Prove Nazionali INVALSI Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado INGLESE - 2023

Prove Nazionali

Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado INGLESE

Questo testo ti offre gli strumenti fondamentali per affrontare con sicurezza la sezione di inglese delle Prove Nazionali INVALSI per la classe quinta della Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado, introdotte a partire dall’anno scolastico 2018-2019. Troverai materiali interessanti, tematiche innovative, metodologie che corrispondono a quelle richieste da INVALSI.

Potrai svolgere i test sia sul libro in forma cartacea che online, utilizzando il tuo codice di accesso. Le prove INVALSI si svolgeranno, infatti, in modalità computer-based , quindi ti invitiamo ad allenarti utilizzando schermo, cuffie e tastiera.

Materiali

I testi proposti nelle prove di Reading coprono i due livelli di competenza B1 e B2, oltre a uno intermedio, il B1+. Questi livelli fanno riferimento al sistema QCER (Quadro Comune Europeo di Riferimento per le lingue) ovvero CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for languages).

I materiali proposti per le prove di Listening sono studiati per allenarti ad affrontare la sezione di ascolto: le diverse attività ti aiutano a sviluppare le giuste strategie e le abilità necessarie.

Le attività della sezione Language in Use, sebbene non presenti nelle prove nazionali, sono indispensabili per arricchire il lessico, allenarti alla comprensione di testi e contesti, fissare strutture linguistiche e forme idiomatiche, oltre a chiarire molti dei tuoi dubbi.

Le fonti utilizzate sono articoli adattati da riviste online, materiali autentici rielaborati (brochures, interviste, pubblicità ecc.), brani letterari modificati ad hoc, testi di carattere culturale o scientifico. Lo scopo è quello di abbinare la qualità linguistica, i contenuti interessanti e la finalità didattico-formativa. In questa edizione sono stati aggiunti nuovi brani a tema Agenda 2030 che rientrano nell’Educazione civica, oltre agli ultimi quesiti ufficiali caricati sul sito INVALSI commentati dalle autrici.

Prove ufficiali guidate

Struttura del volume

Le sezioni sono cinque:

1. Training section with tips

Questa parte costituisce il vero e proprio allenamento; infatti, non solo ti verrà chiarita la differenza tra le varie tipologie di test, ma troverai una serie di suggerimenti molto pratici su quali strategie mettere in atto nei diversi task. Ti daremo consigli utili per affrontare sia la lettura che l’ascolto, rivelandoti alcune strategie che faciliteranno la comprensione e ti renderanno più veloce. I test proposti in questa sezione ti abituano ad affrontare livelli progressivi di difficoltà. Le modalità proposte in questa parte sono otto e sono propedeutiche ai test INVALSI, anche se non le troverai tutte nelle prove ufficiali:

• Multiple matching (Listening e Reading);

• Multiple choice (Language in Use e Listening);

• Information completion (Reading e Listening);

• Short open answers, denominate “Short Answer Questions” da INVALSI (Listening e Reading);

• True/False/Not given (Reading e Listening);

• True False Justification (Reading);

• Gapped test, denominato “Gap Filling” da INVALSI (Reading);

• Open cloze (Language in Use).

2. In questa sezione ti vengono proposte le prove INVALSI ufficiali (tratte dal sito www.invalsi.it) con una guida dettagliata alle soluzioni. Passo dopo passo, ti vengono illustrate le motivazioni delle scelte e imparerai a conoscere meglio tecniche e strategie, per non cadere nei tranelli tipici di queste prove.

Nove batterie di test completi

3. Le nove batterie di test completi ti allenano a raggiungere gradualmente una preparazione specialistica, mirata alle Prove INVALSI. La varietà delle attività ti aiuterà a prendere confidenza con le diverse tipologie e ad abbassare il livello di insicurezza che spesso accompagna queste prove. Ciascuna batteria contiene:

due prove di Reading Comprehension con task diversi, uno di livello B1 e uno di livello B2;

due prove di Listening Comprehension con task diversi, uno di livello B1 e uno di livello B2;

una prova di Language in Use (B1 e B2). Al termine di ogni test potrai verificare la tua performance in una tabella come questa:

LANGUAGE

…… Time …… Time …… Time …… Time …… Time ……

L’utilizzo della tabella è facoltativo, ma l’indicazione del tempo impiegato per completare una batteria di test ti abitua a organizzarti meglio e ti allena alla limitazione temporale imposta dalla modalità computer-based. Troverai le tabelle nelle ultime pagine di questo volume.

Agenda 2030

4. Quattro brani sui temi del’Agenda 2030 sono corredati da attività di diverse tipologie di Reading

Appendice

5. Nell’Appendice troverai alcuni sussidi didattici molto utili:

pratiche schede grammaticali di facile consultazione;

attività di Word building;

un elenco dei Phrasal verbs più ricorrenti, con esempi;

i verbi irregolari più comuni. Inoltre, vengono illustrati i livelli B1 e B2 secondo quanto è indicato dal Consiglio d’Europa.

Libro digitale: attraverso il codice personale allegato al volume dello studente tutti i test del volume cartaceo potranno essere svolti in maniera interattiva e autocorrettiva. Puoi ascoltare i file audio con la app EliLink.

Introduzione

TRAINING SECTION WITH TIPS

PROVE UFFICIALI GUIDATE

PROVE PROPEDEUTICHE

Test 1

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension.

3 – Language in Use*

Test 2

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension

Section 3 – Language in Use

Test 3

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension

Section 3 – Language in Use..........................................

