ASPAEN COLEGIO EL ROSARIO ENGLISH PET READING COMPREHENSION EXERCISE 2013

Read the text below and the questions on the right. For each question choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D. Dear Editor I am writing with regards to the article 'Is the TV Dead?' that appeared in your newspaper on the 4th March. The author claimed that with the rise of the Internet, the TV was becoming less and less significant in our lives. I find it very difficult to agree with this view. The TV is still the main way most of us get our entertainment at home. It offers us the chance to see top musical artists, great films and documentaries and occasionally, thanks to important televised events, it has the power to bring the whole nation and all ages together in a way the Internet never could. Your article was particularly critical of the TV for the poor quality of programmes available on the many channels we now have. It is certainly true that many of the channels offer nothing more than repeats or low budget programmes. However, I would argue that the majority of content on the Internet is also of questionable quality. I agree with the writer that it is easy to keep up-to-date with the latest news on the Internet, but I'm sure most of us still enjoy sitting down to the News on TV in the evening just as much. The writer is correct in stating that the Internet has become our major source for research and I think this is its main strength. However, criticizing the TV for not being as good is totally unfair. Information programmers like documentaries are made for their potential as entertainment not as research tools and as such will continue to be popular with viewers. So in conclusion I don't think the writer should be so quick to write the TV off. On the contrary, I think it has many more years left in it! Yours sincerely Samantha Johnson 1. Why is the person writing this letter to the newspaper? a) to make a complaint b) to offer a different point of view c) to encourage people to watch more TV d) to persuade people to not use the Internet 2. What do we learn about the writer's opinion of TV? a) It is useful as a reference tool b) It is excellent entertainment c) It is suffering because of the Internet d) The quality of programmes is a problem

3. Which of the following is seen as a problem with TV? a) the quality of some of the programmes b) the lack of entertainment programmes c) its poor use as a reference tool d) its unpopularity with younger people 4. What does the writer think is the best use of the Internet? a) to buy products b) to be entertained c) to get the latest news d) to find things out 5. Which of the following words describes how the writer feels about TV? a) pleased b) excited c) confused d) worried Read the text and choose the correct word A, B, C oe D for each space. There is an example at the beginning: (0) A long B for C with D since Lucky Escape After having saved (0) ........ years the Clarke family were finally in a position to see their dream come true. They (1) ........ ready to travel from Scotland to start a new life (2) ........ America. The (3) ........ family were very excited about their (4) ........ by ship across the Atlantic. However, just days before their departure, one of their sons was bitten by a dog. Their plans fell through when they were told they (5) ........ not be able to travel because of the possibility (6) ........ boy could have rabies. The family were devastated and the father went to the docks to watch the ship that he had hoped would (7) ........ them to their new life depart. As he stood on the harbor thinking about his son, he watched the ship and wondered (8) ........ the family would ever get to make the journey. However, soon (9) ........ this disappointment the father discovered how fortunate the family had been. The son did not have rabies and a few days later the news came (10) ........ the ship the Clarke family should have been on had sunk. The Titanic had gone down with hundreds of people losing their lives. Gap 1 a) b) c) d) Gap 2 a)

was been were had on

b) at c) in d) to Gap 3 a) total b) whole c) all d) altogether Gap 4 a) trip b) going c) travel d) journey Gap 5 a) could b) had c) would d) should Gap 6 a) some b) one c) a d) the Gap 7 a) move b) take c) *** *** Gap 8 a) why b) how c) if d) because Gap 9 a) since b) when c) until d) after Gap 10 a) that b) which c) when d) how

My route had many country roads with no street signs. This required extra planning, as I learned the hard way. One morning I was five minutes late picking up a little third-grader. When I got to his corner, he was crying his eyes out. It was the first and last time that I was ever late for a pickup. I learned the value of money as well. Before my bus-driving job my parents had bought me a bike, which I ruined within one year. When I asked for a new one, they answered, "Buy your own". Later I was able to do just that. I took pride in this bike because I purchased it with my own money. Read the story in the right frame and then look at the questions in the left frame. Select the correct answer - A, B, C or D - for each question. 1. What is the main point to the writer's story? A. Driving buses is a terrible job. B. He had to work because he was very poor. C. His first job gave him the experience to prepare for the future. D. It is easy to get lost in a bus. 2. What can the reader learn from the text? A. Tennis players are good bus drivers. B. Bus drivers should never go on country roads. C. Little kids cry too easily. D. You can learn from any mistakes that you make. 3. What does Robin think about the Bus Supervisor now? A. She was always trying to make him unhappy. B. She did not know how to write reports. C. She should have done the driving herself. D. She helped make him a better bus driver. 4. What does Robin mean when he says he learned the value of money? A. Money is the most important thing in the world. B. He was determined to be very rich when he was older. C. Money has more importance and value when you work hard for it. D. A Dollar is equal to one hundred Cents. I get a lot of letters at this time of year from people complaining that they have a cold which won't go away. There are so many different stories about how to prevent or cure a cold it's often difficult to know what to do. Although colds are rarely dangerous, except for people who are already weak, such as the elderly or young babies, they are always uncomfortable and usually most unpleasant. Of course you can buy lots of medicines which will help to make your cold less unpleasant, but you must remember that nothing can actually cure a cold

The School-Bus Driver. Tennis was my favorite sport in high school in the small town of Pass Christian, Miss. But at the end of my junior year, our bus driver quit, and our coach said that without a new one we couldn't compete. I was the oldest player, so I volunteered for the job. After a month of training, I was ready. Besides driving the tennis team, I was substitute driver for the whole school system. This meant waking up at 5 a.m. and not getting home until 11 hours later. My bus-driving career did not get off to a great start, however. On one of my first runs, I made a mistake and was written up by my supervisor. At first I sulked, but soon realized that she was trying to help. Her reprimand motivated me to do a better job, and taught me to take criticism in a constructive way.

or make it go away faster. Another thing is that any medicine which is strong enough to make you feel better could be dangerous if you are already taking drugs for some other illness so always check with your chemist or doctor to see whether they are all right for you. And remember they might make you sleepy please don't try to drive if they do! Lastly, as far as avoiding colds is concerned, whatever you may be told about magic foods or drinks, the best answer is to keep strong and healthy you'll have less chance of catching a cold, and if you do, it shouldn't be so bad! 1 a) b) c) d) 2 a) b) c) d) This writing is from a doctor's notebook. a magazine. a diary. a school biology book. What is the writer's intention? to write in an amusing way to give general advice to complain about his/her health to describe personal experiences

3 Who should talk to the doctor before getting medications for a cold? a) b) c) d) the chemist old people and babies people using other medications people who keep strong and healthy

4 What is the writer's opinion of how to avoid colds? a) b) c) d) stay healthy and strong see your doctor by medications use magic foods and drinks

5 Which of these letters is most like the letter's that the writer talks about? a) I always eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and take plenty of exercise if other people followed my example I'm sure we'd lose far fewer working days through colds. b) have had it for two weeks and it's just the same as last year, nothing I do seems to make me get better. c) The best thing is to stay at home and keep warm and not give your cold to other people. And of course eat plenty of fruit. d) What really worries me is that my father, who is over sixty, insists on driving when he's taken this medicine for his cold.