Name: Ingrid Salazar

Course: Intermediate B
In this part you will see notices. You will need to decide what the notices say. For each
notice, choose the answer and press the button next to the correct answer.
What does the notice say?

You want to buy some Christmas presents for your friends. On the opposite page there
are descriptions of eight presents (press the arrows at the top to go from one description
to the next). Decide which present (letters A to H) is most suitable for each person and
type the letter of that present in the space by the person.
1.

g
Robert likes sport and travel. He would like something that he can
take with him on his journeys, especially when he is camping or
hiking. But he says he has enough sports clothing already.

2.

Mr Jones doesn't have much time for hobbies. But he likes

improving his house, and working in the garden during the summer.
He would like something that would help him to do this.
3.

c
Sally likes parties and discos and boys. She likes to look smart, and
she is very fond of music. She says that she likes books, but she
never reads any. She wants to learn how to play the guitar.

4.

b
Mrs Murphy doesn't like to exercise, but she is very fond of cooking,
and she likes reading books about foreign places. She enjoys going
to the theater, but she hasn't been able to go much recently, because
she has been too busy.

5.

h
Paul has just got a new computer, but he doesn't know how to use it
properly yet. Also, he doesn't have very many programs to put on the
computer.

A. The new Thompson power drill is now available. With variable rotation heads, and a
wide variety of bits. This is the latest in the Thompson tool catalogue and is perfect
for the DIY enthusiast.
B. Now selling! Tickets for the new smash hit comedy Not on your nelly. This play will
be coming to a theater near you soon, tickets are sure to be popular, so make sure
you get yours now.
C. The new Stinger pocket MP3 player. This handy little device fits unobtrusively into
your pocket, it has a neat little ear plug that lets you listen to your favourite artist,
even when you are on a journey.
D. Learn how to play the guitar. This new book, written by guitarist Frank Jones helps
even the most basic beginner read his way to being a competent guitar player in just
200 easy pages.
E. Singapore, the story of a city. This travel guide takes you around the city almost as
if you were there. In this 300 page book you read all about the history, the culture,
and the favourite dishes of the people of this small independent state.
F. For sale. The new 500MHz WhizzBang computer. At a new special low price, this
computer is bound to be a favourite for everybody. Make sure you get one in your
Christmas stocking.
G. Now available. The classic explorer's compass. This precision instrument will help you
to navigate wherever you are. Each comes with its own waterproof leather case, and
with a free map pouch.
H. Guide to maintaining and repairing a home PC. This manual is full of handy hints and
tips for everyone, from the newest beginner to expert. Available at a special
discount.

Answer Sheet
Robert the Bruce is one of the great heroes of
Scottish history.When Robert the Bruce was king
of Scotland, the English king Edward II wanted to
rule the whole country. However, Robert the Bruce
helped the Scots to resist and to form a large army
which attacked Stirling castle. King Edwards army
came to help the soldiers in the castle, and the two
armies met at the small town of Bannockburn on
June 24, 1314.
At that time the strongest part of the English army
was bowmen. These bowmen, with their long bows
had won many victories for the English in France.
The Scots did not have many bowmen, as most of
their army were armed with long spears. So when
the English archers attacked they could not defend
themselves or fight back. Most of the 4,000 Scots
who died at Bannockburn died in this part of the
battle. However, Robert the Bruce was ready for
this, and he called for his cavalry, (his soldiers on
horseback). The horses were too quick for the
bowmen, and the Scots knights chased them from
the battlefield.
The English knights now advanced. But Robert the
Bruce had ordered the Scots to put sharp sticks in
front of their soldiers, and to dig holes in the
ground for the English cavalry to fall into. The first
line of English knights was defeated, and the
second line of English knights came into the battle.
They were discouraged by what happened to the
first line and they did not fight very well.
At this time many people in the area knew that a
great battle was being fought, and when they heard
that the Scots army was winning, they came to
watch the battle. The English soldiers saw them
appear on the top of a nearby hill, and they thought
that they were another Scottish army arriving. The
English were terrified that they would be caught
between two Scots armies and they ran away. Now
the Scots cavalry returned to the battle and the
horsemen killed many English soldiers as they ran
away.

