looks? like Does your brother look like you?

7. That’s the garage where I left my car last week. repaired That’s where I went to get my car repaired last week.

8. You can't bring food into this room. supposedYou are not supposed to bring food into this room.

9. What do you think Steve is doing in the garden?' wonderedShe wondered what Steve was doing in the garden.

10. I've tried again and again but I just can't do it. oftenNo doubt I tried often, I still can't do it.

 

For questions 1-15, read the text below and look carefuly at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word that should not be there.If a line is correct, put a tick at the end of the line. If a line has a word that should not be there, write the word at the end of the line. There are two examples at the beginning.

Examples:0 to00 OK

0Travelling LightThe last time I travelled to abroad started off quite to

00 badly. I had arrived in Amsterdam and was at the OK

1 station for buying a train ticket to Munich. I was going OK

2 to visit a friend there and after that to travel down to down

3 Greece for a long holiday. I just bought my ticket OK

4 and turned round to pick up my bag from the floor round

5 and realised that someone had stolen it. I ran all over OK

6 the station trying to find it but it was quite gone. Luckily I quite

7 had had my passport and all my money in my jacket, had

8 but the only clothes I possessed were the ones I had them them

9 on. I had been looking forward to the holiday for so long OK

10 and didn’t want to cancel it though. I quickly decided to though

11 continue on with the journey and caught the next train to OK

12 Munich. It felt very much strange travelling without any much

13 luggage, in fact it was lovely not to have to carry OK

14 around a heavy bag. When I eventually arrived at my OK

15 friend lent to me lots of clothes, so I did at least

have the chance to change! to

 

 ©.

  

For Questions 1 - 10 Read the text below. Use the word given in CAPITALS at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Example: (0) CRITICISM

Dress CodeUK companies have received (0) criticism from CRITIC

a business forum for what their report refers to as

a rather narrow-minded attitude towards the dress

code for office workers. This follows a case in

which a male (1) employee working in the post room of a EMPLOY

large (2) organization in the United Kingdom received a ORGANIZE

(3) suspension for wearing jeans to work. SUSPEND

Whilst the report accepts that there is a need for

people dealing with (4) customers to look well dressed, CUSTOM

it questions whether employees who work behind

the scenes necessarily need to dress formally.

The authors of the report made a (5) comparison between COMPARE

the UK and other European nations where

employers seem (6) concerned about the need for their CONCERN

workers to wear smart clothes in the office.

Their (7) argument is based on research that claims ARGUE

workers are far more (8) … when they have the

(9) freedom to dress in a way that they feel most FREE

(10) comfortable in. COMFORT

 

Test 4

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.  

Example: (0)      A in    B at    C of    D to     

No More ClassesThe use (0) ... computers has meant students can study languageprogrammes (1) ... their own speed when and for how long theywant - and no need to (2) ... about the teacher having a favouriteor doing (3) ... another boring lesson. What’s (4) ... , in the virtualclassrooms of the future the student will (5) ... on their headset,and be transported into an imaginary school, choose their class,take the books they need off the shelf and (6) ... conversationswith other computerised students.They might (7) ... choose to pay a visit to the supermarket or the

train station, the bank or the restaurant. At the (8) ... of abutton they would be transported to (9) ... realistic settings wherethey could practice their English, maybe getting a hand (10) ... avirtual English companion. All this perhaps, at the computer, fromthe comfort of their home: no (11) ... to catch the bus to college,or a plane to England.Exciting? Certainly, and an interesting (12) ... to traditionalclassroom lessons. But would it ever (13) ... the classroom?Hopefully not. (14) ... the need to relate to real people talkingabout real issues and generally learning a little more aboutothers will always lead language learners to (15) ... at leasta little of their time with real people.

1 A with B for C at D In

2 A concern B upset C trouble D Worry

3 A still B for C yet D Already4 A more B additional C besides D moreover 5 A place B put C set D Get6 A take B do C catch D Hold7 A although B preferably  C instead D Contrary8 A force B hit C depress D Push9 A so B such C like D Alike

10A with B to C from D For11A role B duty C obligation  D Need12A difference B opposite C choice D Alternative13A replace B restore C succeed D Recover14A definitely B mainly C totally D Surely15A spend B make C have D Do

 

 

For Questions 1-15, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

Example: 0 - forCamping HolidaysAlthough it has a reputation (0) of being rather basic in terms of homecomforts, the modern material used in (1) the manufacture of tentsmeans camping is at least a (2) much less hard work. Nowadays tentsare (3) of lightweight that you hardly notice you're carrying them.They're easy to (4) set up yet still a cheaper alternative to hotelaccommodation.Talk to an expert first before spending a lot of money (5) on a tent.Different tents suit different needs and there's no point (6) of buyinga mountaineering tent (7) if you're planning to camp in theseconditions. Don't (8) get tempted to splash out on all the latestequipment either. Most (9) often the fun of camping lies in the chanceto get back to nature. There's no need to take anything more (10) thanthe basics.Always try to plan your arrival at the site long before (11) it gets dark.You will want to see (12) what you're doing when you try to erect yourtent. Don't forget to ask (13) for permission if you're not camping on aregistered site, and remember to take a supply of food and drink withyou in (14) case the local shops are closed when you arrive. You canthen enjoy your first meal under the stars and begin (15) to appreciatethe joys of camping.