Test 4

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension

Section 3 – Language in Use

Test 5

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension

Section 3 – Language in Use

Giovanna Da Villa, Chiara Sbarbada, Claire Moore

PROVE NAZIONALI INGLESE

Preparazione prove 2023

Responsabile editoriale: Beatrice Loreti

Responsabile di produzione: Francesco Capitano

Art director: Marco Mercatali

Progetto grafico e impaginazione: Gruppo Eli Copertina: Curvilinee

Foto: Shutterstock

©2022 Eli-La Spiga Edizioni

Test 6

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension

136 Section 3 – Language in Use 138

Test 7

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension 140

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension 144

Section 3 – Language in Use 147

Test 8

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension...................... 150

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension 154

Section 3 – Language in Use 156

Test 9

Section 1 – Reading Comprehension 158

Section 2 – Listening Comprehension 162 Section 3 – Language in Use 164

Speciale Agenda 2030

APPENDICE

165

Schede grammaticali 174 Word building 177 Phrasal verbs 183 Irregular verbs 187 I livelli B1 e B2 del QCER............................................. 189

Tabelle di autovalutazione 191

AGENDA 2030

Via Brecce – Loreto info@elilaspigaedizioni.it www.gruppoeli.it

Stampato in Italia presso Tecnostampa – Pigini Group Printing Division – Loreto – Trevi 22.83.219.0 ISBN 978-88-468-4247-3

Le fotocopie non autorizzate sono illegali. Tutti i diritti riservati. È vietata la riproduzione totale o parziale così come la sua trasmissione sotto qualsiasi forma o con qualunque mezzo senza previa autorizzazione scritta da parte dell’editore.

TRAINING SECTION WITH TIPS

In questa sezione vengono descritte dettagliatamente le tipologie di attività relative sia alla parte di Listening sia a quella di Reading e Language in Use Conoscendo in maniera approfondita il format degli esercizi, gli studenti affronteranno la prova ufficiale con consapevolezza e maggiore tranquillità.

MULTIPLE MATCHING

Che cos’è - Multiple matching consiste nell’abbinare alcune opzioni, che chiameremo quesiti, a un testo.

Reading / Language in Use

Per prima cosa, leggi due volte con estrema attenzione i testi proposti: la prima volta per uno skimming, ovvero per comprendere l’argomento generale dei testi (si tratta di sport, di musica, di arte?). La seconda volta per capire quali siano le particolari caratteristiche di ciascun testo (se, ad esempio, si sta parlando di scienze, qual è l’argomento specifico di ogni testo?).

Non preoccuparti se non capisci ogni singola parola. Nessuno possiede un vocabolario così completo da comprendere tutto. L’importante è dedurre dal contesto, ovvero individuare quale sia l’obiettivo del discorso e su cosa insista lo scrittore. Attento agli avverbi, alle negazioni, ai tempi verbali, ai soggetti.

Quando hai letto almeno due volte e ti sembra di aver capito ciascun testo molto bene, passa alla lettura dei quesiti. Non prima. Per ogni quesito cerca nei testi i possibili riferimenti, senza cadere nella trappola di scegliere la risposta solo se trovi la stessa parola presente nei quesiti. Se hai compreso i testi, vedrai che saprai abbinare nel modo corretto. Se sei in dubbio su un quesito, passa a quello successivo e tornaci in seguito.

Listening

Per effettuare con successo un’attività di listening, occorre seguire una tecnica ben precisa. Leggi con cura i quesiti oppure, qualora ti venga chiesto di abbinare delle immagini, osservale tutte, in maniera da individuare l’argomento. Non temere se non capisci qualche parola. È normale, e farsi prendere dal panico è un errore che spesso compromette la comprensione orale.

Durante il primo ascolto, ascolta con attenzione; solo in questo modo ti concentrerai sul brano, su quello che senti, non su quello che vedi. Puoi anche chiudere gli occhi se lo desideri. Potrai così comprendere l’argomento e non perdere informazioni; sarai maggiormente rilassato per il secondo ascolto. Durante il secondo ascolto, vedrai che se hai seguito il nostro consiglio, riuscirai a selezionare subito la risposta corretta. Non selezionare una scelta solo perché senti pronunciare una parola presente nel quesito: molte volte, infatti, gli esaminatori inseriscono questo espediente che ti porta a selezionare in modo errato. Se senti una parola e la vedi scritta, nella maggior parte dei casi, NON è la risposta corretta, ma solo un distractor

Dopo il secondo ascolto, se ancora ti restano dubbi, procedi per esclusione (per esempio, un quesito non è mai stato selezionato, quindi sicuramente sarà quello) e/o per logica (nel brano ascoltato si parlava di quello specifico argomento, anche se non hai capito proprio tutto).

TRAINING SECTION WITH TIPS

B2 Multiple matching

OUR LIVES WITH ROBOTS

Read these five short excerpts about robots (A-E) and then match them to sentences 1-8. The first one (0) has been done for you.

A

If you have seen the movie “Total Recall” with Arnold Schwarzenegger, you will certainly remember “Johnny Cab”, the robotic taxi driver who interacted with its passengers. That was of course science fiction, but today many car manufacturers are planning semiautonomous pilot systems to be installed in the cars of the future. They are packages of intelligent technology that assist the driver in adjusting a car’s speed around curves, changing lanes automatically, detecting risks and triggering emergency breaking. It goes without saying that the car would be equipped with remote parking assistance, which means that the drivers can get out of their cars and park them using their smartphones.

