Sound Advice for Language Learners

A recent (0)…B….. of a language learning magazine has consulted a number of experts in the (1)……..of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for those (2) ……..a language course. One suggestion is that you (3)…….. whether you are likely to be successful at learning a language. Did you enjoy studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a language? The major (4) …….. will be your own time and effort. Therefore you must make sure that the course on offer leads to a (5) …….. qualification. Also, be realistic in your (6)…… . If you don’t set achievable aims you are most likely to give up. Do not be deceived (7)…….. thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (8)…….. around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (9)…….. course. Already fluent in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching methodology her chances of (10)…….. progress were high. Three years (11)…….. she remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to follow (12)…….. her first experience. “I should have consolidated what I had learnt by continuing to study, even if it were by myself.”

0 A series B issue C programme D release

1 A domain B branch C field D area

2 A wondering B thinking C looking D considering

3 A assess B review C balance D survey

4 A charge B cost C price D valuation

5 A recognised B understood C valued D regarded

6 A sights B ends C objects D goals

7 A by B about C into D in

8 A Nose B Push C Run D Shop

9 A rapid B crash C quick D fast

10 A achieving B doing C gaining D making

11 A on B forward C from D onward

12 A up B on C through D out

Vocabulary Test 2

Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.

Improving Your Intellect

A (0)…B….. of researchers at the University of California claimed in a recently published report that listening to classical music can actually improve one’s level of intelligence. This surprising claim was (1)…….. after groups of volunteers listened to three different tapes and completed IQ tests after listening to each one. The volunteers (2)…….. ten minutes of Mozart, a relaxation tape and a recording of silence. When making the test after listening to Mozart, the subjects’ scores were noticeably (3)…….. than after the other two. However, the tape had no (4)…….. effect on any of the volunteers’ intelligence levels.

Researchers believe that this kind of music opens certain neural networks which are used when performing intellectual tasks like puzzle (5)…….. . They do not claim that Mozart alone among classical composers is (6)…….. of lifting your spirits and boosting brain-power, but they do believe that this particular composer’s distinctive style makes his works ideally suited for stimulating our grey matter. Researchers in New Zealand attempted to (7)…….. these results, but their efforts did not (8)…….. with success. Despite this lack of this outside verification, the Californian team are determined to carry (9)…….. . Further (10)…….. have been planned, this time using a (11)…….. range of audio material. Chris Band, one of the leaders in the UK intelligence research field, has poured cold water on Californian claims. He asserts that their results cannot be (12)…….. seriously until someone else manages to reproduce them.

0 A party B team C band D gang

1 A made B said C stated D done

2 A heard B listened C followed D attended

3 A larger B more C greater D higher

4 A last B permanent C final D constant

5 A solving B working C doing D putting

6 A capable B able C competent D proficient

7 A redo B copy C imitate D reproduce

8 A engage B welcome C meet D accept

9 A off B on C along D out

10 A trials B experiences C efforts D attempts

11 A longer B richer C further D broader

12 A faced B accepted C taken D believed

Vocabulary Test 3

Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.

Environmental Concerns

Earth is the only (0)…B….. we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1)…….. human activities are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2)…….. on consuming two-thirds of the world’s resources while half of the world’s population do so (3)…….. to stay alive we are rapidly destroying the (4)…….. resources we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (5)…….. built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover (6)…….. . We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (7)…….. the planet’s ability to support people is being (8)…….. at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (9)…….. increasingly high demands on it.

The Earth’s (10)…….. resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to (11)…….. us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the resources they will (12)…….. indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.

0 A situation B place C position D site

1 A Still B Even though C In spite of D Despite

2 A continues B repeats C carries D follows

3 A already B just C for D entirely

4 A alone B individual C lone D only

5 A sooner B neither C either D rather

6 A quite B greatly C utterly D completely

7 A development B result C reaction D product

8 A stopped B narrowed C reduced D cut

9 A doing B having C taking D making

10 A natural B real C living D genuine

11 A hold B maintain C stay D keep