PET for Schools – Test 1 Reading

To:

John

From:

Jane

Hi John, I don't understand our geography homework. I'm having problems with how rivers are created high up in mountains. Please can you come to my house this evening to help me?
Thanks, Jane

Our shop will be closed all day due to a problem with the electricity. We don't have any lights and our freezers don't work. We have sent all our food to another shop to keep it fresh.

Our small cat is missing. We last saw him on Friday evening next to the park. His name is Tiddles and has black and white hair. If you see him, please call 09987-555-254.

Book your birthday parties at Bob's Burger Bar. We have a special menu which includes burgers, pieces of chicken, chips, soft drinks and a big chocolate cake with candles. Go to our website and fill in the form.

A. Cricket

Cricket is a nice and relaxing sport to watch. One game can last all day, so you will need to take a cushion with you. Some people take a picnic with them. People are usually very quiet while watching cricket. They only shout and clap when a player scores points for their team. Cricket is only played in the summer and is postponed if it rains.

B. Tennis

Most tennis competitions take place outside and need the weather to be warm and dry. There are very few seats compared to other sports so it can be difficult to get tickets. These competitions can take all day so people take their own food and drinks with them. One of the rules of watching tennis : is that you must be very quiet while the athletes are playing, When players score a point, the crowd claps.

C. Skiing

Skiing is a winter sport and a lot of snow is needed. Skiing competitions take place in countries which have mountains. It can be very cold watching skiing. Most people take a special bottle with tea or coffee to keep them warm. There is a lot of waiting when watching a ski competition and when someone skis past, you only see them for about 10 seconds.

D. Football

Football can be a very noisy game and is played all year round. For the important matches, some stadiums can hold around 90,000 people. Some people have to stand all the time. Football fans often have to travel a lot when their team plays away. You are not allowed to take your own food into the stadium. They sell hot food and drinks.

E. Basketball

Basketball is played inside and there are two teams that try to get the ball into the basket the most times. People who watch basketball are sometimes noisy but not as much as football fans, for example. Basketball can be played all year round and it doesn't matter what the weather is like outside. You can't take food into the stadium, but members of staff go around the stadium selling cold snacks and drinks.

F. Horse Racing

Horse racing is an event that lasts all day and has lots of different individual races. These events take place all year round and in all weathers except for snow or if the ground is frozen. Lots of people take picnics and can park their car near the race track. There are usually a few restaurants available with views of the race track

G. Beach Volleyball

This is a very popular sport in the summer by the seaside. Many games are played on public beaches, so anybody can go and watch. The players don't wear shoes because they are playing on the sand. As it is public, anyone can take food and drinks to the matches. But there is too much sand to have a picnic when watching beach volleyball

H. Rugby

Rugby players carry the rugby ball, but they can kick it if they want. Rugby is also a very popular game but the people who watch rugby are usually better behaved than those who watch football. Food is not allowed in the stadium but is available to buy. People watching rugby usually stay sitting down. This sport is played all year round.

I was wondering what I should do with my life when I finish school. My parents told me that I still had a couple of years ahead of me but that did not reassure me. So I went online and found everything about career advisors. Most secondary schools in England have members of staff who give careers advice to their students. They are called careers advisors.

A year before they leave school, the careers advisor will talk to the students one by one and ask them what they want to do in the future. The advisor will look at the students' grades to see what subjects they are stronger in. For example, if they are good at maths, they can become an accountant.

The advice is not just about the part of finding a job; it's also telling the student what university course they must do first. If a student wants to become a lawyer, he or she will have to go to university for three or four years to study law. However, if someone wants to be a doctor, they will need good grades in biology and other science subjects. With good grades, they can go to university and do their basic medical training which is six years. But their studying doesn't finish at university. They then have to study at hospital for another two or three years.

The careers advisor also helps students who don't have the grades to go to university. The advisor helps the students with their CV and shows them how to find and apply for jobs. Sometimes there are short courses they can do to learn a new skill quickly. For example, they can go on a hairdressing course and then learn more while they work. Some organisations offer training on the job, such as factories and farms. The government has many areas which offer possibilities for those" who can't go to university. Students can join the army and be trained to become a soldier, or if they want, they could become a sailor with the navy.

So I guess that now I shouldn't be feeling so anxious. When the time comes, I'll make sure I'll ask a careers advisor for help.

The most unusual festival I've been to

by Diane Key

Last year I visited a small village near the city of Gloucester, England, where a very special and unusual race takes place once a year. It's called 'Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling'. On a Saturday at the beginning of spring, people from all over the world go to Cooper's Hill to see the race. The first written information about the race was in a message sent to the local government in 1826. 16 So nobody knows when it really started. Each year, the event becomes more and more popular with people coming from all over the world to take part and to watch. 17

The way the race works is as follows. There is a very large piece of cheese, which is round, like a wheel, and weighs about 4 kilograms. 18 One of the people in charge of the event sends the large piece of cheese down the hill and half a second later everyone taking part runs down the hill after the cheese. 19 In the past, the cheese has hit people watching the race and injured them. It's not just the spectators who get injured; many of the people running down the hill get serious injuries, too. The injuries are usually broken ankles and legs as the runners lose control coming down the steep hill. 20 T here are also lots of local people helping to catch the runners, so they don't fall over and hurt themselves, they are called 'catchers'.

This event has become so famous that it appears on television all over the world on the BBC network and, also, on Trans World Sport. People watching this event think it is very strange and that the people taking part are crazy.

A. It has wood around it to protect it.
B. The police think the event is very dangerous.
C. Winners of the event have come from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal.
D. Sometimes they use an old tyre.
E. The words in this message showed that this event was already a tradition then.
F. That's why, at the bottom of the hill, there are lots of ambulances and medical staff. 
G. The first person over the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese.
H. Children are not allowed to eat the cheese.

My first flight

Last week my family and I travelled by plane for the first time. I must admit we all had a few questions that we were too (21)___ to ask anyone and I guess there are many other teens that could use some (22)___ to help them go through their first flight.

So, first, make sure you arrive with all the (23)___ paperwork to board the flight that is your passport, which must be valid. As most airlines issue e-tickets, don't worry if you don't get a paper ticket, as well. Once you show though your e-ticket to the staff, you will be given a physical boarding pass; this is what will give you (24)___ to the aeroplane.

All travellers get confused by airline rules about baggage. For trips lasting several days or more, you'll need to (25)___ in a piece of hold luggage, while for a long weekend or for a city break, all you need can usually fit into a bag or case which you can take with you on the plane.

Once you've made it successfully on to your flight, look for a number followed by a letter on your boarding pass. That's your seat number. If you can't locate your seat, the cabin crew will be happy to help and put your luggage in a safe place, either in an overhead (26)___ or under your seat. Now, all you need to do is sit back and relax.

Staying in on a Saturday night

Most teenagers look forward to Saturday night as it is normally the time to go (27) and have fun with friends. But occasionally, as I am exhausted from all the studying for school, I just need to relax and (28) at home.

Tonight, two of my friends are coming round to my house and we are (29) to watch a film on Netflix together. We are going to watch an action film, which is great, because my audio system has four speakers around the living room. The sound effects will be great!

We have decided to order some pizzas because my mum has to work late and none of us wanted to cook tonight.

(30) is also a lot of ice cream in the freezer for dessert. I guess we won't be eating healthy food tonight. My sister (31) already gone to the cinema with her friends, so she won't be bothering us (32) she comes home early!

TV programmes

Write an article telling us what kind of TV programmes you enjoy watching. Which is your favourite programme and what is special about it? Do you prefer to watch TV alone or with other people? Why or why not? The best articles answering these questions will be published next month.