Test B2

READING

1.You are going to read an article about a method of finding your way called
“natural navigation”. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.
(2 points for each question)

Natural Navigation

Max Davidson learns how to find his way using only stars, sun, trees and
wind.

At 9 am precisely, all seven of us are in our places at the Royal Geographical

Society, like expectant schoolchildren. A man in a check suit, with a neatly
trimmed beard, enters and introduces himself. “Tristan Gooley. Welcome”. He
flashes a shy smile. “Just to put this all into context, I think I can safely say that
you are the only people in the world studying this particular topic today. “It is
quite an intro. There are a few oohs and ahs from audience. Tristan Gooley,
navigator extraordinary, has his audience in the palm of his hand. We are here
because we are curious about how you get from A to B. And if you are curious
about how to get from A to B, who better to ask than Tristan Gooley? He is the
only man alive who has both flown and sailed across the Atlantic. You can’t
argue with that sort of CV.

“Natural Navigation”, his new baby, is exactly what that phrase suggests:
route-finding that depends on interpreting natural signs-the sun, the stars, the
direction of the wind, the alignment of the trees-rather than using maps,
compasses or the ubiquitous satnav. “Of course,99.9 per cent of the time, you
will have other ways of finding wherever it is you want to get to. But if you
don’t….”Gooley pauses theatrically, “there is a lot to be said for understanding
the science of navigation and direction-finding. If people become too
dependent on technology, they can lose connection with nature, which is a
pity”.

The natural navigator’s best friend, inevitably, is the sun. We all know that it
rises in the east, sets in the west, and its zenith, is due south. But if it is, say
three in the afternoon and you are lost in the desert, how do you get your
bearings? The answer says Gooley, is to find a stick. By noting the different
places where its shadow falls over a short period of time, you will quickly
locate the east-west axis. “The sun influences things even if you can’t see it”,
he explains. You might not be in the desert, but walking along a forest track in
Britain. One side of the track is darker in color than the other”. “Ah-ha!” thinks
the natural navigator. ”It is darker because it is damper, which means it is
getting less sun, because it is shaded by the trees, which means that south is
that way”. You can now stride confidently southwards – or in whichever
direction you wish to head – without fiddling with a map.

As the day wears on, the detective work forces us to look at the world in a new
and unexpected ways.
Just when we think we are getting the hang of it ,………………………line 52
Gooley sets up a particularly difficult task. A Photograph of a house comes up
on the screen. An orange sun is peeping over the horizon behind the house.
There is a tree in the foreground. Just study the picture for a few minutes,”
Gooley says, “and tell me which direction the photographer is pointing the
camera”. Tricky. Very tricky. “South – east”, I say firmly, having analyzed the
data in minute detail. “Not quite”. “Am I close?” “Not really. The answer is
north west”. Ah well. Only 180 degrees out.

Still, if I am bottom of the class, I have caught the natural navigation bug. What
a fascinating science, both mysterious and universal. It is hardly what you
would call a practical skill: there are too many man-made aids to navigation at
our disposal. But it connects us, thrillingly, to the world around us- and to
those long-dead ancestors who circled the globe with nothing but stars to
guide them. It reminds us what it means to be human.
1. What does the writer say about Tristan Gooley in the first
paragraph?
A. He was different from what he had expected.
B. He began in an impressive way.
C. He had always wanted to meet him.
D. He seldom gave talks to the public.
2. What does Tristan Gooley say about “natural navigation”?
A. It can be more accurate than using technology.
B. It is quite a complicated skill to master.
C. It should only be used in emergency situations.
D. It is not required most of the time
3. According to Gooley, the use of a stick which he explains
A. only works in the desert.
B. Involves more than one piece of information.
C. works best at a particular time of the day.
D. May surprise some people
4. The example of walking along a forest track illustrates
A. the fact that the sun may not be important to finding your way.
B. the difference between the desert and other locations.
C. The advantage of learning natural navigation.
D. The relationship between natural navigation and other skills
5. What does “it” in the phrase “getting the hang of it” (line
52)refer to?
A. something unexpected.
B. the day.
C. a particular problem.
 D. natural navigation.
6. The writer’s attitude towards natural navigation is that
A. It would take a long time to be good at it.
B. It is valuable skill in the modern world.
C. It is only likely to appeal to a certain kind of person.
D. It is exciting but not very useful.

