1. Exam Skills Extension
Reading
Read the text and decide whether the sentences are true (T) or false (F).
Last month we moved into a new flat in an apartment block in our capital city. I was
exhausted by the end of the day but, when I woke up the next morning and looked out of
the window, I felt much better. I wasn’t looking at the boring suburbs where we used to
live and where all the houses look the same. I could see skyscrapers, hotels, parks and
palaces. Even the traffic jams looked interesting.
That morning, our neighbor came to see us. She looked quite young at first but, when I
looked carefully, I could see wrinkles under her make-up. She was wearing very elegant
clothes with lots of jewellery and I found out later that she is an actress. She’s quite
intolerant and often bangs on the wall when I play music or when we have the television
on too loudly. I think we should complain when she watches her favourite soap operas at
full volume but my parents are too polite. Luckily, she is very keen on the theatre and
she goes out a lot.
The only problem with our new flat is that it isn’t very spacious. There are three
bedrooms which means that my parents get one, my sister has one and my brother and I
have to share the third one. It’s nicely decorated but it’s very messy because neither of
us are fond of tidying up. I quite like sharing a room. My brother can be irritating at
times, for example when he borrows my clothes and then puts them back in my drawers
without washing them, but he’s got a great sense of humour and we often stay awake
telling stories and laughing until very late at night.
T
T
T
T
T
/
/
/
/
/
F
F
F
F
F
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The
The
The
The
The
apartment block is in the suburbs.
neighbour is older than the writer first thought.
neighbor doesn’t watch television.
writer hasn’t got his own bedroom.
writer is irritated because the room is messy
Vocabulary
Match the underlined words in the text to the correct meanings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
long lines of vehicles on a
road that cannot move or can
only move very slowly
to like something (2 words)
to have or use something
with other people
a large building containing
many flats
the ability to think that things
are funny, or funny things
you say that show you have
this ability
very tall modern city
buildings
large and with plenty of space
to move around in
8.
9.
10.
small things that you wear for
decoration, such as rings or
necklaces
dirty or untidy
extremely tired
11.
annoying
12.
lines on your face and skin
that you get when you are old
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..
13.
………………..
…………………
© Pearson Central Europe, March 2012
14.
not willing to accept ways of
thinking and behaving that
are different from your own
an area where people live
which is away from the centre
of a town or city
PHOTOCOPIABLE
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..
………………..

2. Exam Skills Extension
Use of English
1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.
1. (We / use / live) _______________________ in a detached house.
2. (She / hate / listen) ______________________ to loud music.
3. (You / be / old) _______________________ than my sister.
4. (My dad / not / go) __________________ out very often.
5. When I first saw him, (he / wear) _____________________ a pair of old slippers.
6. (She / not / calm) _____________________ as I am.
7. (My dad / very keen/) _____________________ cricket.
8. My brother is at university and he has to (share / room ) ________________ another
boy.
2. Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the
original.
1. I don’t like sports very much.
I’m not very fond ____________________________.
2. That dress and those shoes don’t look good together.
Those shoes don’t go ________________________.
3. He’s not very happy at the moment.
He’s in a bad ________________________________.
4. My brother is going to leave home and live somewhere else.
My brother is going to move ______________________ somewhere else.
5. The shirt has got blue and white stripes.
It’s a ___________________________________ shirt.
Writing
You have just moved into a new home. Write a letter to a friend.
•
Compare your new home to your old one.
•
Describe your neighbour.
•
Invite your friend to come and visit you.
© Pearson Central Europe, March 2012
PHOTOCOPIABLE

3. Exam Skills Extension
Write between 50-100 words.
© Pearson Central Europe, March 2012
PHOTOCOPIABLE