B

In the case of a well-defined procedure, which does not need high cognitive tasks or continuous flexibility, robots have often replaced workers. But technological innovation is now developing at such a fast pace that cutting-edge algorithms do not confine robots to routine manufacturing labour. Especially when big data are available, it is possible to computerize almost any task. Consider translation programs: the United Nations possesses such a huge corpus of human-translated documents that an algorithm can be produced to perform this non-routine task almost as accurately as a human being.

C

Sensors enable machines to produce goods with a higher reliability than man’s labour. In the case of food production, for example, robots can inspect, select and, if necessary, reject any item that does not comply with the required standards. This minimizes production time and optimizes efficiency. Human inspection would certainly take longer and the time taken would depend on the experience of the personnel. Moreover, computerisation makes it possible to analyse several characteristics of a product simultaneously, and the machine does not only act on an accept/discard basis, but decides what to do when more quality characteristics are recognized.

DIt is undoubtedly difficult to specify the psychological processes which underlie human creativity. What can humans do that robots cannot do? Write poems? Compose music? Devise scientific theories? In principle, robots can do anything. But if machines are very good at performing mathematical operations, it is not always possible to express what you want them to do in mathematical terms, and ‘there’s the rub’. It is the process of going from the specific to the abstract which is challenging. Machines also have to learn and we must find a way to enable them to ‘deep-learn’. One of Google’s amazing AI projects has taught a machine to create poetry by auto-encoding sentences and this artificial brain generates poems that make sense and convey emotions.

E

Can you imagine a day when super smart machines may pass judgement on you? Could Artificial Intelligence become so sophisticated as to threaten your freedom and pervade your life? Many scientists have warned about the possible dangers of robots. The science fiction movie ‘I, Robot’ reveals a world where humans are threatened by machines, which is of course just sci-fi, but there is some truth in it because there is the actual risk of an AI takeover in our everyday lives. Imagine a fridge with sensors that detect all your eating and drinking habits and keeps dispensing dietary advice the whole day long! Or a robot which can influence your political decisions. Or even a robot which has been designed to help you stave off loneliness but actually never stops talking….

Identify the excerpt in which…

the writer speaks of a therapeutic function of machines.

the writer clearly mentions a circumstance in which human production must be first analysed for robots to be able to work.

the writer mentions a kind of technology which is not totally independent from humans and needs co-operation.

the writer mentions a kind of technology which is more trustworthy than a human being.

the writer insists that if robots cannot perform a duty it is man’s fault.

the writer mentions a circumstance when robots are not as perfect as humans.

the writer comments on the disturbing presence of a form of technology.

the writer refers to technology which may give you suggestions about what to eat.

the writer explicitly insists on the multi-task analytical skills of the robot.

B1 Multiple matching

SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Listen to a series of safety announcements in a train station. Match the announcements (1-7) to the correct picture (A-H). There is an extra picture. You will hear the recording twice. The first one (0) has been done for you.

A CB

F H

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Che cos’è Multiple choice consiste nella selezione di una parola o di una frase su una rosa di quattro opzioni.

Listening

Per prima cosa, leggi i quesiti con molta attenzione. Noterai subito di cosa si parla e la logica dei quesiti. Saprai quindi individuare quali siano gli elementi sui quali dovrai puntare.

I quesiti sono nello stesso ordine delle informazioni che sentirai, quindi procedi concentrandoti solo sulla registrazione. Dopo il primo ascolto , vedrai che riuscirai già a effettuare alcune scelte. Durante il secondo ascolto , segui ciascun quesito in ordine e concentrati maggiormente su quelli che ti restano da selezionare. Con tranquillità, senza panico. Vedrai che la logica del contesto e un ascolto rilassato ti permetteranno di trovare le soluzioni più facilmente. Se ti dovesse restare ancora un dubbio, escludi le scelte improbabili e opta per la scelta più ovvia tra due.

Reading / Language in Use

Ti consigliamo di leggere con estrema cura il testo che ti viene proposto, poiché 1) è possibile che la parola da inserire/la scelta da effettuare compaiano già in un’altra parte del testo; 2) il contesto ti aiuta già adesso a ipotizzare la possibile opzione (vedrai che qualche volta riesci a inserire la selezione giusta prima ancora di vedere le opzioni).

Inserisci la tua scelta e poi prova a rileggere il testo per vedere se la versione definitiva risulta coerente; se hai dubbi, procedi sempre per esclusione in questa sezione. Rimanendo con due opzioni è più facile capire quale è quella corretta.

B2 Multiple choice

AT THE MUSEUM

Mark and Jane are walking around a crowded room and they are trying to look at some pictures. Listen to their dialogue and choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) for questions 1-7. Only one answer is correct. You will hear the recording twice. The first one (0) has been done for you.

0 We can deduce that Mark and Jane are:

A. c brother and sister.

B. c close friends.

C. c two parents of two students.

D. 8 husband and wife.

1. Mark’s words at the beginning of the dialogue indicate clearly that:

A. c he is unkindly elbowing his way through the crowd who blocks his way.

B. c other people find that he is causing a great deal of annoyance.

C. c he is producing a lot of unnecessary disturbance.

D. he is trying to make his way with difficulty through the crowd.

2. What are Mark and Jane doing?

A. c They are visiting a famous art gallery.

B. c They are attending an exhibition of Roman artefacts.

C. c They are special guests at a reception for a well-known artist.

D. They are looking at students’ work in a College of Art.

3. When Jane says “Oh, my!”, she wants to express:

A. surprise.

B. c inability to understand what Mark is saying.

C. c that she has forgotten something.

D. c that she is horrified.

4. Jane says she absolutely will have to go to an optician’s because:

A. c she can’t read the caption under the pictures.

B. c she finds it difficult to capture the details of one of the pictures. C. c the bright colours of one of the pictures dazzle her. D. she is certain that her eyes must be deceiving her.

