Task 1
You are going to read an article about learning foreign languages.
For each question (1-12), choose one person from A-F.
There is an example at the beginning (0-E).
Task 2
Read the text below.
For each question (13-18), choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
Mark your answer on the answer sheet.
Woman Completes Quest to Eat One Scone in Every UK Legacy Property
There are few things more quintessentially British than afternoon tea, where pride of place is taken by a pile of warm, fluffy scones smothered in clotted cream and topped with delicious strawberry jam. Doughy, crumbly and still warm from the oven, scones are a staple in TV shows like ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘Escape to the Country’. Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?
One British woman combined her passion for scones and the country’s rich historical heritage in a unique and quirky project that has been described by fellow Brits in terms ranging from “odd” to “funny in the head” but has been recorded in a popular blog. Betty Masters aimed to eat one scone in every single UK Legacy property, and she completed her decade-long ‘odyssey’ last week as she tucked into - predictably - a scone and cuppa with milk and sugar at a stately home in Northern Ireland. “It’s all been incredibly rewarding!” said the 45-year-old travel agent, sharing her culinary achievement with a clutch of reporters from across the world, “I’m never, ever sick of scones!”
UK Legacy is a conservation organisation founded in the late-19th century that safeguards sites like castles, stately homes, beaches and acres of rolling countryside across the land. For their annual subscription of £50 per year, its 7.5 million members have a free pass to the organisation’s many sites - as well as credit for contributing to the upkeep of the country’s rich and varied heritage. The organisation is synonymous with respectability, volunteering and middle-class people who are choosy about the kinds of places they patronise and for whom membership is a discreet, even hidden, badge of honour. It was founded several decades ago, at a time when the luxurious world depicted in programmes such as ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Poirot’ was reaching its end and mounting running costs making the maintenance of grand houses and estates increasingly difficult. Thanks to its efforts, millions have been able to access these and other national treasures.
UK Legacy’s popular tea shops are a valuable source of revenue, selling over 3 million scones a year. What makes the scone its best-selling item and, equally importantly, is there a correct way to pronounce it? There are two schools of thought regarding what is by now a classic question. “Scone rhymes with tone!” asserts Jessica Taylor, a 65-year-old retired physiotherapist, in the tea shop at Broome Abbey in Nottinghamshire. “Don’t be daft, it rhymes with gone!” counters her colleague Pam Smith, 59, a part-time factory worker (who claims volunteering “gets her out of the house”), “She just thinks she’s posh!” It is a common misapprehension. In fact, there is an even balance in pronunciations across the south of England, though Pam’s predominates in Northern England and Scotland.
The gift of scone-making, both attest, lies in “cold cream, cold eggs - and colder butter,” although their tried and tested hand-me-down family recipes have marked differences: Jessica swears by sultanas and a pinch of cinnamon, while Pam confides that “half a cup of grated cheddar” is what makes hers special. “Scones are everybody’s cup of tea,” says Betty Masters, stating that a good rise is also important. What were her standout moments from her decade of research? She mentions a Christmas pudding scone in North Wales meant for the gift-giving season that literally vanished from the shelves. And at Andrew Carnegie’s birthplace in Dunfermline, there were no scones, but the millionaire’s shortbread won at a contest. We end our interview in a neighbourhood café with - you’ve guessed it - tea and scones!
Task 3
Read the text on the next page.
For each question (19-24), choose the sentence (A-H) that best fits the gap.
There are two sentences that you do not need.
There is an example at the beginning (0-I).
The Power of Influencers
The age of digital media has seen the appearance of new opportunities for professional success, which defy traditional principles and requirements of ‘making it big’. (0) __. These individuals, who have gathered a significant following on social media platforms, hold a unique position as trendsetters and opinion leaders. The phenomenon has completely revolutionised the notion of influence, transforming the way people grasp information, make purchasing decisions and engage with brands.
So, what does it take and how is it done? Whereas some influencers can attribute their popularity to sophisticated education and exceptional expertise, others monetise their charisma or a sense of humour that enables them to capture and entertain audiences. They often focus on niches - specific segments within a broader market or field. (19) __. By creating compelling content related to corresponding products or services, they inspire, inform and entertain millions of people worldwide.
The expansion of the influencer marketing phenomenon can undoubtedly be linked to the power of social media. (20) __. Unlike in traditional advertising, a more personal and authentic approach to promotion is achieved. There is a sense of confidence in the person that one feels towards a trusted peer, making their recommendations and endorsements highly influential.
The most successful influencers have become powerful drivers of consumer behaviour. With their persuasive storytelling skill and as an integral part of the consumer decision-making process, they stimulate a desire for a variety of products. (21) __. The whole idea of marketing and financial success has been changed due to this ability to shape trends and introduce new lines.
