SCHOOL NAME...

Mark:
English Test Reading/ Writing
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Name:_____________________________ No.: ____ Class.: ____
Teacher:
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I - A. Describe the picture below relating it to the

title of the text. (40-50 words)

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B. Now read this text and match the words/expressions below to their synonyms.

Today we have mobile phones, computers,

Internet, but before all that, even before the
advent of television, there was radio. Back in the
1930s and 1940s, families gathered together
5 around the radio and listened to their favourite
programmes, just like they did some years later
with TV. Radio broadcasts included not only news
and music, but also variety shows, comedies,
dramas, and many other forms of entertainment.
10 I still consider it a privilege to have lived during this time, especially as a kid. The radio
developed our imagination and creativity: we just listened to words and sounds, to people
talking, and we had to imagine their physical appearance and the scenes they were
describing. I remember sitting on the floor listening to The Aldrich family, with the
familiar catchphrases "Henry! Henry Aldrich!, followed by Henry's answer, "Coming,
15 Mother!". I also remember listening to superman stories and feeling so excited and
sometimes even nervous, anxious to know what was going to happen next. In the evening,
the whole family sat around the radio to listen to The Goldbergs, a soap opera and
comedy about the home life of a Jewish family in New York City. We never missed an
episode. The fact that we knew people were speaking at the precise moment we were
20 listening made us feel closer to them.
Source: Cool Zone 8, Texto Editores (fully adapted)

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1. advent (line 3) a. programmes
2. gathered (line 4) b. failed to listen to
3. broadcasts (line 7) c. appearance

4. catchphrases (line 14) d. joined

e. popular expressions
5. missed (line 18 3
C. Now choose the right option to complete each sentence, according to the text. 18

1. Radio was ____. 2. Families listened to 3. The radio highly

the radio ____. contributed to __.
a) the first medium of wireless
communication before TV
a) a) put an end to family
b) the first medium of wireless b) before dinner quarrels
communication together with c) before 1930
TV b) bring people of all races
c) the second medium of wire- together
less communication after TV c) unite the family

4. The author ____ during the 5. The radio developed 6. The author and his family
golden years of the radio. ____. ____ listened to their
favourite soap opera.
a) liked to listen to all a ) imagination as well as .
programmes artistic skills
b) not only imagination but a) never
b) really enjoyed growing up
c) didnt like the experience of also unity b) often
c) imagination but not c) always
living
creativity

D. Give complete answers to these questions on the text.

1. What type of programmes could people listen to on the radio during the 1930s and 1940s?

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2. What were the authors favourite programmes back then? Why?

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3. Do you think the radio played an important role in childrens education? Justify your answer.

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II - A. Now read this American teenagers
opinion about the radio.

Sarah from New York

Listening to the radio is a lot of fun for me. Whenever I can, I turn
on my radio to listen to music. I usually also listen to the news,
because I like to know what is going on. News on the radio is short
and objective.
I cannot say I prefer radio to TV, because I like both and I think
both are important.
One of the advantages of the radio is that you can listen to it
anywhere: on the bus, when you walk to school, on the beach, etc. I
also enjoy listening to music because it relaxes me and makes me
feel good. I like listening to the DJs. They tell us interesting things
about bands and singers, and sometimes they are funny.
Cool Zone 8, Texto Editores

B. Say if these statements are True or False. Justify all your 30

answers by quoting from the text.

1. Sarah enjoys listening to music on the radio. ________________________________________

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2. Sarah doesnt like listening to the news on the radio because she thinks images are very

important._______________________________________________________________________

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3. Sarah prefers radio to TV. _________________________________________________

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4. One of the advantages of radio over TV is that you dont have to be at home to listen to it. __

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5. Listening to DJs is boring because they never have anything new to say. __________________

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C. Say what these words refer to in the text. 12

1. my (line 2) ________________________

3. you (line 7) ________________________

5. it (line 9) _________________________
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4. it (line 7) _________________________

6. us (line 10) _______________________