5. When Jane asks Mark if the black-ink picture is David’s work, she is hoping:

A. that it is not.

B. c that it is.

C. c to get to know the real name of the artist.

D. c to get informed about the value of the picture.

6. Mark’s reaction to the ‘Green Fields’ picture is one of:

A. great liking.

B. c disgust. C. c scorn. D. c amusement.

7. What type of picture has David painted?

A. c A monochromatic picture of a woman.

B. An original portrait of a man. C. c A satirical portrait of a politician.

D. c A self-portrait in the style of Van Gogh.

Multiple choice

DORSET APPLE CAKE

Read this recipe and choose the correct option (A, B, C or D) to fill in the blanks (1-7). The first one (0) has been done for you.

self

• 225g/8oz (0) -raising flour

• 115g/4oz butter or margarine

• (1) of salt

• 450g/1 lb apples

• 115g/4oz caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 1-2 tablespoons of milk

• 50g/2oz currants or raisins

• A pinch of cinnamon or mixed spice, (2) ..................... is preferred

• Demerara sugar to sprinkle on top

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas Mark 4

(3) .......... the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Peel, core and chop the apples into small pieces and add (4) .......... the mixture, and then add the dried fruit, sugar and cinnamon or mixed spice. Beat the egg with the milk, and add to the mixture. Mix it all together well, forming a firm dough, and place it in a greased 20cm (8 inch) round cake (5) .......... Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 1 hour. This can be eaten either cold or hot, with the slices split, open and spread (6) .......... butter. It also (7) a delicious pudding, served hot with cream, custard or ice-cream.

0 A. c auto B. c up C. 8 self D. c speed

1. A. c a cup B. c a bag C. c a handful D. a pinch

2. A. whichever B. c any C. c if D. c that

3. A. c Melt B. Sift C. c Cut D. c Season

4. A. to B. c in C. c with D. c for

5. A. c dish B. c saucepan C. c tray D. tin

6. A. c of B. c in C. with D. c by

7. A. makes B. c bakes C. c does D. c has

TRAINING

WITH TIPS

INFORMATION COMPLETION

Che cos’è Information Completion consiste nel completamento di uno schema, mappa o tabella con le informazioni estrapolate in maniera diretta o per inferenza dal testo letto o ascoltato. Quest’ultimo può essere di varia natura (pubblicità, email, articolo, ricetta…).

Per questo esercizio è importante capire la logica di un testo, sia nel caso di una reading che nel caso di una listening. Per questo motivo ti consigliamo di leggere prima lo schema o la tabella così come la vedi, ovvero con i gaps, le parti mancanti. Questa prima lettura ti permette di individuare l’argomento. Attento alle strutture: spesso una preposizione fa la differenza!

Reading

Nel caso di una reading, leggi con attenzione il brano e non escludere nessuna informazione, in qualunque posizione essa sia. Trattandosi di schemi o tabelle da riempire non è detto che i dati mancanti si trovino nell’ordine proposto dal testo.

Listening

Nel caso di una listening activity , ascolta una prima volta, come di consueto, concentrandoti su quello che senti e cerca di individuare solo le scelte che secondo te sono sicuramente corrette Non partire dal primo gap necessariamente; parti dalle certezze. Facendo come ti suggeriamo, vedrai che ti rimarranno solo pochissimi gaps incerti. Poi ascolta una seconda volta.

Information completion

FOREIGN INVASIONS OF BRITAIN

Read the text about the invasions of Britain. Fill in the mind map with information from the text (1-12). The first one (0) has been done for you.

The Romans

Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. This was unsuccessful and for nearly 100 years Britain remained separate from the Roman Empire. In AD 43 the Emperor Claudius led the Roman army in a new invasion. This time, there was resistance from some of the British.

Areas of what is now Scotland were never conquered by the Romans, and the Emperor Hadrian built a wall in the north of England to keep out the Picts (ancestors of the Scottish people). Included in the wall were a number of forts.

The Romans remained in Britain for 400 years. They built roads and public buildings, created a structure of law, and introduced new plants and animals. It was during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD that the first Christian communities began to appear in Britain.

The Anglo-Saxons

The Roman army left Britain in AD 410 to defend other parts of the Roman Empire and never returned.

Britain was again invaded by tribes from northern Europe: the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons. The languages they spoke are the basis of modern-day English. Battles were fought against these invaders but, by about AD 600, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were established in Britain.

The Anglo-Saxons were not Christian when they first came to Britain but, during this period, missionaries came to Britain to preach about Christianity. Missionaries from Ireland spread the religion in the north. The most famous of these were St Patrick, who would become the patron saint of Ireland, and St Columba, who founded a monastery on the island of Iona, off the coast of what is now Scotland. St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianity in the south. St Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Vikings

The Vikings came from Denmark and Norway. They first visited Britain in AD 789 to raid coastal towns and take away goods and slaves. Then, they began to stay and form their own communities in the east of England and Scotland. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England united under King Alfred the Great, who defeated the Vikings. Many of the Viking invaders stayed in Britain – especially in the east and north of England, the Viking settlers mixed with local communities and some converted to Christianity.

