READING - 1
1. Plastic Bags
Twelve years ago, oceanographer Captain Charlie Moore was skippering his yacht the Alguita in the
North Pacific. He sailed into a mass of floating plastic rubbish which took him and his crew a week to
cross. This floating rubbish dump is now called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and doubles the size of
the USA.
The United Nations says there are now 18,000 pieces of plastic in every square kilometre of sea
everywhere in the world. A walk along any beach will give you some idea of the seriousness of plastic
pollution.
The trouble is, when we throw out plastic with the trash, the plastic doesn’t go away. Plastic does not
biodegrade. It photo degrades into smaller and smaller particles which then enter the food chain. Plastics
contain cancer-causing chemicals such as vinyl chloride which travel along the food chain in increasing
concentrations and end up in our fish and chips, along with hormone disruptors such as bisphenol A.
Scientists try to tell us that we are killing ourselves as well as other animals. At least 200 species are, as
I speak, being killed by plastic. Whales, dolphins, turtles and albatross confuse floating plastic, especially
shopping bags and six-pack rings, with jellyfish. A dead Mince whale, washed up on a Normandy beach,
was found to have eaten plastic bags from supermarkets and had died a dreadful death.
8% of all the world’s oil production is for plastic. According to the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, companies manufacture 5 billion plastic bags a year. Of all the plastic produced annually, half is
for packaging which gets thrown out with the trash a few minutes after purchase. And 10% of all rubbish
is plastic bags which take from 400 to 1000 years to degrade. Less than one per cent of plastic bags are
recycled and only 4% of all other plastic waste, the reason being it is simply too expensive to do.
The same lobbies that work against electric vehicles and renewable energies, put governments under
pressure not to act against plastic pollution. This is because plastic represents 8% of all the world’s oil
production. These lobbies, acting on behalf of oil companies, represent an unsustainable approach to
profit. To paraphrase the Cree Indian prophecy, only when we have wiped everything out will we realise
that money cannot be eaten.
Some countries have rebelled and banned plastic bags. And the first was brave Bangladesh. Then China
took the same decision and, according to CNN Asia, saves itself 37 million barrels of oil a year.
Botswana, Canada, Israel, Kenya, Rwanda, Singapore and South Africa have also banned plastic bags.
Notice how many of the world’s richest countries are not on this list. It’s an absolute disgrace.
Alright, then. If we can’t use plastic bags, how do we carry home the shopping? Take a back pack or a
folding shopping trolley. Change supermarket to one that provides biodegradable bags, made from
potato starch for example. Use consumer power.
Personally speaking, what I need to find now, is a supermarket that sells biodegradable bin liners,
otherwise I still end up using plastic. I recently spent a week in New Zealand on honeymoon and saw
that everyone was using special paper bin liners. I wish we did something similar here in Spain.
Think globally, act locally. A small Australian town is now one step ahead of the rest of the world. The
inhabitants of Bundanoon in New South Wales have banned plastic bottles from the town. We need to
follow their example and eliminate plastic from our lives, take care of the earth and vote for people we
think will do the same.
1 – Exam Preparation – Reading - Kevin
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1. The writer says that we can get an idea of how much plastic rubbish there is in the oceans
A by taking a walk along any beach.
B by sailing across the Pacific.
C by looking at the sea.
D by travelling across the USA.
2. The reader learns that toxic chemicals get into our food
A because other animals are being killed by plastic.
B when plastic becomes small enough to enter our food chain.
C from plastic bags from supermarkets.
D because plastic does not biodegrade.
3. In the last sentence of the third paragraph, what does 'it' refer to?
A plastic bags
B money
C recycling
D plastic waste
4. Which of the following best explains the Cree Indian prophecy?
A If we destroy our environment, we will destroy ourselves.
B People are greedy.
C Money isn't food.
D Oil companies are polluting the earth.
5. In the fifth paragraph the writer is angry because
A Most of the countries are African.
B countries aren't saving enough oil.
C not many of the world's richest countries have banned plastic bags.
D not many countries have banned plastic bags.
6. What does the reader learn about New Zealand?
A The writer was on holiday there.
B The supermarkets don't have plastic bags.
C It is a nuclear free country.
D People use biodegradable bags for the rubbish.
7. In the final paragraph the writer advises us to
A stop voting.
B stop buying plastic bottles.
C visit Australia.
D take individual action.
2 – Exam Preparation – Reading - Kevin
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1. The writer says that we can get an idea of how much plastic rubbish there is in the oceans
A by taking a walk along any beach.
B by sailing across the Pacific.
C by looking at the sea.
D by travelling across the USA.
2. The reader learns that toxic chemicals get into our food
A because other animals are being killed by plastic.
B when plastic becomes small enough to enter our food chain.
C from plastic bags from supermarkets.
D because plastic does not biodegrade.
3. In the last sentence of the third paragraph, what does 'it' refer to?
A plastic bags
B money
C recycling
D plastic waste
4. Which of the following best explains the Cree Indian prophecy?
A If we destroy our environment, we will destroy ourselves.
