Matura Reading Exam 2 Bd

7/24/2019 Matura Reading Exam 2 Bd

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Matura Reading Exam Name: _______________________________Class: 2 Points:___________/40

1 Exam task! You are going to read an article in which people talk about themselves and technology. For questions

1 -12, choose from the people A-F. There is an example at the beginning (0). Which person.....0 thought technology could buy them friends? _____1 thinks they are addicted? ____2 must have the most recent gadgets? ____3 has successfully tried to live without technology? ____

4 works in a digital components factory? ____5 is in a relationship with someone from work? ____6 works in an impersonal surrounding? ____7 has to stay connected because of his/her job? ____8 finds digital communication a thrill? ____,____9 has limited his/her technology use because of his/her family? ____10 took up a sport to relax from working with technology every day? ____

11 does not realize he/she has a problem? ____

A I spend 9 to 5 every work day putting chips and circuits together into different gadgets, so I know what the latesthit on the device market is. Not that I want to have it immediately, but, thanks to my close friends, I get the newest gadgetonce a year, for my birthday. We always buy each other whatever gadget is the most popular for our birthdays - practical,

isn't it? My Bluetooth headset is on the minute I get up -1 have a waterproof one so I can take a shower with it and I do notmiss any calls from my friends. I send around 50 texts a day, and update my status about 20 times a day.My smartphone and my tablet are always in my bag - what if something awesome happens to me and I can't share it? My parents object, but I see nothing wrong in it.

B It's a compulsion, like an itch you have to scratch.There's something very irresistible about an unopened message-I can't wait to open each new one. Of course, the newest state-of-the-art device is a compulsory accessory. It costs me a lot, but I think it's worth it. Some of my friends once suggested I should leave my phone and my PDA at home when we wentout. I even considered taking their advice, but somehow I thought it was too much of a sacrifice. It's just a part of me. Iknow some people think it might be problematic, that I depend on my gadgets too much-sometimes I even think so-but aslong as I can deal with it, I think I'm OK.

C I used to have headaches and couldn't sleep from too much stress. Then someone suggested I should disconnect

from everything. I tried that and it got even worse - I felt isolated and couldn't rest either. Yes, I am dependent on my cell phone, my iPad and other gadgets and I don't think I can live without them. I guess it's the inevitable toll of modern times.On the plus side, you can meet so many interesting people online. It's hard to meet people where I work - we all look thesame, headphones in our ears, we communicate with each other by e-mail. I actually know the names of all the people Iwork with, and most of their faces, but I have a hard time putting faces and names together. I wouldn't say I know anybody

close enough to go out with them.

D I have clients across all time zones and I believe I have to be available - answering e-mails as soon as possible andtalking to them in the middle of the night when something comes up. And I love my job, you know. I am a personalrelationship advisor at the service of my clients, so I can't afford to go offline during the week. I had to give up playing

volleyball because my team mates did not like my phone ringing during practice and matches. It's the price I had to pay. Imust admit, I have experimented with short periods of inaccessibility, turning off my phone or not checking my e-mail for afew hours. Amazingly, even though I was afraid it would - my life actually didn't implode.

E I used to think the latest model of PDA or cell phone was my way into good company, so I spent a fortune on them.I did not realize it was a person's real personality that counted, not their digital one. When I got my first job, I was excitedabout each new e-mail or text. I would spend hours reading useless spam messages, taking them personally - but after a fewyears and after my kids asked me to get them a smartphone each because they thought I would pay more attention to themif they e-mailed or texted me, I had an eye-opening realization. I took back control, now I have my secretary check my e-

mails and filter them. I feel better physically and emotionally.

F It's not like I'm addicted, though there were times when I thought I was. I easily kicked the habit - so no, it can't

have been that. The most liberating thing for me was when my company introduced e-mail free Fridays - if we needed tocommunicate with our colleagues at work, we had to walk to their office and talk to them. I realized what a great idea it

was when I met Tim, from the office next door. Anyway, it was high time I did something different. I'd been multitaskingat work, taking my laptop to bed and Tim, my boyfriend, called it "the other man." It was overload big time until I startedrollerblading to unwind a bit. Then the company introduced e-mail-free time off work, so when I leave the company door, Ican disconnect completely. I can balance work and life perfectly now - with or without my laptop.



