Corespunde nivelului CEFR B2C1

Regulamentul concursului se afl la pagina 3.

Cambridge English
LISTENING

Seciunea Listening nu face parte din acest concurs.

Concursul ncepe cu seciunea Reading, ntrebarea 21, pagina 48.

Part 1 (5 questions)

A

B
2. Where will the two friends go next?

A

B
3. What will the man buy at the shops?

A

B
4. What weather is expected tomorrow morning?

A

B
5. What time is the girls appointment at the hairdressers?

A
CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

Concursul ncepe cu seciunea Reading, ntrebarea 21, pagina 48.

Red Kangaroo

You will hear people talking in different situations. For each question, listen and choose the correct answer.
1. What do the thieves usually steal?

Seciunea Listening nu face parte din acest concurs.

Red Kangaroo

45

Seciunea Listening nu face parte din acest concurs.

Red Kangaroo

Part 2 (5 questions)
Listen to an interview with a young musician called Evan Hughes, who performs in a band called The Dragons.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
6. What does Evan say about studying music?

A) He only learned to play the piano recently. B) He had very little teaching in the subject.

C) He was told he had a natural ability.
7. Evans band first got together

A) after meeting at a concert. B) through an advertisement.

C) because they were college friends.
8. What does Evan say about the building they practise in?

A) It has influenced their music. B) They play there all night.

C) They bought it from the previous owner.
9. Evan says their second album is different from their first because

A) he didnt write so many of the songs on it. B) they played fewer instruments.

C) he wasnt always the lead singer.
10. How does Evan feel about the bands new style?

A) worried that sales will drop B) confident that it will attract new fans

C) surprised that some fans dislike it

Part 3 (5 questions)
You will hear people talking in different situations. For each question, listen and choose the correct answer.
11. You hear a man talking about using a fixed exercise bike.
What is his opinion of the activity?

A) It is boring. B) It is relaxing. C) It is hard work.
12. You overhear a man and woman talking about a play.
What does the woman think about the play?

A) It is worth seeing more than once. B) It is a little confusing in parts.

C) The acting is not particularly good.
13. You overhear a woman talking to a friend.
What is she talking about?

A) a pipe B) a curtain C) a mat
14. On the train, you hear a ticket inspector talking to a passenger.
What is she doing?

A) threatening to take action B) explaining the system C) requesting information
15. You hear a horse-riding instructor talking about riding.
What aspect of riding is she talking about?

A) the advantage of being a nervous rider B) the safety precautions riders must take

C) the value to riders of doing other sports

46

Concursul ncepe cu seciunea Reading, ntrebarea 21, pagina 48.

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

Seciunea Listening nu face parte din acest concurs.

Part 4 (5 questions)
Listen to part of an interview with a teenager called Rachel Golding, who takes part in the sport
ofcompetitive cycling.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
16. Rachel says that before she started cycling, she

A) was focused on her school work.

B) had no wish to compete in races.

C) used sport as a way of gaining acceptance.

D) was fascinated by the TV coverage of certain sports.
17. When talking about the summer training camp she attended, Rachel

A) seeks to win her listeners sympathy.

B) reveals her feelings of homesickness.

C) insists that she didnt expect special treatment.

D) complains about the lack of adequate amenities.
18. What does Rachel say about the challenges presented by her training programme?

A) The strict diet has become routine.

B) The road work is particularly lonely.

C) The strenuous exercise in the gym is essential.

D) The changes her coach has made are demanding.

Red Kangaroo

19. Why does Rachel find it difficult to completely enjoy her social life?

A) She misses her fellow team members.

B) She feels guilty if shes wasting her time.

C) Shes unable to find interests beyond cycling.

D) Shes afraid her cycling will suffer if she has a break.
20. When asked about mental preparation, Rachel admits that

A) it has given her the edge over other athletes.

B) she was wrong to doubt its value.

C) she has benefited from addressing a specific weakness.

D) it can only be done with specialists she trusts.

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

Concursul ncepe cu seciunea Reading, ntrebarea 21, pagina 48.

47

Aici ncep subiectele de concurs

pentru nivelul Red Kangaroo!
READING
Part 5 (10 questions)

Read the text. For each space, choose the correct answer.