The Normans

In 1066, an invasion led by William, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now Northern France), defeated Harold II, the Anglo-Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. Harold II was killed in the battle. William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror. The battle is commemorated in a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today. The Norman Conquest was the last successful foreign invasion of England and led to many changes in government and social structures in England. Norman French, the language of the new ruling class, influenced the development of the English language as we know it today. Initially the Normans also conquered Wales, even though the Welsh gradually won territory back. The Scots and the Normans fought on the border between England and Scotland; the Normans took over some land on the border but did not invade Scotland. It was the Norman Conquest that really cemented the power of the church in England. William the Conqueror implemented a colossal building project at both monastic and parish levels. In Winchester, for example, the old Saxon Minster made way for a new Norman building. These new stone churches continued to play a central role in community life: they acted as schools, market places and entertainment venues.

B2 Information completion

HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD IN THE USA

Listen to the interview and fill in the chart with the missing information (1-7). You will hear the recording twice. The first one (0) h as been done for you.

Permanent

Popular Name: Green Card Real Name: (0) …….....…….…. Resident Card

Can I apply for a green card just because I live in the Usa? (1) YES c NO

What are the most common ways to apply for a green card?

• (2) (but you must have a permanent job offer from a US company)

• FAMILY : a) (3)………………….. can sponsor their parents, spouse, siblings and children.

b) Green card holders can only sponsor their spouse and (4) ……….......….….

How long do you have to wait on average to get your green card in the case of marriage? (5) ………………….. ………………….

What if I’m not a resident in the U.S.?

• VISA LOTTERY (there are (6) cards available every year)

OR REFUGEE CLAIM

OF ABUSE (7) (

green card)

SHORT OPEN ANSWERS

Che cos’è Short Open Answers prevede una risposta brevissima (di solito da una a quattro parole oppure numeri). Essa è spesso in forma esplicita nel testo che leggi o che ascolti, ma a volte dovrai dedurla dal contesto.

Reading / Language in Use

Il testo che ti viene proposto riguarda un argomento specifico e conterrà un messaggio/più messaggi molto chiari. Se riesci ad individuare il senso e lo scopo (più che la sostanza grammaticale) del testo, sei a buon punto. Dopo una prima lettura del brano, leggi le domande. Sicuramente sei già in grado di rispondere ad alcune di esse; solitamente le risposte brevi sono semplici e dirette, quindi usa forme lineari, non complesse, non superare il numero di parole richieste e attieniti alla domanda. La seconda lettura può essere solo parziale (scanning), alla ricerca dell’informazione richiesta. Non perdere tempo a rileggere tutto; va subito alla parte che ti interessa.

Si può trattare di un’ informazione specifica oppure di una short answer , del tipo “Yes, they do”. In quest’ultimo caso, utilizza soggetto e ausiliare in maniera corretta.

Non ti preoccupare se ti sembra che ci siano due o più modi di rispondere alla stessa domanda. Può succedere; in quel caso, scegline uno solo. Non è previsto che tu inserisca due alternative.

Listening

Come di consueto ti suggeriamo di leggere prima di tutto le domande con molta attenzione. Vedrai che riesci a predire di cosa si sta parlando e forse anche qualche risposta. Durante il primo ascolto concentrati solo su quello che senti, poi prova a rispondere e, nel corso del secondo ascolto, completa le tue risposte. Nel caso in cui tu non riuscissi a comprendere una parola, non preoccuparti, perché forse non riguarda le domande. Se invece devi inserirla necessariamente nella tua risposta, scrivi qualcosa in ogni caso, perché non sono previste ulteriori penalità se commetti un errore. Non farti prendere dal panico se ti sembra che la pronuncia del parlante sia inconsueta: rilassati e cerca di seguire il senso e vedrai che riuscirai a “tune in”, ovvero a “sintonizzarti” dopo pochi istanti.

B2 Short open answers

UP IN HARLEM

Read the text and answer the questions (1-8) with no more than 4 words or numbers. The first one (0) has been done for you.

Although this is poorly documented, there seems to have been many European explorers arriving in Harlem, New York City, in the sixteenth century. There was certainly a Dutch farming settlement in the seventeenth century and Harlem became a destination for Jewish and Italian immigrants in the nineteenth. The area which today is called Spanish Harlem was mostly Italian and, contrarily to what is commonly believed, African-Americans arrived much earlier. They had already settled in uptown-Harlem in 1630, before the Civil War, with schools and churches. Harlem was and has always been a racially diverse neighbourhood.

Harlem was originally named Niew Haarlem, after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. These two cities share a name and a piece of history as the city was founded by Dutch settlers; when the British took government in 1664, they changed the name to Lancaster, and this remained its name until the Revolutionary War, but it never really stuck, so they anglicized the original one to Harlem. The neighbourhood Harlem did not officially become part of New York City until 1873, not much before Brooklyn became part of the city. It is difficult to say where Harlem begins and ends, even though there is a saying in New York that “wherever black people live uptown, that’s Harlem”. The very first American victory against the English was fought here. Washington described it as a small skirmish, but it was a very important psychological victory, the first by the Americans over the colonial power.

Harlem is also remembered for its famous inhabitants: Edgar Allan Poe lived there, Charles Dickens visited. It was a tourist destination because of its natural beauties; away from the contemporary dirt, squalor and epidemics of downtown New York City, people would go to green Harlem. It became predominantly black in the 1920s and a cultural centre: jazz bars, nightclubs, theatres, with mostly black entertainers and a white public. This was the Harlem Renaissance with a huge number of extraordinarily talented poets, musicians and painters who rose to prominence in American culture.