B People are greedy.
C Money isn't food.
D Oil companies are polluting the earth.
5. In the fifth paragraph the writer is angry because
A Most of the countries are African.
B countries aren't saving enough oil.
C not many of the world's richest countries have banned plastic bags.
D not many countries have banned plastic bags.
6. What does the reader learn about New Zealand?
A The writer was on holiday there.
B The supermarkets don't have plastic bags.
C It is a nuclear free country.
D People use biodegradable bags for the rubbish.
7. In the final paragraph the writer advises us to
A stop voting.
B stop buying plastic bottles.
C visit Australia.
D take individual action.
3 – Exam Preparation – Reading - Kevin
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READING - 2
Two sisters and the cat
Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Smith are sisters. Mrs. Wilson lives in a house in Duncan and Mrs. Smith
lives in a condominium in Victoria. One day Mrs. Wilson visited her sister. When her sister
answered the door, Mrs. Wilson saw tears in her eyes. "What's the matter?" she asked. Mrs.
Smith said "My cat Sammy died last night and I have no place to bury him".
She began to cry again. Mrs. Wilson was very sad because she knew her sister loved the cat
very much. Suddenly Mrs.. Wilson said "I can bury your cat in my garden in Duncan and you
can come and visit him sometimes." Mrs.. Smith stopped crying and the two sisters had tea
together and a nice visit.
It was now five o'clock and Mrs. Wilson said it was time for her to go home. She put on her hat,
coat and gloves and Mrs. Smith put the dead Sammy into a shopping bag. Mrs. Wilson took the
shopping bag and walked to the bus stop. She waited a long time for the bus so she bought a
newspaper. When the bus arrived, she got on the bus, sat down and put the shopping bag on
the floor beside her feet. She then began to read the newspaper. When the bus arrived at her
bus stop, she got off the bus and walked for about two minutes. Suddenly she remembered she
had left the shopping bag on the bus.
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READING – 2
Two sisters and the cat
1. Where does Mrs. Smith live?
A in a condominium in Duncan
B in a condominium in Victoria
C in a house in Duncan
2. Why is Mrs. Smith upset?
A because her sister came to see her cat
B because her cat died
C because Mrs. Wilson was sad
3. What did Mrs. Wilson do?
A take the cat with her on the bus
B put her gloves in the shopping bag
C prepare dinner for her sister
4. Who did Sammy the cat live with?
A Mrs. Wilson
B Mrs. Smith
C Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Smith
5. What time did Mrs. Wilson go home?
A when the bus arrived
B at 5 p.m.
C after she walked for two minutes
6. How did Mrs. Wilson go home?
A walked for two minutes before she caught the bus
B read a newspaper on the bus
C took a bus
7. What did Mrs. Wilson forget?
A the newspaper
B her handbag
C the shopping bag
8. Where did Sammy die?
A in Mrs. Smith's house in Duncan
B in Mrs. Wilson's garden
C in Victoria
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READING - 2
Two sisters and the cat
1. Where does Mrs. Smith live?
A in a condominium in Duncan
B in a condominium in Victoria
C in a house in Duncan
2. Why is Mrs. Smith upset?
A because her sister came to see her cat
B because her cat died
C because Mrs. Wilson was sad
3. What did Mrs. Wilson do?
A take the cat with her on the bus
B put her gloves in the shopping bag
C prepare dinner for her sister
4. Who did Sammy the cat live with?
A Mrs. Wilson
B Mrs. Smith
C Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Smith
5. What time did Mrs. Wilson go home?
A when the bus arrived
B at 5 p.m.
C after she walked for two minutes
6. How did Mrs. Wilson go home?
A walked for two minutes before she caught the bus
B read a newspaper on the bus
C took a bus
7. What did Mrs. Wilson forget?
A the newspaper
B her handbag
C the shopping bag
8. Where did Sammy die?
A in Mrs. Smith's house in Duncan
B in Mrs. Wilson's garden
C in Victoria
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READING - 3 - Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein (AL bert EYEn stine) was born in Ulm, Germany. His father was an electrical engineer, and his
mother was a musician. She taught him to appreciate music, and he learned to play the violin.
When he was very young he was slow in development. He didn't speak until he was two years old, and even when
he was older he had trouble answering a question. He would first silently mouth the words to himself and then
slowly answer out loud. His teachers thought he would never be successful at anything.
When he was six, his father gave him a compass. He was fascinated by the way the needle always pointed north.
This experience helped to create a great curiosity in him and had an impact on the rest of his life.
His Uncle Jakob was a strong influence in his life. He gave Albert math books about algebra *and geometry*. Uncle
Jakob described algebra as "a merry science". He said algebra could be compared to hunting a little animal. You
didn't know the name of the animal, so you called it "x". Then when you finally caught the animal you gave it the
correct name. He made learning fun for the boy and also provided a model for teaching that Albert would later use.
In the future he would explain his theories by using examples of trains, elevators, and ships.