The importance of colours

Red Kangaroo

It is no coincidence, according to some people, that we use colours to describe our moods. For
example, if we are feeling depressed we say we are feeling blue. It (21).......... highly likely that the
colours which surround us really do (22).......... our emotions. In doing (23).........., it is possible that
they may also influence our health. But this is nothing new. Over two thousand years ago, scientists and
philosophers wrote of the (24).......... powers of colour, while in ancient Egypt, temples were designed
so that sunlight shone through precious stones to create a mystical red light.
We now (25).......... to this belief about the powers of colour as colour therapy. Therapists claim that
we can alter how we feel emotionally by making (26).......... of different colours in rooms to lighten our
mood. For example, many public buildings, including hospitals, (27).......... green or blue walls so as to
create a calming atmosphere and cause stress levels to go down. Claims have even been made that different
colours can be helpful in the (28).......... of conditions such as insomnia, toothache and depression.
Expert medical opinion is divided on the question of whether colour therapy has any (29) ..........
value. Critics (30).......... to the fact that no research has proved anything conclusively.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)

comes
motivate
thus
mending
refer
work
enjoy
prescription
exact
stress

B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)

turns
manage
so
healing
call
use
favour
treatment
accurate
draw

C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)

seems
impress
like
easing
name
effect
intend
cure
real
point

D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)

finds
affect
such
repairing
regard
employment
wish
improvement
right
show

Part 6 (10 questions)

Read the text. For each question, choose the correct answer.
Which person states the following?

It is obvious if a writer was not very enthusiastic when writing a book.

It is difficult to make a living from writing.
Some people try to write without sufficient experience of life.
Inspiration for good stories can come from real-life events.
Successful stories always contain an element of suspense.
Readers judge books by the quality of the stories in them.
Writers have to keep trying if they are having difficulty when writing.
It is unwise to plan the events in a story first when starting to write a book.
New writers should avoid contacting publishers personally.
Writing may not appear to be very demanding.
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31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

Could you write a best seller?

A The author

C The agent

B The publisher

D The bookseller

Penny is the author of six best sellers. I always wanted

to write, she says. So when I discovered a certain
publisher was looking for new writers, I began trying to
write a few stories. When my first book was accepted
I was over the moon.
Penny continued working in her job and writing in her
spare time. Id write in my lunch hour, in the evenings,
sometimes Id stay up all night. I loved writing. Now,
of course, I treat it more like a job. I aim to write 20
pages a day. Of course, it doesnt always work out like
that and I do feel guilty if I havent done those 20 pages.
Its hard work and a solitary job.
Would-be writers should read as much as possible.
You have to form your own style, but reading helps
develop ideas. I get a lot from newspapers and
magazines. You read about something interesting that
has happened, then play with it and expand it in your
head. Writing is like anything else you get out of it
what you put in. If you do it half-heartedly, you get a
half-hearted result, and the readers spot that.
It is demanding but it gives me a lot of joy. I still get
really excited when I start a new book. If you want to
have a go, its worth a try and worth the effort youve
got absolutely nothing to lose.
Patrick is an executive with one of Britains biggest
publishers. His job is deciding who and what gets into
print.
Writing is not as easy as it looks, he says. You
cant just have a jumble of words with no heart or soul.
The authors who become best sellers can tell a story
thats their talent. But even the most successful ones
will tell you that they dont find it easy. Today, readers
are into individually crafted stories which show off
the real art of storytelling, something a bit deeper, less
formulaic.
His company receives as many as 8,000 unsolicited
manuscripts every year, so new authors must be prepared
for rejection. We look at every manuscript we get but,
out of all of them, probably only one will be published.
Budding authors shouldnt expect to succeed first time
around. You cant go into writing thinking its an easy
way to make money. It isnt.