The Great Depression hit Harlem very hard and the whole community suffered for decades. Today there have been significant attempts to change things in Harlem. Not just a new contemporary restaurant culture but genuine social and economic development. The “Harlem Children’s Project”, for example, has been attempting to combat poverty and help Harlem thrive, thanks to innovative programs of education, prevention, health, housing and recreation. The organizers are proud to say that they brought fresh fruit to children who “had never seen a fresh peach in their lives”.

we have a lot of information about the origins of Harlem?

Who settled first in Harlem?

Who settled together with Italians?

Who anglicized Haarlem to Harlem?

Where did the first victory against the British take place?

Why was Harlem considered a tourist destination?

What is the name of the cultural revival of the 1920s?

What stopped the cultural prosperity of Harlem?

What is the primary purpose of the “Harlem Children’s Project”?

B1 Short open answers

MY SCHOOL YEAR ABROAD

Listen to Josh talking about his exchange year in Finland, twenty years ago. While listening, answer questions 1-7 with no more than 4 words or numbers. You will hear the recording twice. The first one (0) has been done for you.

0 When did Josh leave Finland?

1. What were the only things Josh knew about Finland before leaving?

2. How did he feel at the beginning of his experience?

3. How old was he when he left for Finland?

4. What was one of his aims?

5. Why did he find Finnish school difficult?

6. How does he describe Finnish people around him?

7. How does he feel towards the AFS organization?

July 16th 1998

TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN

Che cos’è Si tratta di selezionare la giusta opzione tra True/False/Not given Se l’informazione non appare nei testi letti o ascoltati, è necessario selezionare Not given

Reading / Language in Use and Listening

Ti consigliamo di seguire questi passi:

1) individuare se l’informazione viene fornita oppure no; 2) se viene fornita, decidere se è vera o falsa.

Il primo punto risulta spesso insidioso, perché gli studenti sono abituati a scegliere tra True e False, non a capire se un’informazione è presente nel testo. True significa che il testo conferma esattamente quanto affermato nel quesito. False lo contraddice chiaramente.

Not given significa che il testo non fornisce assolutamente quella informazione e quindi è impossibile decidere se sia True o False. Questo test contiene dati fattuali, non opinioni, quindi non ti preoccupare. Ti consigliamo solo di esercitarti un po’ di più.

WITH TIPS

True/False/Not givenB1

INFORMATION FOR VISITORS TO UKIC HEADQUARTERS

Read this leaflet and the statements (1-7) below. Choose True, False or Not given. The first one (0) has been done for you.

WELCOME TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM INSURANCE COMPANY

THIS LEAFLET EXPLAINS UKIC’S GENERAL SAFETY AND SECURITY RULES

RECEPTION

• All visitors to UKIC HQ must report to reception (main entrance).

• State the name of the person expecting you.

• That person will be contacted and informed of your arrival.

• Hand in your ID to the receptionist.

• You will be given a personal badge.

• Please wait in reception until the staff member arrives.

• If you are participating in a meeting, proceed straight to the meeting room.

• Enter and leave the building by badging in and out at the entrance barrier.

BADGES MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES

Badges must be worn visibly at all times while you are on HQ premises. Spot checks may be carried out by security guards.

MOVEMENTS

• Visitors’ movements inside the building are restricted, unless they are accompanied by a UKIC staff member.

• Outside meeting rooms, visiting participants’ movements inside the building are restricted, unless they are accompanied by the person in charge of the meeting.

• All visitors must obey the general safety and security instructions in force at HQ and pay attention to warning notices.

• Visitors having meals in the restaurant are asked to show their badges on paying at the till.

THE UNITED KINGDOM INSURANCE COMPANY IS A NO-SMOKING ORGANISATION ON LEAVING

•

On leaving, report to reception and hand in your badge.

• Your ID will be returned to you.

• Check that the ID is yours.

• Check that you have not left anything behind.

TRAINING SECTION WITH TIPS

SAFETY/SECURITY

Visitors must obey HQ security instructions. Visitors are responsible for personal belongings and equipment entrusted to them. Under no circumstances should such items be left unattended.

The UNITED KINGDOM INSURANCE COMPANY will not be liable for any loss or theft of items/ money belonging to visitors.

If you have a problem or need assistance the SECURITY SERVICE is at your disposal. Dial 55555 from any HQ telephone.

True False Not given

0 The headquarters are located in London. c c 8

1. This leaflet helps you find your way inside the HQ. c c

2. While visiting the premises always keep your ID with you. c c

3. During your visit you might be asked to show your credentials. c c

4. It is forbidden to move around the building on your own. c c

5. Visitors cannot take pictures of the premises. c c

6. Lunch at UKIC is free. c c

7. UKIC is not in charge of keeping your property under surveillance. c c

B2 True/False/Not given

RELAXING CORNISH SPA BREAK

Listen to the advertisement of a spa hotel in Cornwall and decide if the information below (1-7) is True, False or Not given. You will hear the recording twice. The first one (0) has been done for you.

True False Not given

0 The hotel is on the Cornish coast. c 8 c

1. If you own a dog you can take him/her with you to the hotel. c c

2. There’s an outdoor swimming pool. c c

3. The restaurant faces the swimming pool. c c

4. The customers often have very different backgrounds. c c

5. There are interesting excursions at a very short distance. c c

6. If you plan to stay just for a weekend don’t use public transport. c c

7. The spa treatment is included in the price of the room. c c

TRUE FALSE JUSTIFICATION

Che cos’è – Si tratta del classico True/False con l’aggiunta delle motivazioni (Justification) della tua scelta.

