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Advanced Expert - Exam Practice 3



Vocabulary and Grammar
For questions 1–6, read the text below and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.
DECIDING ON MY FUTURE
When I left school, I really had no idea of what I wanted to do next and found myself with a lot of (1) __________ on my hands. I knew I wanted to do something useful that would enable me to help others, but had been warned by my father not to make any snap (2) __________ or decisions. He advised me to think long and hard, try a few jobs and talk to people in different areas as well as seek careers advice. The first job I got was working in a hospital as an orderly but after only a matter of months I felt (3) __________ in a rut and wanted out. It was, I realised, unsatisfying and really just a (4) __________ to an end. That simply wouldn’t do. However, when working at the hospital I did gain an insight into other work that people did there and, after attending an open day at the local nursing college, I realised that I had (5) __________ my choices down at last. Several years have passed and I’m now, I believe, the happiest staff nurse you’ll ever find. I love the personal interaction this job gives me and just thrive (6) __________ the atmosphere of a busy hospital. I’m so glad I listened to my dad!



2 For questions 1–10, read the sentences below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
AIR POLLUTION, HEALTH AND TRANSPORT
Far more people are suffering from asthma than have been previously documented. Pollution originating from exhaust (1) _____ , factory emissions and even smoking are reportedly leading to (2) _____ air quality which in turn is (3) _____ asthma symptoms. With more and more cars on the roads, we cannot deny (4) _____ more exposed to ever greater levels of air pollution. As a consequence, human respiratory health is being negatively impacted, with many of those living in residential areas close to busy roads becoming more (5) _____ asthma. As more and more of us are taking to the roads, the key focus perhaps should be the promotion of cleaner fuels and vehicles that produce lower (6) _____ . However, the only way motorists will contemplate using either of them is if they are considered (7) _____ an affordable and therefore viable option. Simultaneously, motorists should be discouraged from making unnecessary journeys. If greater (8) _____ were offered for car-sharing with colleagues or using park-and-ride schemes, more people (9) _____ to use these schemes. Although in all fairness, it would not do any harm for public transport systems to be re-examined, as relying on them can be somewhat tough going and, in some parts of the country, the service provided is simply (10) _____ for people’s needs, which is why more people drive.
1        A gases                          B smoke                        C fumes                        D smog
2        A downturning              B degrading                   C failing                        D deteriorating
3        A provoking                  B triggering                    C generating                  D activating
4        A to being                      B to be                           C being                          D for to be
5        A inclined to                  B disposed towards       C accustomed to            D prone to
6        A emissions                   B releases                      C excretions                  D exhalations
7        A to be                          B be                               C being                          D to being
8        A motives                      B pressures                    C incitements                D incentives
9        A can be inclined          B are inclined                C will be inclined          D would be inclined
10      A scarce                        B incomplete                 C inadequate                 D lacking 



3 For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given.
1          The club lost many of its most ardent fans when it was relegated last season.
            THIN
            Loyal supporters have ___________________________ the team’s relegation last season.
2          Rather than dispose of the food that was left over, we decided to donate it to a local charity.
            THROWN
            All the surplus food was given to a local charity so that ___________________________ .
3          There was hardly a soul anywhere along the beach, which was strange considering it was peak season. 
            VIRTUALLY
            We were most surprised to find that the beach ___________________________ though it was peak season.
4          He accidentally mentioned our engagement even though I’d asked him not to yet.
            BRING
            Although I asked him ___________________________ subject of our engagement yet, he let it slip.
5          If I had given a clearer explanation, she wouldn’t have misunderstood me.
            STICK
            I knew I hadn’t explained myself clearly enough when she got the ___________________________ .
6          Try as I might, I could not work out what the question was asking me to do.
            TAIL
            After hours of effort, I was still unable ___________________________ the question that was being asked.




Listening
4 Listen to a wildlife lover, Simon Dickson, talking about the problems facing bees. For questions 1–8, read and complete the sentences below using words you hear. Use one to three words or a number to complete each gap.
The problem with bees
Scientists in Europe first realised there was a problem with the bee population around (1) ____________________ .
Since their decline became a global issue, the role bees have in pollinating the (2) ____________________ we rely on for our survival has been highlighted.
To what extent are our modern (3) ____________________ to blame?
Not only are bees struggling to find food but there is also less (4) ____________________ of plant life available for them.
Bees are far better at fighting off disease when they have a rich and varied diet as this enables their (5) ____________________ to become stronger.
Ironically, bees are more likely to enjoy a healthy diet if they live in (6) ____________________ .
Research suggests that pesticides are impacting bees’ ability to remember how to return to (7) ____________________ .
A final point is that (8) ____________________ is also thought to impede a bee’s capacity to locate flowers, which are essential to both their and our survival.