Points
12

2.Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence,
using the word given. DO NOT CHANGE THE WORD GIVEN. You must use
between two and five words, including the word given. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
0 I wasn’t surprised to hear that he’d failed.
NO
It came as no surprise to me to hear that he’d failed.
1. They haven’t decided whether to sack him or not
COME
They haven’t …………………………………. about whether to sack him or not.
2. Peter has gone on a sailing course in spite of being unable to swim.
ALTHOUGH
Peter has gone on a sailing course………………………………………..to swim.
3. Although the rain was late, we managed to get there on time.
DESPITE
We managed to get there on time.………………………….………………….late.
4. I’d rather walk than catch a bus.
RATHER
I’d prefer ……………………………………………………………………..a
bus.
5. I’d prefer to leave later if you don’t mind.
YET
I’d rather ………………………………………………………... if you don’t
mind.
6. He started to learn French six years ago.
LEARNING
He……………………………………………………… six years ago.
7. We haven’t seen each other for ten years.
LAST
The …………………………………………. each other was ten years ago.
8. I had my last hair cut two months ago.
SINCE
It’s two months…………………………………………………my hair cut.
 Points
8

3.Expressions with take

Complete the gaps with an appropriate word from the box. In 1-6 pay
special attention to the prepositions in bold.

(1 point for each question)

advice risk interest notice blame

courage pity care offence joke

1. He takes a very keen -------------------------------in music and often goes to

concerts.
2. Don’t say anything negative about her hair; she’s very sensitive and might
take -------------- at your remarks.
3. I was walking along the country road in the rain when a driver
took………………on me stopped to give me a lift.
4. If a team loses, it’s normally the manager who takes the
--------------------------for the defeat and not the players.
5. Our neighbor has agreed to take ------------------------------of the dogs while
we’re on holiday.
6. The doctor told her to stop smoking, but she didn’t take any
---------------------of him. She still smokes 30 days.
7. Although she really wanted to study archeology, she took her
 parents’-----------------------and went to law school.
8. James likes making fun of other people but he can’t take a
----------------------------himself. He gets so angry.
9. It took a lot of ----------------------------------to ride his motorbike again after the
accident.
10. She was taking a big -------------------------- when she changed career, but
fortunately everything went well and she really likes her new job.

Points
10

4. For Questions 1-12, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D
best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
(1 point for each question)

A Lucky Break

Actor Antonio Banderas is (o) used to breaking bones, and it always seems to
happen when he’s (1)…………………sport. In the films Play it to the Bone, he (2)
……………………he part of middleweight boxer alongside Woody Harrelson. During
the making of the film Harrelson kept complaining that the flight (3)
………………………weren’t very convincing, so one day he suggested that he and
Banderas should have a flight for real. The Spanish actor wasn’t (4)……………………
on the idea at first, but he was (5)………………………persuaded by his co-star to put on
his gloves and climb into the boxing ring. However, when he realized how seriously his
(6)……………………………was taking it all, he began to regret his decision to fight.
And then in the third round, Harrelson hit Banderas (7)………………………...hard in
the face that he actually broke his nose.
He was (8)……………………of the time he broke his leg during a football match in his
native Malaga. He had always (9)……………………..of becoming a soccer star, of
preforming in front of a big crowd, but doctors told him his playing days were probably
over. ”That’s when I decided to take (10)……………………….acting; I saw it as (11)
…………………………way of performing, and achieving recognition. What happened
to me on that football (12)………………………….was, you might say, my first lucky
break”