Nevertheless, the influencer industry has encountered a few challenges and ethical considerations. One concern is the issue of authenticity. (22) __. Naturally, the followers question these individuals’ credibility. Additionally, the line between organic content and sponsored posts can sometimes blur, raising questions about transparency and disclosure. As a result, regulations and guidelines regarding sponsored content have emerged to protect consumers and ensure transparency.
Alongside the rise of ‘traditional’ influencers with millions of followers, micro-influencers have gained prominence. (23) __. This leads to increased trust and stronger impact. Brands are recognising the potential of collaborating with them to target niche markets effectively and create more authentic connections with consumers.
This new occupation has also influenced cultural and social norms. The advertising role has been expanded by significant input evident in shaping beauty standards, lifestyle choices, and even political opinions. Debates have been sparked about social media inauthenticity, the impact on mental health and the potential for encouraging unrealistic expectations. (24) __.
The phenomenon of influencers has irreversibly changed the landscape of social influence. Their rise to prominence highlights the power of digital media in connecting individuals using new forms of communication. While influencers have revolutionised marketing and consumer behaviour, challenges surrounding authenticity, transparency and social impact persist. As society continues to adapt to the grip of digital platforms, understanding the role of influencers becomes crucial in navigating this dynamic and evolving arena.
Task 4
Read the text below.
For each question (25-32), choose the answer (A, B, C or D) that best completes the sentence.
There is an example at the beginning (0-A).
Sleeping Octopuses
Octopuses may be many mariners’ nightmares, but new research has added (0) _ growing evidence that they may dream while asleep. Octopuses (25) _ to undergo two different stages of sleep: ‘quiet sleep’ and ‘active sleep’, the latter of which involves twitching body parts and rapid changes in the texture and patterning of the skin.
Researchers (26) __ the Japanese Institute of Science claim - in addition to confirming that octopuses do indeed sleep during this active stage - they have also discovered that this stage shares many characteristics with REM sleep in humans.
Prof. Tom Roody, the study’s lead author, said the team’s findings were not proof that octopuses dream. “Perhaps we (27) _ already associate certain skin patterns during wakefulness to particular situations: hunting, social displays, threat displays, and camouflage to different sorts of environments. These patterns reappear during active sleep,” he said. “So, if we are looking at something like dreaming, (28) _ I repeat, this is a possibility we do not prove in this study, they would resemble a pseudo random walk over waking experiences.”
However, Roody put (29) __ that there are other possible explanations: for example, that octopuses refine their camouflage patterns while they sleep.
When the team tapped on the tanks and watched how the animals responded, they found the octopuses showed different reactions depending on whether they were awake, in the quiet stage of sleep, or in the active stage. Every 60 minutes or so, the animals (30) __ rapid changes of skin colour that lasted about one minute, together with changes in breathing rate, as well as body and eye movements.
What’s more, if the octopuses were deprived (31) _ sleep for two days by being tickled with a paintbrush, they subsequently showed an increased rate of active sleep. They entered the stage sooner, (32) _ a self-regulating control - one of the key criteria of sleep. The researchers confirmed that octopuses were indeed asleep during the active stage.
Task 5
Read the text on the next page.
For each question (33-40), choose the answer (A-M) that best completes the sentence.
There are five options that you do not need.
There is an example at the beginning (0-N).
A Name Is a Name Is a Name..
What’s in a name? If you (0) _ to ask the author behind this fundamental question, the answer would quite simply be that names play no role in explaining who or what we are. Now, for the author of the question, namely (33) _ William Shakespeare - in his 16th-century tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’ - it seemed of little importance what someone’s name might mean because our names should not define who we are. Of course, we need to take (34) _ consideration that the character of Juliet, who asks the question originally, is trying to justify her romantic interest in Romeo, who just happens to bear the last name of Juliet’s family’s sworn enemies.
Let us now fast-forward to a time five centuries later when researchers decided to pose the question of what influence our names had on us and, (35) _ Shakespeare and his quite progressive world views, actually found out the opposite. Our names determine us much more than they (36) _ ever thought. Interestingly, independent research, conducted in 2013 and 2015 respectively, found that our names determined our lives to the extent of us opting for our careers, developing talents or having interests based on our first or last names.
Dubbed nominative determinism, this phenomenon explained why there was an inordinately large number of medical professionals with such names (37) _ Payne, Butcher or Medina, as well as lawyers named Lawrence or Laurence. But the pressure our names put on us doesn’t stop there. According to the same research, even our talents and interests are affected. Therefore, someone like Usain Bolt had no other choice but to become the fastest man on the planet, (38) _ did the poet William Wordsworth have any say (39) _ choosing his profession. Who (40) _ have guessed that our names play such a significant role in shaping who we are? Definitely not those who have named us.