READING

(25 questions – 30 minutes)

TASK 1

Choose one Word (A, B or C) for each space and write the letter on the paper. The first one
(0) is done for you as an example with the answer A marked on your answer paper.

Over 4,000 couples come to (0) __B__ married in the village of Gretna Green every year. Why
do you think this small town is so special?

In 1754, England (1) ____ a law that changed this sleepy Scottish village forever. The law
stated that people (2) ____ the age of 21 couldn’t marry without the permission of their (3)
____. . But this law didn’t apply to Scotland, where (4) ____ people got married at 16.

(…) Today’s laws are different, but the (5) ____ of “running away” to Gretna Green is still
popular for young couples who want a romantic wedding with a difference.

EXAMPLE (0) A) do B) get C) have

(1) A) passed B) accepted C) decided

(2) A) under B) over C) at

(3) A) relatives B) parents C) family

(4) A) young B) old C) religious

(5) A) time B) idea C) plan

TASK 2

Order the sentences (B-G) below to make a story. Write your answers on the newspaper
(Questions 6-11). The first sentence of the story (A) is given for you on the answer paper as
an example.

A The amazing Albert Einstein was not born in the United States, but he lived most of his
adult life in America after leaving his home country Germany.

B It was Einstein who first conceived of a nuclear fission weapon that he felt Germany
was on the verge of discovery.
C He was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics largely based on this theory.

D He is credited with developing the General Theory of Relativity that is one of the pillars
of modern science.

E Because of Hitler's treatment of Jewish people, Einstein, who was a Jew, decided not
to return to Germany, and to make the United States his home.

F He spoke of the purity of science, and how it should be used for the betterment of
Humankind, and not for creating weapons of mass destruction.

G He was visiting the United States in 1933 when Adolf Hitler took power in his
homeland.

EXAMPLE (0) A

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

TASK 3

Read the text and match each space (12-15) with one word from the box below. Write the

words in the gaps. The answer to question (0) is given to you as an example.

You will not need to use all of the words.

The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a (0) variety of animals including birds, mammals and

(12) _______. As its name suggests, the Centre is primarily involved in breeding and (13)

_______ the numbers of the species housed there whilst still maintaining the (14) _______
of bloodlines in order to retain genetic health. In spite of problems involving the complex (15)

_______ of the animals, a fair amount of (16) _______ has been achieved with North African

Cheetahs and Arabian leopards.

TASK 4

Read the text below. Match the headings A-H to the paragraphs 0-5 (Questions 16-21). There
is one heading you don’t need. The answer to paragraph 0 is given as an example.
ANSWER KEYS

TASK 1

1) A 2) A 3) B 4) A 5) B

TASK 2

6) D 7) C 8) G 9) E 10) B 11) F

TASK 3

12) reptiles 13) expanding 14) diversity 15) behaviour 16) success

TASK 4

1) F 2) A 3) C 4) D 5) B