Progress test Unit 8 Test A

Progress Test 8A
Name: ___________________________________________

Grammar
1 Choose the correct verb to complete the phrases.

1 When Ellie was younger she couldn't / wasn't able to stand onions.
2 Which of you could / was able to guess who the criminal was?
3 Grace could / was able to help me on several occasions.
4 Could you / Did you manage to contact Helen last night?
5 Some dogs can / are able to be fed on almost anything.
6 We couldn’t / didn't manage to breathe because of the smoke.
7 You can't / aren't able to get good potatoes any more,
8 Do you think you are able to / can come tomorrow?
9 Jim could / was able to play football better than any of us.
10 Are they able to / Can they be expected to win on Saturday?

Mark __/10

2 Write relative clauses using the words in the brackets. Use which, that or no relative
pronoun as appropriate.

1 The beach nearest the hotel _________________ (be, about a mile long) was deserted.
2 The finger ______________________ (Molly, break) last month is OK now.
3 The cards ______________________ (Joe, deal, me) were a load of rubbish!
4 The coat I tried on ______________________ (be, not very expensive) looked really smart.
5 I discovered the shoes ______________________ (be, the prettiest) were quite expensive.

Mark __/5

3 Complete the sentence with participle forms, using the words in brackets.

1 There is a charge for _______________ (not return) books to the library on time.
2 Passengers _______________ (cross the rails) do so at their own risk.
3 Children _______________ (leave, in the play area) must be collected before 6 o'clock.
4 The chips ________________ (serve, with the meal) were superb.
5 Drivers ________________ (park, on double lines) will be given a parking ticket.

Mark __/5

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 Progress test Unit 8 Test A

Vocabulary
4 Complete the text with appropriate words (to make compounds and collocations).

The world is currently facing many environmental issues, one of which is 1______________ change,
believed to be due largely to overproduction of 2______________ gases. These originate from a
variety of sources, such as vehicle 3___________ ___________, other CO2 4______________and
5
______________ gas from landfill and industry. Other environmental issues are coal
6
______________ and burning coal, and production of toxic waste that can 7______________the
atmosphere and the oceans. Some countries with 8 ____________ power also face a problem of
disposing of radioactive waste. Placing more turbines on 9______________ farms and using
10
______________ power from flowing water would certainly be one solution to some of these
issues.

Mark __/10

5 Complete each sentence with a prefixed word with the same meaning as the phrase in
brackets.

1 My uncle is an _______________. (used to be a fireman)

2 Children can ______________ when they are tired. (behave badly)
3 Our family used to live in a _______________ house before we bought the cottage. (half
attached)
4 I wouldn't mind having an _______________ job if I really loved it. (not paid enough)
5 Jenny is good at _______________. She can do the cooking, clean and talk on the phone at the
same time. (doing many tasks at the same time)

Mark __/5

6 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

1 Would you like a lump / bit / flake of cake with your coffee?
2 The damage / harm / injury to property caused by the hurricane was immense.
3 Scientists have repeatedly found meteoric particles / fragments / specks in the Sahara desert.
4 Many soldiers were harmed / damaged / wounded in the Second World War.
5 He bit off a large lump / chunk / speck of apple.

Mark __/5

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 Progress test Unit 8 Test A

Use of English
7 Complete the sentences with one word in each space.
1 I’m sorry, but we won’t be ____ to come this evening because Pete is doing ____time at work.
He has to stay in the office until nine.
2 Shale ____ is found in places ____ there is a lot of organic material.
3 Because of the ____ of wild animals by hunters in many parts of Africa, elephant populations
face ____ and are in danger of disappearing altogether.
4 Jill ____ herself when she fell over in the ____-storey car park. She twisted her ankle.
5 These days, space exploration is ____funded. Because of this lack of money, we haven’t been
able to explore galaxies beyond our ____ system and travel into deep space.

Mark __/10

Listening
8  Listen to five people talking about environmental issues and fill the gaps in the
statements with the correct speakers A-E. There is one statement that you do not need.
1 Speaker _____ is happy that he/she made an investment in renewable energy sources in his/her
house.
2 Speaker _____ would like to see everyone reduce their carbon footprint by driving less.
3 Speaker _____ believes the government should do more to stop people disposing of possibly
harmful waste in the countryside.
4 Speaker _____ says that animals in zoos have a shorter life expectancy.
5 Speaker _____ is planning to construct an energy-efficient house.
6 Speaker _____ believes animal extinction should be avoided by a variety of government
measures.

Mark __/5

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 Progress test Unit 8 Test A
Reading
9 Read the following text and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).
Wind energy: yes or no?
Recent political debates and press articles have outlined the positives and negatives of onshore and offshore
wind farms, comparing wind power to other low-carbon energy sources, and fossil fuels. The question is
whether we should continue investing in wind energy production; rely on other renewable sources, such as
solar, wave, tidal or hydroelectric power; or stick to the already overused non-renewable resources, such as
natural gas, shale gas, oil and coal.
Onshore wind energy is generated by wind turbines located on land, whilst offshore energy is produced by
turbines located out at sea, or on bodies of fresh water such as lakes. Both turbine types generate electricity by
using the energy of the moving air. They already play an important role in generating renewable electricity in
the UK, providing over a quarter of the renewable electricity produced. The government estimates that this
production reduces CO2 emissions by six million tonnes annually, which amounts to a considerable reduction
in greenhouse gas production. Onshore wind turbines are also one of the most affordable renewable energy
sources, costing half as much as offshore wind farms, and a quarter as much as it costs to install solar panels.
Another pro is the fact that it is slightly cheaper to generate electricity using the wind than a nuclear power
station, and, of course, it does not produce dangerous waste that has to be disposed of. Fossil fuel based energy
sources are cheaper than wind power at the moment, but this is expected to change in years to come, with
technological advances occurring constantly.
The main criticism of wind farms is that they only produce electricity when there is sufficient wind, and at
those times when the wind force is insufficient, fossil fuels have to be used as a backup. Another problem is
the visual impact they have on the landscape. They are spread over large areas of land compared to other
energy sources, for instance nuclear power stations, and a large number of people find them unsightly, or even
noisy if they live nearby. Environmentalists also argue that the turbines have a negative impact on wildlife,
particularly on various bird species, as birds are often injured when they fly into the turbines. However, the
harm caused by wind turbines is minimal compared to that caused by, for example, toxic waste produced
during coal mining or oil drilling.
We need to find the right balance between creating and using more affordable electricity and protecting our
environment. The best option will probably remain a combination of onshore and offshore wind power,
together with other renewable energies and fossil fuel-based energies.

1 Onshore and offshore power production are similar in how much they cost. ___
2 According to the article, energy from fossil fuels is cheaper than that produced by wind power.
___
3 The disadvantage of wind turbines is that they do not supply energy consistently. ___
4 Environmentally-minded people have objections to wind turbines as they are harmful to animals.
___
5 The author of the article is generally against using wind power, as it has many disadvantages.
___

Mark __/5

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 Progress test Unit 8 Test A

Writing
10 Individuals have as much power to save the environment as the government has. Do you
agree? Write an essay (200-250 words). Include the following points in your essay:
 Explain the title and give your initial opinion
 Give an argument in support of your opinion
 Give a counterargument supporting the opposite opinion
 Summarise your opinion

Info 1 Info 2 Info 3 Info 4

/1 /1 /1 /1
Form Vocabulary Grammar Total
/2 /2 /2 /10

Total: ___/70

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