English Test

Name: _________________________________________ Nr: __________

Teacher: ________ Mark: _______________ Final Mark: ______________

I
A. Read the following text carefully:
Young people today are more aware of the environment than before.
This is the first really 'green' generation. But there are so many
different green issues: There is the greenhouse effect, acid rain, air
pollution ... Which of these seem to be the most important, the most urgent?
Here are the opinions of two teenagers from London:
I am a member of Greenpeace and I got on protest marches or things that they might
organise. I think that the most important issue is nuclear power. The waste hat it creates
is not being disposed satisfactorily. This is a problem because it takes so long, like
thousands of years, to become safe. There is no acceptable way to store it in that time.
For example, at the moment it's buried in the ground, and yet it's destroying the soil
where it is buried. I mean, we can't predict what will happen in the future. If anybody
happens to dig it up, it will destroy all the land around. I think the government should
close down the nuclear plants and stop producing nuclear waste. It's difficult to say what
should happen about the waste that is in existence at the moment. But definitely
production should stop. Nuclear waste could potentially cause irreversible damage.
But overall I would say that I am fairly optimistic. I think that the Earth has a way of
getting around these things'"
Nick, 17 years old
At the moment what's affecting us most is the greenhouse effect, the climate changes
all over the world, reduced rainfall, higher water levels, things like that. It is being
caused by old fridges, aerosol cans ... but I would say the main offenders are probably
things like cars and old coal-powered stations.
We need research and development into other sources of power such as solar power,
wind power, wave power. Nuclear energy is an alternative, but in a long run we could
end up regretting it!
I use CFC - free aerosols, I like to recycle and things like that, so resources are not
wasted: cans, bottles, papers, magazines, and everything that I can find that will recycle
and that I don't need anymore I am very optimistic. I believe there's probably a wind of
change"
James, 19 years old

B. Answer the following questions, using your own words as much as possible:
1. How can we compare this generation with previous ones?
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2. What is, according to Nick, the most important threat to the environment?
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3. In Jamess opinion, what would be a great help to the planet?
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4. How do these two boys feel about the future of the Earth?
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C. What do the following refer to in the text?
a) These (line 4)

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b) It (line 11)

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c) It (line 19)

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d) It (line 24)

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II
A. Complete, using the To-infinitive or the Gerund:
1. Both Nick and James are very interested in _______________________ (protect) the
environment.
2. The two boys would like _____________________ (know) how to do more to help.
3. It is worth it _____________________ (fight) for the environment because it is the
only one weve got.
4. James cant stand ____________________ (have) to smile for some members of the
government.
5. Nick is very good at _____________________ (make) speeches.
6. Before ___________________ (go) to the protest march, I must warn you it can be
dangerous!
A1. Do the same, paying attention to the verbs:
a) James will never forget ________________________ (participate) in that important
environment conference last year.
b) I stopped _____________________ (throw away) my bottles. Someone explained me
the importance of recycling.
c) The spokesman of the Conference spoke about the threats of our planet and then he
went on ____________________ (talk) about the things we can do to help.
d) Stop __________________ (smoke)! It is bad for you and for the planet.
e) Please, remember _______________________ (take away) the garbage when you
leave.
f) He went on ___________________ (smoke) even though I told him to stop.

g) I tried ___________________ (move) the container full of empty bottles but it was
too heavy.
C. Complete with the right phrasal verb from below, making the appropriate
changes to the verbal tenses:
a) Nick cant go to a Greenpeace meeting because he has to ______________________
his younger sister.
b) Jamess car ____________________ on his way to the Earth Conference.
c) This organisation has _____________________ money so they had to
_____________________ the Conference.
d) This generation is very strong. They will never _____________________ fighting
for our dear planet.
e) Nick ____________________ his father in his love for the planet.
f) Both Nick and James believe that our planet will ____________________ from all
these problems.
g) Jamess friends ____________________ him_________________ because they
dont care about the planet.

Let down / give up / run out of / look after / call off / get over / take after /
break down

III

A. Match Column A with Column B:

COLUMN A
1. Ozone layer
2. Deforestation
3. Toxic Waste
4. Endangered species
5. Wind power
COLUMN B
a) An alternative source of power;
b) Men are destroying millions of forests, which are the "lungs of the Earth";
c) Billions of animals are in real danger because of the stupidity of men;
d) Because of the global warming the atmosphere can't protect the Earth from the
dangerous rays of the sun;
e) This is very dangerous because it causes air pollution, freshwater pollution and can
cause serious and even deadly diseases on humans and animals.
1

B. Recall the documentary watched in classes, An Inconvenient truth, from Al

and answer the following question:
1. What is the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) and the atmospheric
temperature?
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IV
Choose one of the following topics and write a 10-to-15-lined paragraph about it:
1. Nowadays there are lots of environments threats which can be a real danger for our
planet. Refer to the most important threats, to what extent they are dangerous and how
people can fight them (You may exemplify with the fiction from The Day After
Tomorrow and the factual information given in An Inconvenient truth.)
2. What level of awareness and action exists in Portugal related to the environment
conservation? Is your country /government really interested in protecting the planet?
What is your opinion about this issue?

3. Are you an environmentalist? What do you really do to help our planet?

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Good Luck!!