 

 

Key Word Transformation

For Questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Example:

I haven't seen you for years.agesIt's (been ages since I) saw you.

1. 'Why don't you come over for dinner at the weekend?' he asked her. suggested He suggested her coming over for dinner at the weekend.

2. His boss won't tolerate lateness. put His boss won't put up for lateness.

3. The school I studied at last year was better than this one. good This school is not that good as my last one.

4. Although the weather was terrible we had a good time. spite We had a good time in spite of the terrible weather.

5. Being rude is inexcusable. excuse There is no excuse to be rude

6. I find driving on the left in England very strange. accustomed I am not accustomed with driving on the left in England.

7. I regret taking up smoking. wish I wish I wouldn’t take up smoking smoke.

8. The police are interviewing the suspects. interviewed The suspects are being interviewed by the police.

9. Sally asked me 'Have you had a nice holiday?' if Sally asked me if I had had a nice holiday.

10. We've missed the last bus so there's no point in waiting worth It is not worth to wait as we've missed the last bus.

 

I

  Go to Online Test

For questions 1-15, read the text below and look carefuly at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word that should not be there.If a line is correct, put a tick at the end of the line. If a line has a word that should not be there, write the word at the end of the line. There are two examples at the beginning.

Examples:0 OK00 have

0Dear SallyThis is just a short note to let you know about my OK

00 new college. You know that I have arrived in Cambridge have

1 last week, don’t you? Well, my host family met with me with

2 at the airport and drove me to their home. They're a OK

3 really such nice family and I’m enjoying myself a lot. such

4 The college where I’m studying it is also lovely. The it

5 teachers are helpful and I’ve met a lot of students from OK

6 different countries. As soon as we will have the opportunity, OK

7 we are going to have a party. I’m pleased that there are OK

8 not many people from Italy because of I want to improve my of

9 English. Unfortunately the weather has been horrible. OK

10 When I had arrived at the airport it was raining and had

11 it feels much more colder than in my country. more

12 Anyway, my host family are happy for me to have the the

13 visitors so if you would like to come and stay for a little OK

14 while I could show you around in the city. If you come in

15 soon maybe you can come to the party! Write me back OK

soon and let me know if you would like to come. OK

 

 

For Questions 1 - 10 Read the text below. Use the word given in CAPITALS at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Example: (0) BIGGEST

Kitchen HygieneThe next time you go to the supermarket don't

 

forget to buy the (0) biggest bottle of kitchen cleaner BIG

you can to (1) disinfect your work surfaces. INFECT

Recent (2) scientific research in America has shown that SCIENCE

the kitchen is often the most (3)unhygienic of all the rooms HYGIENE

in the home.  

The (4) combination of food, heat and dampness means the COMBINE

kitchen is (5) potentially a breeding ground for bacteria that POTENTIAL

can cause stomach upsets and vomiting.  

The study at the University of Arizona examined  

15 homes over 30 weeks. Levels of (6) cleanliness were CLEAN

certainly not below average yet cutting boards  

and dishcloths were found to contain bacteria in  

far greater number than elsewhere in the home.  

(7) Researches say ignorance is the cause of the problem RESEARCH

ABEQUATE

serious food poisoning.  

The (9)solution ? Make sure you clean all work surfaces SOLVE

(10) daily and keep an eye on that dishcloth! DAY

 

(Exit)

Writing Paper: Part 2 Task type: Story

QuestionYou have seen details of a story-writing competition in a magazine and have decided to enter:

 

COMPETITION!

Write a short story with the title:'The letter that changed my life'

Any stories that we publish will receive a prize.

Write your story for the magazine (around 120-180 words).

Name: Paula Cajal Mariñosa

Midday of the hottest summer day ever. A coke and a boring western on TV. Someone rang the door's bell {1} and I had to get {***} {2} and look outside to see if there was anyone {3}. It was the postman, of course, he always arrives at midday. I oppened the door slowly, without any feeling of being fast{4}. I was given a letter from a friend, a friend that I hadn't seen for ages. My face turned white and my heart stopped its movements for about four seconds. I couldn't believe he had written{5} me.

When the papers of the letter came out I saw that there was a huge amount{6} of sentences, the letter was long.

He was telling me, with his heart in the hands{7}, that he loved me with all of his heart. We had been going out{8} together for about two years... However, I hadn't had any notice {9} from him since our last meeting, in 1998, two years ago.

I read it twice, three times. I couldn't believe it, it was unreal. I took the phone and without any idea I called him.

"Hello, this is Paula"

"Hello Paula, I suppose you've received my letter, we must meet now"

And we met, and he asked me to marry{10}. Of course, I wasn't sure at the begining, but he soon made me feel as {11} the best woman ever.

We are now a happy family, with two young chlidren. I can say, that letter chanched my life, and I still have it in my secrets box

Feedback

What a lovely story this is, Paula! I really enjoyed reading it. You create the atmosphere very well and make a good effort to describe your emotions during key points of the story.

Some language areas to watch are spelling - make sure you proofread your work in the exam - and punctuation, where you need a full stop or a semi-colon instead of a comma. Your grammatical control, especially tenses, is good.

All the best for the FCE exam!

Fiona Joseph27.02.01

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