Skills test 5B

READING 1 Read the article quickly and circle the correct letter.
Which full Olympic Games did Pistorius
Blade Runner qualify for?
1 F Oscar Pistorius is a South African athlete. He was a 2004
born in Johannesburg in 1986, as the middle child of b 2008
a family with Italian roots. His grandmother had
emigrated to Kenya from Italy. Pistorius lost both his c 2012
legs below the knee when he was only 11 months old. d He has never qualified for Olympic Games,
2 Despite his disability, he has been very active in but he has competed in the Paralympic
sports all his life. He took up running after a rugby Games.
accident in 2004. In the same year he finished third in
the 100 metres, and won the 200 metres with a new
1 point for each correct answer 1
world record at the Paralympic Games in Athens. The
following year he won both the 100 and 200 metre
events at the World Cup, and broke his own world 2 Read the article again. Match the headings (A–H)
record. In 2006, he won the 100 and 200 metres and with the paragraphs. There is one extra heading.
also came first in the 400-metre event at the World A What makes his achievements special
Championships. In 2007, he became the first
sportsperson in history to set the world record for all B Results in disabled competitions
three distances. During his career, Pistorius has C Fighting to change a bad decision
broken his own world records more than 30 times!
D A broken dream?
3 Pistorius usually competes with athletes who still
have one functioning leg, while he has to wear E Inspiration for everyone
artificial limbs, whose special shape earned him the F A disadvantage from childhood
nickname, ‘Blade Runner’.
G Winning the first able-bodied competition
4 His lifelong ambition, however, has been to compete
with able-bodied athletes. He took part in his first H A dream come true
international event in 2007, but the International
Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) banned 2 points for each correct answer 12
him from competing a year later. Scientific tests in
Germany showed that his artificial legs gave him ‘an
3 Read the article again and circle the correct letter.
unfair advantage’.
5 He successfully challenged that decision when further 1 Oscar Pistorius is …
tests in Houston, Texas proved that he also had a an Italian living in Africa.
disadvantages which the first tests ignored. The IAAF b originally from Kenya.
allowed him to try for the Beijing Olympic Games in
c a sportsman from South Africa.
2008, but his times were not good enough then. He
did, however, enter the Beijing Paralympic Games, 2 Pistorius lost his legs …
and became the first runner ever to win gold in all a as a teenager.
three short-distance races. b when he was just a baby.
6 2011 was a turning point for Pistorius: he successfully
c because had an accident playing rugby.
qualified for the 2011 World Championships and the
2012 London Olympic Games in the 400 metres. He 3 He broke his first world record …
said in an interview after the qualifying race, ‘I have a at the Paralympics in Athens.
dreamed for such a long time of competing in a major b at the World Cup in 2005.
championship and this is a very proud moment in my
c in history in 2007.
life.’
7 In 2006, the President of South Africa awarded him a 4 Pistorius became the first athlete ever to
medal for his outstanding achievements in sport. …
Pistorius continues to be an inspiration for people a compete with athletes whose disability
around the world. is less serious than his own.
b break world records more than 30
times.

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Skills test 5B Continued

c hold the world record in all three short- 5 He entered his first competition for able-
distance running events.
bodied athletes …
a while he was banned by the IAAF.
b a year before the IAAF decided to ban
him from entering.
c only after the IAAF allowed him to
compete.
6 The scientific tests in Texas proved that …
a Pistorius really had an unfair advantage
in running.
b the IAAF had not considered his
disadvantages when it banned him.
c the previous tests in Germany were
correct.
7 He said it was a proud moment in his life
when he …
a was given a medal by the President of
his country.
b won the Beijing Olympic Games in the
400-metre event.
c finally qualified for two world events for
able-bodied athletes.

2 points for each correct answer 12

Reading total 25

WRITING
1 Circle the best word or phrase.
1 We don’t read magazines online, but / so /
and we read newspapers on the internet.
2 Many people dislike e-books so / because /
although they find looking at a screen for
too long very tiring.
3 Portable DVD players, that / which / what
have been around for many years now,
are great for entertaining children on long
car journeys.
4 Most people do not watch films on their
mobile phones. Although, / However, /
What is more, they often listen to mp3
music files.
5 Because / The fact is / Despite the small
size of smartphone screens, a lot of
people visit social networking sites using

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Skills test 5B Continued

their phones. 6 When the walls are finished, they both say
6 Clearly, / Firstly, / Finally, mobile phones they like the house. ___
have developed a lot in recent years. 7 The rabbit would like a biscuit for lunch.
___
1 point for each correct answer 5 8 The lion doesn’t feel well after his meal.
___
9 The rabbit takes a short break in the
afternoon. ___
2 Write an essay about the pros and cons of using
10 The sun is shining when the house is
mobile phones. Write about:
completed. ___
• how people are using their mobile phones
11 The lion goes to bed and sends the rabbit
(e.g. for socializing and entertainment).
away. ___
• the advantages of mobile phones
compared to other devices. 2 points for each correct answer 20
• the disadvantages of mobile phones.
• how you see the future of mobile phones in Listening total 25
these areas.

Write your essay in 150–200 words.

SPEAKING
Writing task 20 1 Ask and answer the questions with a partner.
1 If you could decide, would you rather have
Writing total 25 a sister or a brother? Why?
2 When did you last see a doctor? What was
LISTENING your problem? How long did it take you to
get better?
1 Listen and tick ( ) five things that the lion does.
3 How much do you know about your family
runs around eats lunch
history? Who do you admire the most?
visits the chemist’s builds walls Why?
sits in the grass puts up the roof
4 How much time do you spend on the
goes shopping sleeps
internet? What do you use it / not use it
has some cereal for? Why?
5 What’s your dream job? Why? Do you
1 point for each correct answer 5
think you are likely to get that job?
2 Listen again. Write true (T) or false (F). If there is no
information in the story about the statement, write max. 1 point for each topic 5
no information (N).
1 The lion was walking by the river one 2 Look at the photos. Compare the different
morning. F . sports. Talk about what you think is good
and bad about them. In your opinion, which
2 The rabbit asks the lion if he can help him
sport is the best sport to do, and which is the
build the house. ___
best to watch? Why?
3 The lion likes eating meat for breakfast.
___ max. 10 points 10
4 The lion gets very tired after building the
foundations with the rabbit. ___
5 The lion sleeps for four hours. ___

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Skills test 5B Continued

3 A Look at the information. Use the words to

make five questions.

MegaPhone 1.0! Special offer!

90mm touchscreen. Weighs only 100 grams.
Plays mp3 and mp4 in hi-fi sound quality!
Built-in digital TV and radio.
64 GB disc space for all your personal files.
Up to 50 hours battery life (450 hours on standby).
Was £299, now only £89!
1 how big ?
2 what / can / do ?
3 how much / space / store files ?
4 how long / battery ?
5 how much ?

1 point for each correct question 5

B Answer the questions.

1 point for each correct answer 5

Speaking total 25

Skills test 5 total 100

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