2. Exam task! Read the text.. For questions (1-6), choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D). I Was Homeschooled

I was nine when my parents decided to homeschool us. Some other parents in the neighbourhood were homeschooling theirchildren and it seemed like an acceptable alternative.The school that my elder brother and I were attending did not allowmy mother as much involvement in our education as she wanted and my father had always liked the idea of homeschooling,so they decided to give it a try.

My mother worked at Centre Academy, a school for children with learning disabilities, as a course tutor before she had

children. She had graduated with a degree in English and Communications. My Dad suggested she ask some of our

homeschooling neighbours for help, but she stubbornly looked for her own resources.Though the digital era had alreadystarted, and there were loads of online courses on all subjects, she avoided the Internet too. Instead, she spent a fortune on books and read them all.

After studying many schooling methods she pulled together her favourite aspects to make a programme that would fit us best. My mother used quite a few resources for us - from the latest popular methods on the market to the well-establishedold school programmes. We tried different curricula and she drew materials from many different places, constantly addingher own touch to everything and supplementing it with other resources.

We would wake up early and get our "paper work" done so we could do hands-on learning. Study time always varied, based on how we felt.To be honest, with our mum as the teacher, we got a bit lively more than once a day. Some days Iwould be done with my assigned work within 1 -2 hours. Other days school started at 8:00 in the morning and went on until

8:00 in the evening. My favourite thing about homeschooling is that the world was our campus. We could start at the diningroom table and continue on a blanket in the backyard.The classroom wasn't the only place for learning, but rather mymother taught us that learning takes place everywhere.

My parents wanted us to stay in touch with the outside world and to form our personalities in relation to other people and

children as well, not just in relation to their adult world. We were enrolled in dance classes and we even went to somecompetitions, though that was not the original intention. I was a cub scout, too, and we were very involved in our church.You might be surprised, but I've never felt lonely or lacked friendships. Maybe that's why I learned at a young age how tointeract with adults and children of all ages.

It's great when I tell someone that I was homeschooled. Whether it is a good friend or someone I've just met, the reaction isalways the same: "What? You? I would never have guessed!" I think that kind of reaction is a huge compliment to my

parents. My advice to parents who are considering homeschooling is to think whether they are willing to invest the timeand energy it takes. Research it first and don't do it if you aren't willing to give it all you have. Homeschooling isn't rightfor everyone. For my family, it was perfect. There were days when we doubted whether that was true, but when I got myACT results, which were higher than the results my friends that attended regular schools received, my parents were gratefulthat they had made the decision and necessary sacrifice because it was absolutely worth it.

1 Why did Tina's parents decide to home school her?

a Because her parents had also been homeschooled. b Because her brother was homeschooled before her.c Because her mother wanted to take a bigger part in her education.d Because her father did not like the school she attended.

2 How did her mother prepare herself to home-school her children?a She took a teaching course at Centre Academy. b She taught herself by reading books.c She asked some of the neighbours for help. d She took an on - line course in home schooling.

3 What kind of schooling programme did her mother want for her children?

a The best programme available on the market. b A programme adjusted to her children's needs,c A programme with the latest schooling methods. d An old-school, traditional programme

4 What does Tina say about her average school day in paragraph four?

a She did not have to get up early every day. b They would quietly do their tasks.c They studied at the dining room table. d Their studying depended on how each day happened to go.

5 Why did her parents send her to different activities?a Because they were concerned about her social interactions. b Because she did not have many friends.c Because she spent too much time with adults. d Because they wanted her to be a dancing champion.

6 What does she say about home schooling in the last paragraph?

a It should be taken seriously. b She dislikes how people react to it.c It is perfect for everyone. d She doubts whether it was the right thing for her.



3.Exam Task! Read the text about how different religions perceive the end of the world. Six sentences have been

removed from the text. Choose from sentences A-H the one which best fits each gap (1 -6). There are two letters that

you do not need. There is an example at the beginning (0).