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

Carol is a literary agent. Publishers, she says, prefer

work to come via an agent rather than directly.
Were a small company, but we still receive
something like 50 submissions a week from new writers.
Some people submit their entire manuscript, which
isnt a good idea. I like to receive a preliminary letter
introducing the author and the first three chapters of the
story plus a full synopsis.
Carol has written two best-selling thrillers of her
own. I now feel Im old enough to write, she says.
A lot of people write before theyre ready, before they
have anything to say. Structuring the book is important.
When Im working on a new book I have a kind of
geometrical plan which I put on the kitchen wall. I
work out the story and the mechanics. You cant just let
it happen. You, the writer, always have to know whats
going to happen next.
Writing is very hard work. You have to be prepared
to give up a lot of your social life. But the only way to
succeed is to persevere, even when its not going well.
You have to be strict and set yourself deadlines. But the
positive side is that when its working well, writing is
the most wonderful experience.

To have a best seller, you need to get your book onto the
shelves of the countrys main bookshops. Established
authors do well because readers know what theyre
getting. For a new author its much harder.
New writers sell for two reasons, says Will Drake.
Either their name is familiar or the book has had a big
launch promotion. Our Fresh Talent scheme promotes
a new authors book in the shop windows for a month
at a time, but competition is fierce. You need talent, a
good publisher and lots of luck.
You also need a fresh, individual voice, characters
that are endearing to the readers and gripping stories.
Readers should be emotionally interested in the
characters from the first page and there should be some
kind of tension so that they keep reading. The biggest
mistake new writers make is to think of a plot first, then
try to create the characters. Most successful authors
begin with a character and form the plot afterwards.

49

Red Kangaroo

How many times have you finished a good book and thought, I could have written that! But
would you know where to begin? Mandy Bruce asked four experts for their tips on how to
create a best seller

Part 7 (10 questions)

Read the text. For each space, choose the correct answer.

Computer games

Red Kangaroo

People often worry about the effects of new technology. Not surprisingly, video games are no
(41)......... They are frequently (42)........ for a range of social problems, while the benefits they can
provide are seldom mentioned. In fact, video games offer a range of benefits: they are entertaining with
new ways of playing which (43)........ to a wider audience; they can be educational, enabling children
(and adults) to engage in innovative learning.
It is often thought that people who play computer games are lonely souls, rarely at (44)........ in the
company of others. However, while that may have been the (45)........ when gaming was predominantly a
single-player activity, this is far less so now. The games industry, responding to the needs of an increasingly
diverse audience, is (46) ........ products that not only offer, but actually (47) ........ on collaboration,
interaction and teamwork. This collaboration may be with a group of people gathered around the same
computer or online, with players from all (48)........ of the world joining in.
The solitary pursuits of the past have been almost completely (49)........ by interactive environments
that are so socially rich that winning the games may become secondary to collaboration, networking and
self-discovery. Indeed, it can be argued that these multiplayer games, far from (50)........ people apart,
actually help to bring people together.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.

A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)
A)

exception
accused
tempt
comfort
event
setting off
depend
edges
renewed
taking

B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)
B)

deviation
charged
appeal
rest
condition
putting on
require
corners
substituted
holding

C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)
C)

difference
complained
attract
relaxation
case
bringing out
base
places
replaced
sending

D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)
D)

omission
blamed
interest
ease
state
getting up
oblige
ends
transferred
keeping

Part 8 (5 questions)
Read the text. For each question, choose the correct answer.

The School of Cool

Located in a rather dull London suburb, the Brit School is producing
some of Britains most exciting young talent.
The Brit School is the only state secondary school in the UK that specialises in the performing arts.
It is also the creative hotbed that nurtured talents such as singers Amy Winehouse and Katie Melua.
The school is backed by the charity behind the annual Brit Awards, which recognise achievement in the
performing arts. Principal Nick Williams insists the Brit School isnt focused on spotting future stars in
the way that perhaps fee-paying private stage schools are. After all, not all of the nine-hundred pupils
are destined to become a Winehouse or a Melua. As Williams explains: The purpose of the school is to
provide education and training for young people with a genuine wish to forge a career in the creative
industries. Elsewhere in Britain, people generally have to dig deep to afford this kind of education. This
schools meant for people from all backgrounds, so it aims to provide a level playing field for applicants.
While Williams, whos presided over the school for five years, comes from the state-school sector, most of
his teaching staff were recruited from the creative industries and completed their teacher training once in the job.
50

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

51.

In the first paragraph, Nick Williams says that the school is intended for students
A) sincere about their long-term ambitions.
B) unable to afford most other types of training.
C) with talents that might otherwise remain undiscovered.
D) with the means to meet some of the cost of their studies.

