PART 1- LEVEL 2 (Adult learners)

1. Reading resource

https://eltngl.com/sites/Life2e/teacher-resources/british-english/elementary/elementary-

reading-texts-word

People who learn to do something really well nearly always have good routines and
habits. Take the Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. He trains 365 days a year and he has the
same training routine every day. He gets up at 6.30 a.m. and has breakfast. He eats exactly
6,000 calories every day. Then he swims for six hours a day. Before a race, he always listens
to very loud hip-hop music. Phelps has won 18 Olympic gold medals and 22 Olympic medals
in total. That’s more than any other person in history.
Habits are useful for all of us. We brush our teeth without thinking so we don’t have
problems with them. Most people travel to school or work the same way every day and don’t
get lost. And when we want to learn something new – like a musical instrument – it’s
important to have a daily routine such as practicing for thirty minutes before breakfast. Of
course, habits can also be bad and more difficult to change. For example, imagine someone
works in an office. Every day his colleagues go to a café during the break. He goes with them
and buys coffee and cake. It’s fun, so he does it again the next day – and the next. Soon it’s a
habit and he’s spending more money, drinking more caffeine, and eating too many calories.
According to researchers at the University College London, most people can make
something into a habit after 66 days of routine and repetition. Stopping a bad habit (e.g.,
giving up smoking) can take longer – up to 254 days. One conclusion was that the ‘situation’
is important for a habit. So, if you are going to change the habit of having coffee and cake
every day, don’t go to the café but go for a walk. In other words, change the situation and start
a new routine.

2. Reading passage 1

People who learn to do something really well nearly always have good routines and
habits. Take the Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. He trains 365 (1) ………. a year and he
has the same training routine every day. He gets (2) ………. at 6.30 a.m. and has breakfast.
He eats exactly 6,000 calories every day. Then he swims for six hours a day. Before a race, he
always listens (3) ………. very loud hip-hop music. Phelps has won 18 Olympic gold medals
and 22 Olympic medals in total. That’s (4) ………. than any other person in history.
Habits are useful for all of us. We brush our (5) ………. without thinking so we don’t
have problems with them. Most people travel to school or work the same way every day and
don’t get lost. And when we want to learn something new – like a musical instrument – it’s
important to have a daily (6) ………. such as practicing for thirty minutes before breakfast
every day. Of course, habits can also be bad and more difficult to change. For example,
imagine someone works in an office. Every day his colleagues go to a café during the break.
He goes with them and buys coffee and cake. It’s fun, so he does it again the next day – and
the next. Soon it’s a (7) ………. and he’s spending more money, (8) ………. more caffeine,
and eating too many calories.

READING PASSGAE 2 (https://eltngl.com/sites/Life2e/teacher-resources/british-

english/upper-intermediate/upper-intermediate-reading-texts-word)

450 words
Topic: Science

Many forecasting experts have announced that they have determined a recession in
progress, with its cycle peak estimated to be in October 2018. The recession could be set in
motion by a decline in consumer purchasing, since consumers are becoming more sensible
about what they buy. A more likely cause would be failure of economic growth. However,
these are causes speculated by the public. Andrew Bushee outlines three main reasons for the
recession visible on the horizon. He lists the recent power crisis, inflation concerns, and
significant global trade imbalances. At a press conference last week, he announced that a tight
financial budget for the next year will be required to overcome the recession. Top on the list
of government priorities, according to this budget plan, should be allocating more time and
effort to sectors of the economy which will be most effective in stimulating economic growth
and development. According to the econometric model used by certain forecasters, the
probability of a looming recession is as high as 90%. So far, a dwindling GDP, hiking
unemployment, job cuts, and reduced investment have been predicted.

Due to the recent recession in economy, many companies are announcing a cut of jobs
over the next two years. The job cut will just be a part of their restructuring plan. Losing more
than 10 percent of their work force will be an aspect of the plan that is essential in order to
reduce costs and become more efficient in their operating margin. In addition to cutting a
number of employees, they ask remaining employees to take salary cuts and trim expenses to
the bone. Because the economy is in poor shape now, and their companies are suffering as a
result, they need more than ever to be in decent financial shape.

As unemployment has risen throughout the world, governments will become more
focused on protecting their own industries than on promoting international commerce. But
according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in the part of the world that is hit hardest
by the recession-Asia, the number of Free-Trade Agreements (FTAs) signed by Asian
countries will grow. Those will help the region become a powerful trading bloc. The drive to
lower trade barriers will take on fresh urgency amid the recession. As Asian manufacturing
networks become more intertwined and as Asian consumers become wealthier, regional
commerce will become critical to future economic expansion. Intraregional trade last year
made up 57% of total Asian trade, up from 37% in 1980.

1. When do the experts predict the peak of the recession will be?

A. This October

B. From June

C. In April

D. It has already passed

2. Who mostly likely is Andrew Bushee?

A. An economic expert

B. A personnel manager

C. An educational coordinator

D. A retailer

3. What is NOT a cause of the predicted recession?

A. The energy crisis

B. Loss of confidence in investments

D. Trade imbalances

4. What is NOT a predicted outcome of the recession?

A. Unemployment

B. Bankruptcy of banks

C. Job cuts

D. Reduced investment

5. Why is the company making job cuts?

A. As a result of unsatisfactory work on the part of the employees

B. To make sure the remaining employees receive adequate attention

C. In order to invest in new projects

D. As a result of a decline in the economy

6. The phrase “to the bone” in paragraph 2 is closed in meaning to

A. As much as possible

B. Violently

C. In a stingy manner

D. Painfully

7. What do the Asian Development Bank statistics indicate?

A. Asian economy is financially better than that of the developed world

B. The recession impacted the West more than Asia

C. Western countries don’t want to trade with developing countries

D. Asian countries have been actively opening their markets to one another

8. What does “this” in the third paragraph refer to?

B. Asian Banks

C. Free-Trade Agreements

D. Asian countries

9. What is the best tittle for the reading text?

A. Forecast about the recovery of the economy

B. Bad news for our economy

C. Ways to recover the economy

D. Unemployment due to the recession of the economy

10. What is the purpose of this reading passage?

A. To persuade readers about the recovery of the economy

B. To forecast the economic downturn

C. To report a meeting

D. To express a personal opinion