Reading
5 Read the article ‘How green is your pet?’ and for questions 1–10, decide whether the statements are True (T) or False (F).
1          High-end pet foods are gaining popularity. _____
2          A New Scientist article has caused controversy by asserting that pets are bad for the environment. _____
3          It is claimed that a medium-sized dog has double the ecological footprint of a big car. _____
4          While dogs have a considerable impact on our environment, cats are surprisingly as resource-hungry. _____
5          One idea proposed in the new book is for cat owners to create food for them using natural sources. _____
6          Opting for pet foods containing chicken or fish is a far more environmentally friendly option. _____
7          According to conservationists, animal by-products would go to waste if they weren’t used in pet food. _____
8          Although pets do have a high environmental impact, this is to a large extent offset by the benefits they bring to their owners. _____
9          It is only through enforcing controls on reproduction and territories that wildlife can be protected from feline hunters. _____
10        The new book aims to encourage people to move out of their comfort zone when it comes to discussing
lifestyle choices and the impact they have on the environment. _____

HOW GREEN IS YOUR PET?
Robert and Brenda Vale – the authors of a provocative new book, Time to eat the dog? The real guide to sustainable living – have bad news for animal lovers.
At Europe’s largest pet show, Pet Index, onlookers gather around as Henrietta Morrison places a spoonful of dog food in her mouth. She has a point to prove; her company sells the most expensive pet food on the UK market, with the promise that the contents are ‘proper food’. The UK pet food industry has been the recipient of unkind remarks and rumours as to the true origin of its ingredients for decades but the market continues to be dominated by products containing delights such as ‘animal derivatives’. However, despite the economic recession, there is now a significant move towards using only ‘premium’ products.

Now the industry faces another source of criticism as a new book triggers a debate about the environmental impact of owning a well-fed pet. The New Scientist magazine, in a recent editorial, largely agreed with the book’s findings that some pets, due to the food they eat, have a surprisingly high ‘ecological footprint’, which is a way of quantifying human demand on the planet’s ecosystems using a measure called ‘global hectares’. According to the authors of the book, ‘it takes 0.84 hectares of land to keep a medium-sized dog fed, which is twice that needed to run a large car. An even more shocking comparison is that in 2004, the average citizen of Vietnam had an ecological footprint of 0.76 hectares. Dogs are not the only environmental sinners: the eco-footprint of a cat equates to about 0.15 hectares, almost the equivalent of a small car. In a world where scarce resources are already hogged by the rich, can people really justify keeping pets that require more than some people?’
The authors of the book say they were ‘genuinely surprised’ when calculating the environmental impact of pets. And some of the ideas they put forward to alleviate this are likely to shock some pet owners. For example, the book suggests catching pests such as rats and processing them into a ‘natural’ cat food, getting a pet that serves a dual purpose, such as keeping chickens and eating the eggs or keeping a pair of rabbits and eating their offspring. When feeding a pet, however, the advice is to ‘think feathers and long ears’. In other words, favour pet foods made from rabbit and chicken meat, which is less damaging to the environment than red meat and fish.
As you might expect, the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association puts up a spirited defence, arguing that the vast majority of meat and fish used in pet foods is of adequate quality for human consumption but surplus to requirements. ‘If we didn’t recycle animal by-products to sell, they might otherwise be disposed of via landfill, which is not very green,’ says the chief executive. In addition, he points out that pets should not be viewed just with regard to their ‘carbon pawprint’. ‘Our environment is greatly enriched by the part they play in our lives. Pets in the home instil responsibility, encourage social awareness and have positive health benefits.’
That people greatly benefit from pets isn’t really disputed. But of course, it’s not just the food they eat that’s the problem. Conservationists have long been saying that cats, as opportunistic predators, are having a detrimental effect on small mammals. One UK university report points out that in the USA, animal welfare groups recommend keeping only ‘indoor cats’, while some Australian states are contemplating ‘feline-free zones’ as well as compulsory neutering to cut down on the cat population. It concludes that, realistically, education rather than legislation is the answer for the UK, urging people to take measures such as putting bells on cats’ collars and keeping them in during their natural hunting time, which is between dusk and dawn.
The authors of the book do not – as some of their critics seem to assume – advocate a mass killing of all the world’s pets. ‘All we are arguing in the book is that we should be making sensible, informed choices. So it’s not going to be that much of a problem if you have a big dog but take the bus everywhere, don’t fly, live in a small home and have a small family. We can’t go blind into this debate. If we are to examine the way we live,’ the authors argue, ‘nothing should be off limits, no matter how uncomfortable it is to discuss. We have to recognise that we live in a world of finite resources where pets are an extravagance rather than a right.’




Writing
6 Complete the article on mobile phones with words or phrases from the box. There are more words and phrases than you need.
another    as soon as    despite    even    for example    in fact    secondly    since    
that being said    this    to begin with    whatever    when    which is why
The downside of mobiles
In modern society, mobiles have opened up the lines of communication to a whole new level, allowing us to be contactable night and day. (1) ____________________ being a useful piece of technology, there are also downsides to their use.
(2) ____________________ , although mobiles allow people to be in more regular contact and allow us to make emergency calls when no public phone is at hand, being contactable at all times can be a major disadvantage. Some employers, (3) ____________________ , now consider it completely acceptable to call employees at any time they wish to, (4) ____________________ on holiday. Unfortunately, whether or not you are expected to have your company phone with you at all times will really depend on your boss and the ethos of the company you work for. (5) ____________________ in effect could mean you are always on call and cannot really enjoy your free time.
(6) ____________________ downside is that the myriad additional functions available on mobiles, for example games, internet access and texting, has increased our reliance on their use. (7) ____________________ , some people are so addicted to using their mobiles as they walk down the street that they are often oblivious to their surroundings, (8) ____________________ more people are having accidents. There is also an increasing tendency for some mobile users to have little consideration for those in their presence. ‘Phubbing’, (9) ____________________ someone ignores the person or people they have gone out with and spends their time using their mobile phone instead, is sadly becoming more common.
(10) ____________________ , whilst there are negative points to the use of mobile phones, I believe these are outweighed by their benefits, which is perhaps why they have become indispensable to so many millions of people worldwide.

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