52.

What do we learn about the school staff in the second paragraph?

A) Many of them are not currently qualified teachers.
B) They are required to teach a wide range of subjects.
C) The majority have experience of working outside education.
D) Most of them are quite highly regarded in their chosen fields.

53.

What does Jonathan Morrish most appreciate about the school?

A) It can accommodate students with different needs.
B) It retains strong links with filmmakers and the media.
C) It can switch emphasis between the arts when necessary.
D) It produces students who can offer employers flexibility.

Red Kangaroo

Theres great emphasis on providing students with the tools theyll need to survive in the creative industries
from copyright law to record production. The creative industries cover a lot more than the individuals in
the spotlight. The vast majority of opportunities are in the backroom, and were interested in providing the
intellectual and emotional skills those jobs demand too. If at the end of that the students choose to go off and
try for a high-profile career, thats fine. But any that dont make it certainly wont be left high and dry.
Up to age sixteen, students continue to study the statutory national curriculum, as well as learning music,
dance, theatre and backroom skills such as production and visual arts and design. Whilst they major in one
strand, students are encouraged to experience all aspects of the industry in case that doesnt work out for
them. Music industry PR Jonathan Morrish says: Its as much about behind the camera as in front. Its about
giving people the breadth and scope to move effortlessly between various branches of the media and the
arts, and theres an emphasis on areas such as video and radio production. These are the things that give the
school its roundedness.
Maggie Crowe, organiser of the Brit Awards, says of the schools students: They are at an age when
theyre feeling their way into life and who they are, never mind where they want to be in five years time.
The schools open from 5 am to 8 pm and we have to kick kids out at closing time. We have very low
truancy and little graffiti as we give them areas they can make beautiful. Theres a lot of respect they
grasp what a privilege it is to mix with different enthusiasts.
Cynics question whether its possible for the Brit School to teach talent but Crowe insists that that isnt
what it tries to do. You can never teach skills such as how to be an entrepreneur, she says, but you can
give a good set of ground rules. We have an understanding that your craft is your business. The school
doesnt allow them to harbour false illusions. Its very easy for them to be giddy, but this is a serious
business, and we dont let them forget that.

54. In the fourth paragraph, Maggie Crowe implies that students at the school
A) are better behaved than students in other schools.

B) are more sensitive than other students of their age.
C) are inclined to forget how very privileged they are.
D) sometimes fail to live up to the schools high standards.
55.

In the final paragraph, Maggie Crowe is

A) proposing a new way of judging the schools achievements.
B) explaining why the schools aims might be misinterpreted.
C) countering a false impression people may have of the school.
D) regretting the limitations of the school.

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

51

IDEE
1. There was of violence in the capital city last night.
A) a lookout B) an outbreak C) a breakout D) an invasion E) an outlook
2.

Complete the dialogue:

Are you sure you can afford and maintain such an expensive car?
Yes, I think I can as Ive recently been promoted.
A) buying B) to buy C) to buying D) buy E) to be buying

3. There was such a wide range of goods on that I didnt know what to choose.
A) shop B) market C) display D) exhibition E) shelves
4. My tyres everytime I make a turn, even at low speeds.
A) bang B) squeal C) rattle D) hum E) hiss
5. Why dont we ask Peter to captain the basketball team? He seems to be as keen as .
A) two eyes B) pepper C) salt D) a razor E) mustard

Red Kangaroo

6. Choose the right words to complete the poem:

If you can talk with crowds and your virtue,
Or walk with kingsnor the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men with you, but none too much;
If you can the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run
Yours is the Earth and everything thats in it,
Andwhich is moreyoull be a Man, my son!
(Rudyard Kipling If)
A) leave/ waste/ stick/ feel B) keep/ waste/ count/ feel C) hold/ stick/ count/ fill
D) keep/ lose/ count/ fill E) keep/ save/ stick/ fill
7. Stonehenge, the famous stone circle, appears in the famous novel .
A) Tess of the dUrbervilles B) Wuthering Heights C) War and Peace
D) The Scarlet Letter E) Vanity Fair
8. After her husbands death, Susan went to the hospital to collect his personal .
A) affairs B) affects C) effects D) extras E) issues
9. Which of the following words describes a very strong wind?
A) slush B) sleet C) gale D) hail E) fog
10. Sarah was bewildered by the answer her boss gave her.
A) vividly B) very C) utterly D) mostly E) lively
11.

