TANGAZA UNIVERSITY

School of Arts and Social Sciences

Tangaza English as a Foreign Language Program (TEFLAP)

Semester: January Academic Year: 2024/2025

ADVANCED II EXAM

Course code: TEFL 6001 Course title: Reading

Instructions:
1. Answer all the questions. (40 marks)
2. Write your answers clearly on the answer booklet.

Cloze test
For each space, choose ONE word from the box, which best completes the sentence.
Look carefully at the words both before and after each space. (16 marks)

then, like, be, own, on, of, whose, for, whole,

1. They managed to reach their fundraising goal ………..with the help of generous
donors.
2. The temperature outside is well …….freezing. Wear something warm!
3. His ideas are not only practical but…….. innovative and inspiring.
4. The event was a success on the………. , despite a few minor issues.
5. The artist, …………work has gained international recognition, will be holding an
exhibition.
6. The significance………… teamwork in achieving success is undeniable.

Page 1 of 5
 7. You need to fill in the form without any help, completely on your……… , before
submitting it.
8. Nobody can cook pasta quite ………..my grandmother.

Reading text: The Commonwealth

The Russian leader, Stalin, is supposed to have asked how many divisions the
Pope had. Like the Roman Catholic church, the British Commonwealth does not operate
in the realms of realpolitik. It is closer, perhaps, to the world of Lewis Carroll than to that
of Bismarck.
As an idea, the Commonwealth dates from the year of Queen Elizabeth's birth,
1926. It was to be an association of "autonomous communities within the Empire',
unified in one respect only: by their allegiance to the sovereign as the head of state. Even
this requirement was dropped in 1949 when India asked to remain a member of the
Commonwealth even though, as a newly-independent republic, it had ended its allegiance
to the crown. Still, even today, Elizabeth is Queen not only of the United Kingdom, but of
17 other countries as well. Of the other nation states in the Commonwealth, 26 are
republics which recognize her only as head of the Commonwealth, and the other five
(Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, Tonga and Swaziland) have monarchs of their own. The 49
countries have a population of around one billion.
The Commonwealth has one unifying factor: the Queen as its head. It is
noteworthy, if not miraculous, that there has been this continuity, that the monarch of the
imperialist nation should be accepted with affection and respect by the newly
independent sovereign states. The reason lies in the status the Commonwealth offers, and
in the framework it provides for useful work to be done. It is remarkable, for example,
that all Commonwealth countries, without exception, gave Britain moral support during
the Falklands crisis.
The Commonwealth has seen much disunity as well, and a number of countries
have ceased to be members, usually for political reasons. In 1948, Palestine became
Israel. In 1949, the Republic of Ireland, neutral during the '39-'45 war, also left. In 1972,

Page 2 of 5
after war with India, and the creation of Bangladesh, Pakistan also departed. But the most
significant departure has been that of South Africa, in 1961.
The key issue of the Commonwealth is, of course, race, and in particular hostility
to racism as practiced by white people. For the past 15 years the focus of attention has
been upon South Africa, especially upon the severing of sporting links with that country.
The refusal of the former Thatcher government to impose economic sanctions on the
apartheid-ridden country has caused tension not only between Britain and other
Commonwealth countries, but also between the Queen and her Prime Minister.
The Queen has to remain above all the issues, all the arguments. That she does so
is one of the wonders of modern politics. The very looseness of the Commonwealth may
be its greatest virtue, given the number of one-party states, military dictatorships, and
personal regimes within it. Each member takes or gives what the realpolitik of its own
government requires. Through the Commonwealth, for example, Canada has attained a
degree of influence among Third World countries which otherwise would never have
been possible. But the Commonwealth is also limited: for military help in a domestic
crisis, Grenada had to turn to the United States.
Still, Alice in Wonderland or not, a two-meter high portrait of the Queen does hang
outside the entrance to Zimbabwe's Senate. An official explained: "She's not there
because we love the royal family, but because she is the head of the Commonwealth."

It's a matter of independence plus.

Question 9 - 15
Choose the best answer. (14 marks)
9. With whom is the Queen identified?
a. A policy of political realism.
b. Stalin.
c. Alice in Wonderland.
d. Bismarck.
10. Why is the Commonwealth compared to the Catholic church?
a. It has no army.

Page 3 of 5
 b. It is like a fairy story.
c. It is concerned with influence rather than political power.
d. It is a worldwide organization.
11. How did relations between the British government and other Commonwealth
members become strained?
a. It invaded the Falklands.
b. It continued to trade with South Africa.
c. It cut aid to developing nations.
d. It joined the EU.
12. By what criteria can member states of the Commonwealth be recognized?
a. They recognize the Queen as Head of State.
b. English is their official language
c. They are former colonies.
d. They are members of the Commonwealth.
13. Why is it necessary for members of the Commonwealth to be tolerant of each other?
a. They have various political systems.
b. They have language problems.
c. Communication is not always easy.
d. Some of them are racist.
14. What is the main limitation of the Commonwealth?
a. It has no standing army.
b. Agreement is difficult.
c. It will not intervene directly in a member's domestic affairs.
d. It cannot compete with American realpolitik.
15. Why is Stalin mentioned in the text.
a. To introduce the passage
b. To show that he is at the same level as the Pope
c. To compare him with the Catholic Church
d. To bring curiosity to the reader.

Page 4 of 5
.
Question 16-20
Write down the words in the sentences that have negative connotations.
16. The manager plotted to lay off his assistant over Christmas.
17. John dumped his girlfriend.
18. A troupe of scrawny gymnasts performed a new act.
19. This town is more than quiet, it’s moribund.
20. An officious guard put their luggage off the train.

Page 5 of 5