The end of the world in different religions Since the beginning of recorded time, people have been thinking about the end of the world and making predictions abouthow and when it might happen. Most major religions have their own theories on the topic, (0)__ _I _.The major religionseach have their own beliefs about the end of the world, the triumph of good over evil and Judgment Day. In Christianity,

the Book of Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible's New Testament, mentions Armageddon, the final battle on earth

between the forces of God and Satan. (1)_____. Located in present-day Israel, Megiddo, an ancient, strategically positionedcity, was the site of a number of battles. Some Christians interpret the Book of Revelation as a roadmap that lays outexactly how the world will end. (2)_____. At that place Jesus will save the true believers, while the non-believers left behind will face enormous suffering. In Islam, the end of the world is referred to as the Hour and involves Jesus returningto Damascus to fight an anti-Christ who has put the planet in danger. With the anti-Christ out of the picture, a period of perfect harmony will start. Jesus will later die a natural death. (3)_____. In Judaism, there is no term for the Armageddon, but the Hebrew Bible mentions events that could be compared with it. (4)_____. On this day, God causes death anddestruction to people who deserve to be punished and the War of Gog and Magog, in which Israel and its God fight theirenemies, rather than an anti-Christ. In Hinduism, there is the story of the god Vishnu coming back in the last cycle of timeas a figure called Kulki. (5)_____. On his horse, he also carries a sword and destroys the forces of evil. In some Buddhist

prophecies, the equivalent of Armageddon is Shambhala, in which good triumphs over evil; however, the planet is restoredrather than destroyed. (6)_____. And until that day arrives – if it arrives - people will no doubt continue to speculate

endlessly about when it will all be over.

A The word 'apocalypse' is often associated with the end of the world.B One of them is the Day of the Lord.C They say that Judgment Day will take place on Armageddon.D To conclude, the only thing that's certain about the end of the world is that no one can know for sure what will happen.E His death will lead to a time of destruction that leads directly to the end of the world.F Their Bible has some similarities with the Christian Bible.G He rides a white horse.H The word is thought to come from the Hebrew for "Mount of Megiddo."

I which often include battles between the forces of good and evil and cataclysmic natural disasters.

4. Exam task! Read the article about leap year. For gaps 1-8, choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D)

that best fits each space. It takes the earth one 24-hour-period to complete one spin on its axis. The time it takes the earth to complete one(1)_____around the sun is a year. But these units of time don't (2)_____ evenly, resulting in our calendar year being 365days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and a (3)_____over 45 seconds long. Every 4 years we take those extra hours and minutes and

create an extra day, 29 February, (4)_____we call leap day. Every fourth year is thus a leap year. If we did not havethe extra day every 4 years, in 100 years our calendar would be off by 24 days. 2012 was a leap year, as was 2008 and 2004

and the year 2000. Normally, a year that can be evenly divided by 100 is not a leap year, but if it is divisible by 400 then itis. (5)_____the year 2000 was a leap year but the year 1000 was not and neither will be the year 3000. The (6)_____of being born on leap day is about 680 out of a million (or 1 in 1470). That means that only a little more than 4 million people,

out of a world population of 7 billion, have their birthdays on a leap day, whereas on average approximately 19 million people share a birthday on every day (7)______than leap day. Because Superman always appears so young and nobodyknows for sure how old he is, tradition (8)______it that he is a leap day baby.

1 A drive B way C ride D trip

2 A divide B separate C move D share

3 A much B few C little D lot

4 A that B which C what D who

5 A However B Additionally C Finally D As a result

6 A chance B idea C wish D ability

7 A another B other C instead D except

8 A has B says C tells D is



5. Exam Task! Fill each space (1-8) with one word. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Forgotten facts about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Immediately following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the world was so rocked with the staggering number of deaths(0)_____that_____it is often forgotten that many of the more rural and traditionally-minded citizens were(1)_____________to survive through an indigenous understanding of the signs of an incoming tsunami. For example,scientists in the area were initially convinced that the aboriginal population of the Andaman Islands would

(2)._____________significantly hit by the tsunami. (3)_____________, the majority of the tribes in the islands suffered

only minor casualties. When questioned, the tribesmen explained (4)_____________the scientists that the land and oceanoften fought over boundaries and when the earth shook (5)_____knew that the sea would soon enter the land.(6)_____________of this, the villagers fled to the hills and suffered little or no casualties. Additionally, (7)__________ toignore is the story of Tilly Smith, a 10-year-old British student vacationing with her family on Mikakhao Beach inThailand. Tilly had recently studied tsunamis in school and immediately recognized the receding ocean as a sign of atsunami. Along with her parents, they warned the beach and it (8)_____________entirely evacuated to safety.

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Matura Reading Exam 2 Bd