NAME: DATE:COURSE:

WRITTEN TESTUnit 2

1) You are going to read an article about family mealtimes. For questions 1-15, choose from the people (A-E). The people may be chosen more than once. When more than one answer is required, these may be given in any order.

If you find family meals tense and unpleasant, you're not alone. Alan Jefferson explains.

The nation's eating habits have changed and many families no longer eat together on a regular basis. To be honest, this doesn’t strike me as particularly surprising. Lunchtime last Sunday in my own home consisted of my two-year-old son happily throwing his food on the floor whilst – yet again – his older brother and sister protested loudly about the vegetables they were being made to eat.

Despite the noise and chaos, though, we still prefer to have meals as a family. On weekdays that's difficult as there are too many things going on and there just isn’t enough time for me and my wife to sit with the children at breakfast. Only our youngest is with his mother for lunch and the children's supper is too early for me to participate. But we do our best at weekends.

If, as some research shows, parents now talk to their children for an average of just 12 minutes a day, then our decision to eat together as much as possible is more than justified. Whilst the quality of the kitchen table chat is not particularly high – a mixture of bad jokes, song lyrics and gossip – we are at least communicating, which is the main thing, so it doesn't matter to me what the topic of conversation is. Of course, family meals can be tense and we don't always see eye to eye. But for me, arguing together is an

essential part of family life and all part of learning to get on with each other.

Gerry, a 35-year-old father of two young girls, would not agree. He had enough of stressful family meals as a child and now sees them as both impractical and undesirable.

‘I hardly ever get home early enough to eat with my kids, but I don’t particularly mind that. It has a lot to do with my own childhood memories. Mealtimes were very formal occasions, and they provided my parents with the opportunity to interrogate me about everything I’d done that day. I used to feel very uncomfortable. Later, during my teenage years, the meal table became the scene of terrible rows. Of course, I’d like to spend less time rushing around and more time with my family, but I don’t miss family meals at all.’

Andrew finds family meals difficult, but necessary. ‘We’re always having rows, particularly when the kids start moaning about what’s on their plate,’ he says. ‘Trying to keep everyone happy isn’t easy, especially with three children under nine who all have different tastes and a teenage stepdaughter who would much rather be eating her dinner on the sofa in front of the TV. But eating with others is an important social skill. I want my children to get used to doing it in the

home so that they will know how to eat in public.

James, the father of two teenage boys, says: ‘The older my kids become, the less contact I have with them and the more important family meals become. They’re often the only opportunity we get to talk.’

As a travelling sales representative, James is responsible for his own time management and he tries to organize his appointments in such a way that he can return to his Liverpool home in time for dinner with his family at 7:00 pm. ‘I’ve made it a priority,’ he says, ‘because I feel that mealtimes are an important point of family contact.’

So have Ben and Angela, who manage to get their four children aged 5 to 16 around the table for weekend family meals. ‘We try to keep everyone at the table for at least half an hour on Saturdays and Sundays. We have a telly in the kitchen but the kids aren’t allowed to have it on when we are eating there – that would make the whole thing rather pointless,’ says Ben.

He recalls a recent trip to the States, where his American friends had the television on all day. ‘Different members of the family would wander in at different times, grab something from the fridge and eat alone, always in front of the TV. I

think it’s a shame that Britain is becoming much more like that now.’

NAME: DATE:COURSE:

WRITTEN TESTUnit 2

A- The writer B- Gerry C- Andrew D- James E - Ben

-Which of the people A-E

sees the positive side of arguments at the meal table?

is influenced by past experiences?

doesn’t let his children watch television at mealtimes?

doesn’t mind what his children talk about?

says his family argues at mealtimes?

doesn’t see as much of his children as he used to?

rarely eats with his children?

says his family eat all together only on certain days?

sees family meals as preparation for eating in other situations?

organizes his working day to be with his family for meals?

has children who complain about what they have to eat?

would prefer not to be doing things in a hurry so often?

2) Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in capitals.