True False
1. The battle
of
Bannockburn
was in the
14th Century.
2. At the time
of the battle
the English
were in
Stirling
Castle.
3. Many Scots
at
Bannockburn
were killed by
arrows.
4. The Scots
horsemen
killed most of
the English
bowmen.
5. The English
horsemen
chased the
Scots
horsemen
away.
6. It was very
difficult for
the English to
attack the
Scots army.
7. The
Scottish army
had time to
prepare for
the English

Doesnt
say.

After this defeat, the English army tried many more

times to conquer Scotland, but they never really
succeeded. Each time they were defeated by the
high Scottish mountains, the bravery of the Scots
soldiers, and because they had also to fight wars in
other countries, such as France and Holland.
Finally in 1707 Scotland joined with England as an
equal partner to form the United Kingdom.

attack.
8. The English
were
frightened
when another
Scottish army
appeared.
9. The English
soldiers ran to
a nearby hill.
10. At the
time of the
battle England
was also
fighting with
the French.

The western alphabet

The western alphabet, which is used in
Europe, the Americas, Africa, Australia and
New Zealand as well as in other countries,
originated in the middle east. The people
who gave the world this alphabet were the
Phoneacians, a people who established
colonies all over the Mediterranean,
including Carthage in Africa and Gades in
Spain. In their alphabet, the letters were
represented by little pictures which
represented sounds.The Phoneacian A
was aelph, which means "bull". and it was
made from a little picture of a bull's head.
The letter B was beth which meant "house",
and showed the round-roofed buildings
which you can still see today in Syria.
The Phoneacians had contact with another
nation of sailors, the Greeks, with whom
they fought and traded. The Greeks also
started to use the Phoneacian alphabet. They
changed the names
so aelph and bethbecame alpha and beta.
The shapes of the letters are the same but
they have been turned sideways. If you

Answer Sheet

1. What is the purpose of this text?

a. To tell something of Phoneacian
history.
b. To tell the story of why we write

as we do.
c. To compare the western alphabet with
other alphabets.
d. To describe the history of the Greek
alphabet.
2. Which change did the Greeks
make to the Phoneacian
alphabet?
a. They changed the pictures to sounds.
b. They turned the letters in a

different direction.
c. They altered the shape of the letters.

know any Greek, you can try turning the

letters around again, and see how they look.
You will see that the curve on the right of
the Greek A becomes the horns of a little
bull.

d. They put a curve on the letter A.

3. Where did the Phoneacians come
from originally?
a. Carthage.
b. Gades.
c. The middle east.

Of course, the first two letters of the

alphabet give it its name. Over the years
there have been changes. Latin developed
an alphabet with some different letters to
the Greeks, and other letters have been
added since. But really westerners are using
the same system of writing which has
served them so well for thousands of years.

d. All over the Mediterranean.

4. The information in the text is
meant to be
a. Interesting.

b. Useful.
c. Funny.
d. Historic.
5. Which picture, according to the
text,
represents beth.

A.
B.
C.
D.

The Peloponnesian war.

The war ..0..between Athens and Sparta ..1..
than 400 years before the birth of Christ
resulted ..2.. the defeat of Athens by the more
military power of Sparta. However, Sparta's
victory was ..3.. temporary, and Athens went
on to produce philosophers ..4.. Aristotle, and
great orators, one example ..5..Demosthenes.

Answer Sheet
b.
0.

a. happen

c. fought d. fighted
battle

1.

a. over

b.
much

c.

d. higher

..6.. , one of the most significant effects of the

war was that ..7.. the first real history ever
written was written about it . The writer, an
Athenian general ..8.. Thucydides, had a
passion for accuracy, and did not use the myth
and romance which historians had used
until ..9.. Not only was the history of
Thucydides factually accurate, it was ..10..
written in splendid Greek.

more
2.

a. by

b. with c. for

3.

b.
a. more
really

d. in

c.
d. finally
only

b.
4.

5.

6.

a.
example such
as

a. was

a. Only

c. liking d. that is

c.
b. like
instance

b. In
fact

d.
being
d.

c. Instead
However

a.
7.

b. yet c. very

d. actually

almost

8.

a. who
was

b.
c. for
name example

d.
called

a.
9.

b. then c. the end d. recently

before

10.

a.
b. also c. has
anyway

d. but