0 A familiar B used C normal D annoyed

1 A showing B making C doing D losing
2 A plays B does C gives D fights
3 A actions B matches C scenes D stages
4 A interested B keen C enthusiastic D happy
5 A lastly B eventually C at the end D after
6 A competitor B contender C opponent D participant
7 A very B more C such D so
8 A remembere B reminded C recorded D replayed
d
9 A hoped B pretended C dreamed D looked
forward
10 A up B on C to D over
11 A further B additional C different D Another
12 A match B pitch C court D Course
 Points
12

5. For questions 1-14, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at
the end of each lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.
There is an example at the beginning (0).
(1 point for each question)
DON’T FORGET!
You may need to use the negative form of an adjective or adverb

A Driving Instructor
Susan Bird,57 is a driving (0) instructor in South London INSTRUCT

“I was walking as a shop(1)………………and realized I ASSIST

wanted to do something more(2)………………..I saw an

EXCITE
(3)………………in the newspaper and I decided to apply. ADVERTISE
That was over thirty years ago.
You certainly need to have a great deal of (4)……………. PATIENT
ABLE
To do this job, as well as the(5)……………….to repeat
Things several times without getting(6)………………… ANNOY
Although they are sometimes accused of being bad drivers
CARE
Women tend to drive more(7)………………than men and
BE
they don’t mind(8)………………told what to do. Men, on
the other hand, usually have more(9)……………..but they
CONFIDENT

LEARN
UNFORTUNATE
TOLERATE
 aren’t very good listeners. Generally speaking, other
drivers understand what it’s like to be a(10)………and are
very considerate.(11)………………however, some can be
rather(12)……………;I have been shouted at and insulted
by(13)…………………..drivers who haven’t been able to
overtake. It’s an extremely(14)………………job, though,
particularly when your students pass!”
Points
14

6.Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence,
using the word given. DO NOT CHANGE THE WORD GIVEN. You must use
between two and five words, including the word given. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
0 I’ve had enough of your rudeness.
PUT
I’m not going to put up with your rudeness any more.
9. I just can’t wait for the Christmas holidays!
LOOKING
I…………………………………………………………...the Christmas holidays!
10. They’ll probably employ him for two months in the
summer.
LIKELY
They……………………………………………on for two months in the summer.
11. The fact that the bus travel is so cheap compensates for the lack of comfort.
MAKES
The low cost travelling………………………….………..for the lack of comfort.
12. I think he’s on the point of starting his own company.
 SET
I think he’s about………………………………………………his own company.
13. Their relationship seems very good
GET
It looks as……………………………………………....very well with each other.
14. Have thought of a name for your dog?
COME
Have ………………………………………………………...a name for your dog?
15. I’m not going to smoke ever again after today.
GIVE Points
8
I’ve decided………………………………………………………from
tomorrow.
16. Sue and Alan ended their relationship a long time ago.
SPLIT
Sue and Alan…………………………………………. each other a long time ago.

7. Complete each of the following gaps with one word. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

Online Shopping
Online Shopping is (0) one of the fastest growing areas of the Net, offering
users (1)…………………….large number of advantages over conventional
shopping. Customers have access (2)……………………. a wider range of goods
(3)………………………..in any shopping center; there are no queues or parking
problems; “shops” are open 24 hours (4)………………….day and purchases (5)
………………………delivered to your door. What’s (6)………………..,prices are
competitive, and online price comparison services enable you to find the best
bargains. These sites search the Net (7)…………………………….a product and
then show you (8)…………………….much different online stores are charging.
Once you have decided (9)………………………..you are going to buy, and who
you are going to buy it from, simply click on the “add to shopping basket” icon. (10)
………………………..you change your mind later and decide (11)
………………………..to make the purchase, you can always cancel your order.
Points
Select the “proceed to checkout” icon when you have everything you 12
want, give your payment details and wait for delivery, (12)
………………………………may take a few days.
WRITING
You must answer this question. Write your answer in 140-190 words in
appropriate style.
Write an essay and give reasons for your point of view

Money is not the most important thing in life. Do you agree?

1. Money and Happiness
2. Rich people and poor people
3. ………………………………………………………..(your own idea)
Points
24