1) These _________can be observed among many children who have lost a parent or other loved one. BEHAVE 2) These chemicals can be very __________, so take care when using them. HARM 3) Jenny is far more __________ than I am. CAUTION 4) His idea is totally __________. He'll never be able to do it. REAL 5) She wasn't very __________ when I told her about my accident. SYMPATHY 6) We're __________ that we'll get into the university we want. HOPE 7) He's totally __________. He never does what he says he will do. RELY 8) We knew what he was going to do before he did it. He's so __________. PREDICT

3) Choose words from each box to complete the sentences. Use the verbs in the correct tense.

TURN / TAKE / LOOK / GET RID / GET / SORT OUT / AWAY / OF / UP / OFF / UP TO

1) They __________ their old car last week and bought a new one. 2) Our album really ________________ last year when our song was chosen for a film. 3) We ___________________ for a few days last week and just relaxed. 4) We __________________ the problems before we left so nobody had to worry about anything. 5) John _________________ his older sister when he was a child. He thought she was amazing. 6) Look who's ______________! It's Sarah. We didn’t think she was coming.

4) Choose the option A, B, C or D that best completes the paragraph.

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NAME: DATE:COURSE:

WRITTEN TESTUnit 2

We had to work _____ hard to make a success of our business. We _____ admit that at times we argued with each other and sometimes we were _____ furious with each other. Nevertheless, we stuck together and _____ things have been going very _____. If you look at this year's results _____, you can see what we mean. We _____ have any time to argue these days.

1) A absolutely B a bit C very D much 2 ) A free B fairly C freely D quite 3) A dreadfully B absolutely C fairly D very 4 ) A recent B lately C hardly D close

5) A well B good C hard D much6) A closely B nearly C completely D freely 7) A absolutely B quite C hardly D lately

5) Put the verb in brackets in the correct form.

Jake regretted __________ (not work) harder to pass his exams. He didn't study hard enough to go to university because he couldn't stop __________ (go) out with his friends when he should have been studying. However, he remembers one of his teachers __________ (say) that it was never too late to learn new things. So when he was offered the chance __________ (sail) around the world, he said yes without __________ (think) twice. The boat owner promised __________ (teach) him all about boats and sailing and made him __________ (do) everything over and over again until he could do it perfectly. Although it took him ages __________ (get) it right, he finally succeeded. Now he has his own boat charter business in the Caribbean and has an amazing life.

6) Fill in the blanks with a suitable contrast connector

One advantage of, WHEREAS, BUT, ALTHOUGH, HOWEVER, DESPITE, INSPITE OF, ON THE OTHER HAND, FURTHERMORE

1._____________ Andrew was warned of the risks, he decided to travel alone to South America.2. Maria did not get a promotion ______________ her qualifications.3. Zambia is a land- locked country, ____________ Kenya has a coastline.4. On the one hand, you could rent a flat instead of buying one. __________ you are always at the mercy of landlords.5. This restaurant has a good reputation, ______________ that one does not.6. The city has a 50 kph limit. __________________, people are often caught speeding.7. You won’t be forgiven ___________________ your apology.8.We couldn’t find a house to buy _______________we looked at quite a few.9.He is quiet and shy, _________________ his sister is lively and talkative10. _______________reality TV is that it shows normal people. We can discover talented people on it. ___________, we can vote for the ones we like the most.

7) Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

1) Olivia became successful in films when she was still a teenager. MADE

Olivia __________________________ in films when she was still a teenager.

2) There’s a good chance that I will pass my English exam with flying colours. VERY

It ______________ I will pass my English exam with flying colours.

3) Sophia has always been frightened of spiders. COMPLETELY 

Sophia has always been _________________ of spiders.

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NAME: DATE:COURSE:

WRITTEN TESTUnit 2

4) Richard was determined to win the swimming competition. HEART

Richard _____________________ on winning the competition

 8) WRITING

Write an essay giving the advantages and disadvantages of having a younger sibling. Write 140-160 words.

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