Reading/Language in Use

Questa attività si compone quindi di due fasi:

1) devi decidere se l’affermazione (statement) è corretta (True, T) oppure non corretta (False, F);

2) devi individuare nel testo originale le prime quattro parole che iniziano la frase che avvalora la tua scelta (Justification).

Per prima cosa, leggi il brano con molta attenzione; come di consueto, non preoccuparti se non conosci tutte le parole. Poi leggi i quesiti e ricorda che seguono l’ordine del testo Individua nel testo originale la sezione interessata dal quesito e leggila attentamente, facendo attenzione alle insidie. Ricordati che ogni parte del quesito deve essere vera/corretta perché la scelta sia True. Attenzione a parole quali never, sometimes, all, absolutely, nearly all, ecc., che possono essere ingannevoli. Anche le frasi negative possono produrre confusione.

Quando hai deciso per True oppure False, seleziona le prime quattro parole che iniziano la frase che contiene l’oggetto del quesito. Ricorda che se non inserisci queste quattro parole, ovvero se non c’è la Justification, la tua risposta risulterà errata.

Leggi sempre con attenzione sia l’intestazione che l’esempio.

B1+ True False Justification

CLIMATE CHANGES

Read the text and decide if the statements (1-8) are True (T) or False (F) and put T or F in the first box. Then identify the most logical sentence in the text to support your decision and write the first 4 words of this sentence in the second box. There may be more than one justification; write only one in the box. The first one (0) has been done for you.

When Ernest Shackleton arrived at the South Pole in 1908, he found something totally unexpected: he scaled the gigantic Beardmore glacier on the edge of the polar plateau and discovered seams of coal in the middle of the ice and snow. He even found fossilized wood from coniferous trees. He concluded that Antarctica had been warm and filled with forests! How was this possible?

In 1912, a German polar researcher, Alfred Wegener, put forward a theory, called the theory of the continental drift, which explained the mild climate: Antarctica was once much closer to the Equator.

Nevertheless, the fossilized wood Shackleton and his men discovered dated back 250 million years, when Antarctica was almost as close to the Equator as it is today. And Antarctica reached its current position about 100 million years before. Moreover, when Antarctica was ice-free, the Arctic Ocean was an immense freshwater lake inhabited by prehistoric reptiles. What caused such high temperatures for millions of years? And if Antarctica and the Arctic were so warm, what were the tropics like then? Well, tropical waters were not much hotter than they are today.

Today, the Earth’s climate is in an “icehouse” phase, believe it or not. Polar ice is not extensive, true, but some ice has remained. However, before 34 million years ago, the Earth’s climate went through a long “hothouse” phase with no ice at all. The sea level rose to more than 70 metres higher than it is today, and this period lasted from about 100 million to 50 million years ago.

How do we explain a freshwater Arctic Ocean? As recently as 50 million years ago, its surface was different because this ocean was partially isolated from the other oceans, and fresh water from the rivers floated on the surface, on top of much denser salt water.

Just imagine! 55 million years ago the temperature of its surface water rose to about 23°C!

The only two possible explanations are:

1) ocean currents transported the heat of the tropics towards the poles;

2) high volcanic activities kept CO2 levels high. This is seen in the bubbles of air entrapped in the ice.

0 Shackleton found a confirmation of his theories in Antarctica.

F When Ernest Shackleton arrived

1. When he found fossilized trees, Shackleton concluded that the two poles had once been warm.

2. The fossils that Shackleton found dated back to the time when Antarctica was closer to the Equator than it is today.

Antarctica drifted southwards.

The Arctic Ocean was not totally salty in prehistoric times.

The tropics were much warmer than they are today.

50 million years ago some territories were covered with water.

The Arctic Ocean contained freshwater coming from other oceans.

CO2 was found in the fossilized trees in Antarctica.

B2 True False Justification

CURIOSITIES ABOUT MONARCHY

Read the text and decide if the statements (1-8) are True (T) or False (F) and put T or F in the first box. Then identify the most logical sentence in the text to support your decision and write the first 4 words of this sentence in the second box. There may be more than one justification; write only one in the box. The first one (0) has been done for you.

Henry VIII, a sensitive king

King Henry VIII is remembered by most as the king who beheaded wives and indulged in impressive feats of gluttony. Few know, however, that he loved music and was a talented composer. In fact, he created his own music, and music was written in his honour: in the British Library in London the so-called ‘Henry VIII’s Manuscript’ is a collection of more than 100 musical compositions, by him and others. He also possessed a beautiful illuminated personal Choir Book, which was given to him and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The Choir Book opens with a sort of epic poem celebrating the king and his new reign. On the second page there are two Tudor roses, each surrounded by musical notation. Nowadays, this music is rarely performed and has never been recorded. It reveals a very different king; not a lethal, ill-tempered tyrant, but a Renaissance Prince and virtuoso. The book includes Church music, meant to facilitate meditation and prayer, but there are many songs about love and hunting, too.

