Straightforward Upper Intermediate Progress test 1

Name Repkina Darina Score _____________

Language section

Vocabulary

A Complete the text with the words and phrases in the box.

aggressive draw the line get on with it gets upset In the end look your best looks
obsessed with The thing is To begin with

My brother is really (1) ………………… the way he looks. He spends hours down the gym and he’s so
worried about his (2) …………….Whenever I talk to him about it he (3)…………….. and tells me that
I’m jealous. Sometimes he gets quite (4) ……………..and I think it’s absurd. (5) ……………….he
spends so much time there that he doesn’t have enough time for his friends. (6)…………………it started
as a hobby, but I think it has gone too far. I mean, it’s OK wanting to (7) look your best but you have to
(8)……………… somewhere. (9) ……………….. , it’s his life and I guess I should just let him (10)
……………

B Complete the sentences with the words and phrases in the box. Be careful! There are
three extra words and phrases.

a drag add up get the bug for butt in nuts take up clear up easy-going have a look
in-thing

(11) Paintballing is definitely the new ……………to do.

(12) I think you should …………... a new hobby. It’ll do you good.

(13) You’ll get on really well with him as he’s very ………………. .

(14) I really don’t enjoy all the practice. I know it’s necessary, but I find it all a bit of…………………..
(15) Can you……….. something ………….for me? What exactly did you mean when you said it was too
difficult for me?

(16) I wish you wouldn’t …………….. Do you realize it’s rude to interrupt?

(17) I’m sorry, but what you’re saying just doesn’t ……………….

Grammar

C Complete the sentences with the correct word or phrase, a or b.

(18) _______________ all the time is silly. Looks aren’t everything.

a) Dieting b) Dieted

(19) I have a friend _______________ works as a model.

a) which b) who

(20) The newspapers keep _______________ stories that aren’t true.

a) publish b) publishing

(21) I became ill because I wasn’t _______________ eating so much.

a) get used to b) used to

(22) Look at her! She _______________ to make a good impression.

a) is obviously trying b) tries

(23) As a child I _______________ want to work with animals.

a) would b) used to
Functional language

F Complete the dialogue with the words and phrases from the box.

as far as I’m concerned Besides don’t think so afraid not if you ask me
to be perfectly honest must be joking

Lauren: Come on, let’s go shopping.

Hope: You (34)………………... Why would I want to go shopping?

Lauren: No, come on. It’ll be fun.

Hope: Fun? I (35)…………………

Lauren: Why not? I know you haven’t but, (36)……………… , shopping is not only fun but it
helps you relax.

Hope: Now I know you’re joking. I mean how can shopping be relaxing?

Lauren: Well, what do you do to relax?

Hope: Read a book, go for a swim, something like that.

Lauren: What? How boring.

Hope: Well, you might think it’s boring but (37) …………………….I can’t think of anything more
boring than shopping. (38) …………….., what shops are going to be open on a Sunday?

Lauren: So you won’t come shopping with me?

Hope: I’m (39) ……………………….

Lauren: OK, (40) …………………. you’re missing out, but it’s your choice.
Reading

Part 1

Read the article and match the person, A, B or C to their opinions 1–5.

A Ms Baker B Mr MacFaerne C Mr Podolski

(1) Foxes are a nuisance.

(2) Areas originally occupied by foxes had been taken over for housing.

(3) Foxes are excellent at pest control.

(4) Foxes have the habit of tipping rubbish bins over.

(5) It’s the action of people that caused the crocodiles to appear in gardens in Florida.

I’m writing in response to the recent radio programme you had about urban foxes. I listened to the arguments of the
two guests – Jean Baker and Tom MacFaerne – you had on your programme and, to be perfectly honest, it just made
me angry. Frankly, Mr MacFaerne didn’t help the cause of foxes with his behaviour and he also failed to make some
of the most important points. Ms Baker kept on going on about how the foxes were a nuisance and she seemed to be
saying that the foxes were moving into the cities because they liked it there. I may be wrong, but I think that over the
past thirty years it is far more likely that we have built houses in the areas where the foxes used to live rather than the
foxes deciding to move to the cities!

Would Ms Baker build her house near an area where crocodiles lived? Of course, that’s exactly what’s happened in
Florida and the consequences are that people now have crocodiles in their gardens, but whose fault is that? As far
as I’m concerned, what’s happening here with foxes is exactly the same, except that foxes are much less
aggressive. As for the foxes tipping rubbish bins over, what does she expect? Firstly, foxes are very inquisitive
animals and, secondly, because we’re destroying their natural habitat we are also killing the animals they usually
eat.

People like myself who put out food in our gardens for the foxes not only get the pleasure of seeing these lovely
animals, but also find that they don’t go poking their noses into our rubbish. Personally, I would much prefer a fox in
my garden rather than other urban animals like rats. As Mr MacFaerne pointed out, foxes are very good at keeping
the number of rats and other pests under control. There is also no point trying to control the number of foxes as they
control their own numbers naturally.

Finally, if you ask me, what we should be controlling isn’t the fox population but rather the human population. We
should stop building in the countryside and then complaining when the animals that already live there come into our
gardens and our houses.

Yours truly,

Frederick Podolski