Once a week his parents invited a poor medical student, Max Talmey to eat with them. Max brought science books
to share with Albert, and they became good friends.
His family moved to Munich, Germany where in elementary school he was the only Jew in a Catholic school. He
attended a high school called Luitpold Gymnasium. He was bored at the school. His family next moved to Italy, but
they wanted Albert to finish the school year in Munich. He wanted to leave Munich so badly he got a false paper
from a doctor stating he had a lung condition and must move to a dry climate (such as Italy where his parents were
living). Then he convinced the school to give him a certificate in math so he could get into college. They complied
because they wanted to get rid of him.
After a year in Italy he went to Zurich, Switzerland to study at the Polytechnic Institute. He failed the entrance
examination and had to spend a year at another college before returning to Zurich.
Up to this point his life had been rather unremarkable. After college he took a job at the Swiss Patent Office
examining patents* for people's inventions. This job was ideal for him because he had a lot of free time for research
about things that really interested him; things such as light and time.
The year 1905 was an exceptional year for Einstein. In that year he published three outstanding papers.
#1. He outlined his photoelectric* law in which he discussed the behavior of light. This led to the development of
television and motion pictures with sound. In 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for this paper.
#2. The second paper, which was his most famous, explored the relation of mass to energy (E=mc squared) and
addressed the problem of atomic energy. This paper provided the basis for the development of the atomic bomb. In
1939 he wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and told him Germany was also working on nuclear fission*
which would lead to the development of a German bomb.
#3. The third paper was On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies which is also known as the Special Theory of
Relativity.
Einstein spent hours experimenting with electromagnets*. From his experiments he concluded the speed of light is
always the same; 186,000 miles a second. This, he said, was as fast as anything could travel.
In 1933 when Einstein was visiting in the United States, the Germans stole his property and took away his German
citizenship. The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey invited him to be their director. He spent the
rest of his life in America. After a few years he became a U.S. citizen.
Einstein was married two times; first to Mileva Maric with whom he had studied at the Polytechnic Academy. She
was very smart and was a lot of help to Albert. They were married for sixteen years and had three children
together, a daughter Lieserl and two sons, Eduard and Hans Albert. His second wife was Elsa, who was his first
cousin. She had two daughters from a previous marriage. She and Albert had grown up together when they were
children.
At the end of his life Einstein was a lonely man. His wife Elsa died after they had been married for seventeen years.
His health began to fail and he died at the age of 76.
He spent his life working to find a balance between science and spirituality. He once said at a Symposium*,
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
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1. Albert Einstein was born in _____. 7. He became good friends with Max
A. America Talmey who was _____.
B. France A. a poor medical student
C. Germany B. their senator
D. Russia C. the President
D. their family doctor
2. The musical instrument he played was
the _____. 8. In order to move to Italy with his
A. harpsichord family he _____.
B. organ A. bought a train ticket
C. trumpet B. begged his mother to let him come
D. violin C. forged a document saying he was ill
D. earned enough money to move
3. When he was young he _____.
A. was slow in development 9. The first time he took a college
B. showed signs of genius entrance examination he _____.
C. talked a lot A. failed the test
D. hated music B. passed with flying colors
C. missed only two questions
4. His father gave him a _____ which D. didn’t finish the test
created curiosity in him.
A. cat 10. His job at the patent office was ideal
B. math book because _____.
C. compass A. he was very interested in patents
D. science kit B. he had a lot of free time to study
C. he could steal people’s patents
5. His Uncle Jakob described _____ as D. he could sleep on the job
“a merry science”.
A. music 11. In his “photoelectric law” he
B. botany discussed _____.
C. oil exploration A. how to take good pictures
D. algebra B. how electricity is carried
C. the behavior of light
6. Einstein would later explain his D. how to make light bulbs
theories by _____.
A. using an overhead projector 12. In his most famous paper Einstein
B. using examples of trains and ships explored _____.
C. using the radio A. the relation of mass to energy
D. recording his lectures B. how objects fall
C. flying objects
D. how a pendulum works
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13. In 1939 he warned President
Roosevelt of the danger of _____. 19. Einstein died ______ .
A. greenhouse gases A. a lonely man
B. a German bomb B. in Germany
C. war with the Russians C. in an accident
D. the melting icecap D. early in life
14. Einstein concluded that _____ . 20. He once said, “Science without
A. the speed of light is always the same religion is lame, religion without science
B. trains could only go 100 miles an is _____.”
hour A. also lame
C. light could be broken into colors B. blind
D. magnets were dangerous C. the best
D. worthless
15. He said the fastest anything could
travel was _____.
A. 120 miles an hour
B. 186,000 miles a second
C. 90,000 miles an hour
D. 2,000 miles a second
16. While he was visiting the United
States in 1933 _____.
A. he decided he didn’t like the country
B. he had a heart attack
C. the Germans stole his property
D. his wife died
17. He became a citizen of _____.
A. Canada
B. the United States
C. Austria
D. Russia
18. With his first wife Mileva he had
_____ children.
A. no
B. two
C. three
D. eight
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