I. Pronunciation (1-4) ⇱
II. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) that best fits the space in each question. ⇱
III. Look at each sign or notice. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) that matches its meaning. ⇱
IV. Choose the word (A, B, C or D) that best fits each blank space in the following passage. ⇱
Fear (17) ________ be a debilitating emotion that a majority of individuals suffer from at some point. Overcoming these fears is a daunting task for some (18) ________ others seemingly face their fears head-on. For a long time, I had an extreme fear of horror movies, even watching commercials for them would terrify me. Many people find horror movies (19) ________, and they can watch those blood scenes without any fear. However, I suffered for years until I finally realized that life is much scarier than anything they (20) ________ screen. I was ridiculed for my cowardice, all of my friends enjoyed watching horror films and I was left out of many outing to the theater due to my phobia. At the lowest point in my life, when I believed (21) ________ could be worse than the hell I was living in, I became numb. Finally, I was able to conquer the fear by simple maturation, I grew up (22) ________ the actors who portrayed killers and victims. Being able to separate the actor from their character takes the realness out of the movie, and you are better equipped to do this as you mature.
V. Read the following and do as directed. ⇱
Roller coasters have a long, fascinating history. Roller coasters’ ancestors are the monumental ice slides — long, steep wooden slides covered in ice, some as high as 70 feet (21 meters). The old version of roller coasters was popular in Russia in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Coaster historians diverge on the exact evolution of these ice slides into actual rolling carts. The most widespread account is that a few entrepreneurial Frenchmen imported the ice slide idea to France. The warmer climate of France tended to melt the ice, so the French started building waxed slides instead, eventually adding wheels to the sleds. In 1817, the Russes a Belleville (Russian Mountains of Belleville) became the first roller coaster where the train was attached to the track (in this case, the train axle fit into a carved groove). The French continued to expand on this idea, coming up with more complex track layouts, with multiple cars and all sorts of twists and turns.
The first American roller coaster was the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, built in the mountains of Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s. The track, originally built to send coal to a railway, was reconfigured as a "scenic tour."
Over the next 30 years, these scenic rides continued to thrive and were joined by wooden roller coasters similar to the ones we know today. These coasters were the main attraction at popular amusement parks throughout the United States, such as Kennywood Park in Pennsylvania and Coney Island in New York. By the 1920s, roller coasters were in full swing, with some 2,000 rides in operation around the country.
With the Great Depression and World War II, roller-coaster production declined, but a second roller-coaster boom in the 1970s and early 1980s revitalized the amusement-park industry. This era introduced a slew of innovative tubular steel coasters. Some of the most popular ride variations — such as the curving corkscrew track — saw their heyday during this time.
a. Decide whether the following sentences are True or False:
b. Choose the correct answer to each question:
VI. Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence. ⇱
VII. Look at the entry of the word “phobia” in a dictionary. Use what you can get from the entry to complete the sentences with two or three words. ⇱