Charles II, a venerated king King Charles II returned to London after the Civil War and Cromwell’s failed Protectorate. With him, the Restoration meant a return to Elizabethan times in terms of the relationship between the king and Parliament: many of the institutions survive in modern Britain. The “multiple monarchy” was restored: Charles II was king of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland. He became popular all over the country, although he was the son of a king who had been executed by the English themselves. Cleverly, with the ‘Declaration of Breda’, Charles II offered a general amnesty to the people who had committed crimes during the Civil War and then repented, with the sole exception of the regicides. Behind this was a genuine desire to bring the British people over to his side, beginning a new era characterized by an extraordinary cult of the monarchy, fostered in churches, in the streets and through poetry. The king was like the biblical King David or Augustus Caesar of Rome. He was believed to cure diseases, too, via the ‘Touch Piece’, a sort of medallion with the king’s effigy that could be touched to ward off sicknesses.

Queen Victoria and photography

Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, a visionary progressive with liberal ideas, promoted photography in the first half of the 19th century. But at that time the sitter had to remain motionless for a long time. Hence the feeling of formality and stiffness in the pose of Queen Victoria in most pictures. In spite of this, photographs tell us a great deal about the personality of Victoria, which is not apparent in official images. Like her husband, she had a passion for photography and loved to carry around a small informal photograph of him or of them together in her dress pocket. This was like the miniature paintings in Renaissance times. A camera does not lie, whereas in a painting reality can be manipulated: most of Victoria’s pictures speak of an intimate, domestic, affectionate relationship between her and Albert. Historians say that she had a picture of herself placed in her husband’s hands when he was laid out in his coffin. He was buried holding that photograph. Evidently, she was going to miss Albert’s arms around her. Not the gesture of a queen, but of a woman.

0 Henry VIII was famous for eating a lot.

T King Henry VIII is

He wrote more than 100 compositions.

Henry VIII’s Choir Book did not only contain music.

The music in the Choir Book is Church music.

Charles II was not inspired by previous monarchs.

Charles II acted in such a way as to be accepted by the English.

TIPS

6. King Charles II was a sort of doctor who could cure people.

7. Queen Victoria had to stand motionless for a long time to be photographed.

8. Victoria’s photographs were manipulated, like paintings.

GAPPED TEXT

Che cos’è È un testo con alcuni gaps da riempire. A ciascun gap corrisponde un’unica scelta che devi selezionare tra quelle fornite. Solitamente un’opzione è extra e da eliminare.

Reading / Language in Use

Leggi il titolo e il testo con la consueta attenzione. In questo modo capirai di cosa si stia parlando. Poi leggi le scelte disponibili. Le parti da inserire dovranno assolutamente adeguarsi al significato del contesto. Dovrai quindi capire le frasi che precedono e quelle che seguono il gap

Inizia a selezionare quelle che sono sicuramente corrette , non iniziare dal primo gap necessariamente! In questo modo, se troverai qualche difficoltà, potrai procedere per esclusione. Quando hai completato la tua selezione, devi rileggere il testo intero per vedere se ha coerenza e coesione. Se sei partito dalle scelte sicuramente corrette, dovresti arrivare a un testo valido. Se ti pare che ci sia qualche incongruenza, prova a sostituire la parte poco convincente con l’opzione che avevi escluso. Se proprio ancora non funziona, devi ricominciare dal principio.

Gapped text

TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF NATURAL BEAUTY

Read the articles about Emma Webley and Alessandra Ambrosio and complete them. Choose from sentences A-H which fit gaps 1-6. There is one extra sentence. The first one (0) has been done for you.

EMMA WEBLEY, 25, management consultant from London

My body is amazing because I’m an all-natural woman. (0) .......... I was the first in my class to wear a bra. It made me feel “different”, so I did my best to hide it.

It was hard, but that changed when I was 13 and I moved to secondary school. (1) ......... My family helped. There are a lot of strong women around me – my mum, aunties, grandma and cousins – and they always say “Don’t be thinner, be healthier”. They never made me feel under pressure to adhere to a certain look. (2) ......... .

As a result, I’ve been body-confident most of my life. I never hide when I’m at the gym or getting ready for a night out with friends. It’s a shame when people think they have to cover up; it shows they have low self-esteem.

I try to be a good role model for my younger half-siblings too. I want them to know you don’t need to worry about the way you look. Today everybody wants to be like the women you see on Instagram. But there’s no point doing that or struggling for “perfection”, because I think that “perfection” does not exist. (3) ......... .

I know that a lot of people want to improve their image, but being confident and happy is what the world notices, not your shape. I’m all-natural and proud to love every inch of my curvy body.

ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO, 35, Fashion model from Brazil

Alessandra was a finalist in the 1996 Elite Model Look competition in Brazil, and she was quickly pushed onto the international catwalk and magazine covers. “Being a model, for me, is so natural. (4) ......... . I don’t have to be thinking to do that.” When Alessandra was growing up, her hardworking parents, who own a petrol station, sacrificed everything for their two girls. Enrolling her in modelling classes aged 12 and putting her younger sister, Aline, through law school. Now it’s time for Alessandra to give back. An ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Societies in the US and Brazil, she grew up watching her father, Luiz, debilitated by the disease. “We’re always trying to find things that will cure the disease, and I’ll do anything to help and support this charity”.

And what about her incredibly perfect body? “(5) ........., but I don’t deny myself anything”.

Alessandra seems oblivious to the effect she has on people, but it’s easy to imagine other parents gazing at her when she picks up her daughter from school. “I don’t know if they flirt with me”, she says looking surprised at the idea. “(6) .........”.

Undoubtedly, she is one of the world’s sexiest women, but she doesn’t require make up and expensive couture to make her feel attractive. “In Brazil we love being natural, drinking coconut water, and being healthy and eating fresh food”. (adapted from “Cosmopolitan”)