52

Which of the following groups does not contain any fish?

A) makerel, mussels, trout, carp B) squid, prawns, oysters, cockels
C) oysters, cockels, clams, trout D) carp, mackerel, prawns, mussels
E) mussels, squid, prawns, plaice

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

12.

Which of the following facts is not true of the constitutional monarchy in the UK?
A) The Queen has the power to make and pass legislation.
B) The Queen acts as Head of State.
C) The Queen provides stability and continuity.
D) The Queen must remain politically neutral.
E) The Queen acts on the advice of ministers.

13. 
Choose the most suitable way to continue the sentence: I dont want to say anything to Pamela and
John in case .
A) I had upset them B) I upset them C) I will have upset them
D) I am upsetting them E) I would have upset them
14. The caretaker finally admitted to the main door of the school unlocked.
A) had left B) leave C) having left D) have left E) left
15. Match the adjectives with their synonyms on the right:
1. impolite a. dim
2. cunning b. idle
3. half-witted c. down-to-earth
4. lazy d. discourteous
5. sensible e. sly
A) 1e/ 2d/ 3c/ 4b/ 5a B) 1d/ 2e/ 3a/ 4b/ 5c C) 1d/ 2a/ 3b/ 4e/ 5c
D) 1a/ 2d/ 3e/ 4b/ 5c E) 1d/ 2e/ 3c/ 4b/ 5a

Red Kangaroo

16. In the 16th century, when the Pope refused to annul Henry VIIIs marriage to Catherine of Aragon,
the King broke with the Roman Catholic Church. This was the beginning of .
A) the Battle of Hastings B) the War of the Roses C) the Mutiny of the Elsinore
D) the English Reformation E) the Velvet Revolution
17. In 1907, Rudyard Kipling was awarded the .
A) Man Booker Prize B) Nobel Prize in Literature C) Pulitzer Prize
D) Golden Globe Award E) BRIT Award
18.

Which of these definitions are correct?

1. mortgage money borrowed, usually from a bank, to purchase property
2. grant money given by the government or organisation for a particular purpose
3. pension money charged by a lender to a borrower
4. deposit money paid to get an arrested person out of police custody
A) 1, 2 B) 3, 4 C) 1, 2, 4 D) 2, 4 E) 1, 2, 3, 4

19. Which of these words is spelled incorrectly?

A) annually B) bizarre C) publicly D) playwright E) tendancy
20. Can I change this red blouse a pink one, please?
A) with B) for C) to D) in E) into
21.

Which of these sentences is grammatically incorrect?

A) Whoever is at door, they cant come in right now.
B) If you say things like that, of course people will avoid you.
C) Were I smarter, I would have noticed the mistake.
D) They have requested that we be there early tomorrow morning.
E) They would rather not travelled all this way.

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ

53

22. Oh no, weve just missed the bus! Well have to hitch a .
A) car B) another bus C) lift D) train E) bike
23. The of the soldiers was high before the battle, because they were confident of victory.
A) state B) mood C) moral D) morale E) temper
24. What was the musical style of the American group Nirvana?
A) rocknroll B) grunge C) punk D) hip-hop E) funk metal
25. In which city in the USA can you visit The Guggenheim Museum?
A) Washington B) New York C) Chicago D) San Francisco E) Detroit
26. In British Measurement 0.9144 metres is:
A) 1 inch B) 1 yard C) 1 foot D) 1 mile E) 1 pint
27. Which of these pairs of singular/plural nouns is incorrect?
A) alga algae B) criterion criteria C) medium medias
D) crisis crises E) cactus cactuses
28. Which of the following words does not describe a way of laughing?
A) chortle B) snicker C) cackle D) wail E) giggle
29. On the Welsh flag you can see:
A) a daffodil B) a leek C) a thistle D) a tulip E) a dragon

Red Kangaroo

30. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place in:

A) 1926 B) 1968 C) 1953 D) 1947 E) 1970

54

CANGURUL LINGVIST ENGLEZ