READING COMPREHENSION - TEXT
An Adventure in the Bush
They made their camp about four meters from the rivers edge. It took a
while to get the tent sorted out. Finally it was up with the lantern hanging
from the entrance pole. The sun was slipping down behind the trees by now,
and Kevin was looking forward to see beyond the next bend in the river.
Jim insisted they build the fireplace before leaving the camp. Kevin only
pretended to grumble. He liked the way Jim was organizing things. Jim
seemed more experienced out here, bringing branches and stones, talking
about wind direction and stuff.
They collected a great stack of wood and built a circle of stones, then took a
couple of oranges and went off downstream. They kept close to the river,
and soon noticed that the beaches were always on the inside of the curves
and the cliffs always on the outer edge. Kevin was throwing stick in the
river. He soon noticed that the current was much stronger on the outer side
of each curve.
At six oclock by Kevs watch they turned back, side tracking here and
there into the forest. Kevin didnt like the bush as much as the river. It
seems lonely, untidy, and one part looked about the same as any other. Jim
did not think so, because, despite appearances, they were not really alone
there; the forest was crowded with life. So he looked out for things all the
time. Look! he shouted, and Kev turned around, frightened. He saw a
goanna. They watched the strange creature, its tongue flicking as if tasting
the air. I prefer them to snakes! Kevin giggled nervously.
It was amazing. The wood felt dry, yet it would not burn. When all the
newspaper was gone, they added leaves and twigs until their eyes watered
with smoke. Then Kevin had an idea: he poured kerosene into an empty
Coke can, dashed the fuel on the fire and jumped back. Instant success.
They kept adding drops of kerosene, just for the fun, until Jim noticed they
had used half of their supply. They piled wood on, and soon they had a fire
too hot for cooking. So they opened a can of beans, ate them cold with
bread, followed by fruit cake and washed down more warm coke. That was
when Jim remembered the trick of putting the cans in the river to keep
them cool.
bush the wild, uncultivated parts of some tropical countries
goanna a type of lizard
Choose the most appropriate answer (a, b, c or d) which you think fits best
according to the text.
1. What did Kevin want to see after
5. Why did Kevin giggle nervously?
they had managed to put up their
tent?
the camp fire built
the sun setting down behind
the trees
further along the river
better organization by Jim
2. Jim could be described as
capable of living in the forest
a weak person
an expert on camp fires
less organized than Kevin
He was startled by the
goanna.
He preferred goannas to
snakes
The goanna made him laugh
He thought it was a snake
6. How did the boys manage to light
the fire?
With the can of Coke
By pouring kerosene on it
By burning half of their
supplies
By burning newspaper, leaves
and twigs
3. What did Kevin notice as he was
7. They ate their beans cold because
throwing sticks in the river?
they had a fire too hot
The water current was strong
thats the way they like them
all along the river
the bread was cold, too
The beaches were always on
the fire had died out
the outer edge of each curve
The river had a lot of sand
The river was more powerful
on the outer side of each curve
4. What was Jims opinion of the
8. What was the purpose of this extract?
bush?
It was a lonely place
To explain how the tent is
It was a lot like the river
sorted out.
No part of it looked the same
To outline Jims life.
It was full of living things
To inform us about an
adventure in the bush.
To describe the sunset.
GRAMMAR TEST
A. Choose the correct item.
1. Can you the dog, please?
2. The train left five minutes ago.
3. Using a computer makes my head .
4. How is York from here?
5. Ill be with you .
6. He spent the day in the garden.
B. Read the passage and put only the verbs in the brackets into the correct
passive tense. Write the
correct form of the verb in the next column.
The blue whale is the largest living creature on
Earth. Usually these whales (find) in the
Cold Arctic and Antarctic oceans, but in winter
they
(force) to travel to warmer waters for food.
Nowadays it (think) that there were once
hundreds of
thousands of blue whales, although now only
about 1.000 survive. During the 19th century, blue
whales
(hunt) for food and for whalebone, which
1.
(use) to make womens clothing. Today it
5.
(hope) that one day thousands of blue whales
will be again in the worlds oceans again.
6.
2.
3.
4.
C. Choose the correct response:
1. A: Would you like cheesecake for dessert?.
B:
No, Id rather have a fruit salad.
Im afraid I wont.
2. A: Can you pass the salt, please?
B:
Yes, I can.
Yes, here you are.
3. A: How about vegetable soup for starters?
B:
That sounds lovely!
Thats nice of you!
4. A: Can I have some more tea, please?
B:
Yes, of course. Help yourself.
Got any ideas.
D. Choose the correct answer:
1. He finished the reports yesterday, he?
doesnt
didnt
wouldnt
2. She asked I would finish work at 5 oclock.
when
whether
which
in case
wasnt
3. When he off the ladder, he broke his arm and hurt his back.
fell
was falling
falls
falling
4. Im sorry. I havent seen
nothing
no one
someone
anything
5. The first train to London at 6 oclock.
had left
leave
leaves
is left
6. Where her shoes last Saturday?
has she bought
she bought
does she buy
7. I am not so as he is.
cleverest
clever
did she buy
cleverer
8. She TV when the phone rang.
is watching
watches
watched
was watching
9. You forget to hand in your homework tomorrow.
mustnt
neednt
dont have
10.He to play tricks on his friends at school.
use
used
uses
E. Turn the following sentences into direct speech.
1. He asked me why I wanted to be a teacher.
"
?"
2. The teacher told me to stop talking.
"
!"
3. Helen told me she was going to join a gym.
"
4. "Mary asked me if she could borrow my dictionary.
"
?"
is
as clever as
has
are not
has used
