June 2012
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
LEVEL SIX SECTION A : READING
2 Parts (20 marks)
SECTION B : WRITING
2 Parts (20 marks)
SECTION C : ENGLISH USAGE
2 Parts (20 marks)
2.5 HOURS Please answer ALL the questions Please use CAPITAL LETTERS
Family name First name Date of birth Candidate number Town DO NOT START UNTIL THE INVIGILATOR TELLS YOU TO
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 1
SECTION A: READING Part 1 10 marks
THE WORLD’S OLDEST MARATHON RUNNER
Fauja Singh is one hundred and one and is the world’s oldest marathon runner. What is remarkable about him is the fact that he did not take up running until he was nearly ninety. In October 2011, he became the oldest person ever to complete a full-length marathon. He finished the race in Toronto, Canada, in eight hours, twenty-five minutes and sixteen seconds. Speaking to an Indian journalist after the race, he said, “I ran with my trainer and we were so worried that I might not make it that we didn’t tell our relatives we were taking part. I just wanted to break the world record.” The previous world record was broken in 1976 by a ninety-eight year-old Greek marathon runner. Fauja Singh, who is originally from India but now resident in the United Kingdom, started serious running at the age of eighty-nine after being introduced to ex-professional runner, Harmander Singh. Harmander Singh claims, “It is a great honour to train Fauja so I do it for free. Together, we’ve run over twelve full and ten half marathons. When I first met him, he was very determined to run in the London Marathon. At first, I thought he was too old, but I could see he was strong and as healthy as a much younger man.” At the age of ninety-four, Fauja Singh appeared in a poster advertising Adidas running shoes alongside David Beckham, the England footballer. In spite of his fame, Fauja Singh leads a simple life with his family in London and says that money is not important to him: “I’m not really interested in money. I give it all to charity. Money can be saved, spent, lost and made.”
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 2
Decide if these 10 sentences are TRUE or FALSE, according to the text. The first one is an example.
TRUE
0 The text is about a famous runner. 1
Fauja Singh is the oldest marathon runner in the world.
2
He started running in October 2011.
3
Fauja Singh broke a world record when he ran in the Toronto Marathon.
4
He ran the Toronto Marathon with an Indian journalist.
5
Fauja Singh did not tell his family that he was running in the Toronto Marathon.
6
The previous world record for being the oldest marathon runner was held by a Greek.
7
Harmander Singh started running seriously when he was eight or nine years old.
8
Fauja Singh pays his trainer, Harmander Singh.
9
Fauja Singh has advertised Adidas footballs.
10 Fauja Singh gives all of his money to charity.
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FALSE
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 3
SECTION A: READING Part 2 10 marks
DANGEROUS ARRIVALS The plants and animals of the United Kingdom are under attack, not only from human beings, but also from some of the two thousand foreign plants and animals that have found their way into the country. This threat to the United Kingdom’s original wildlife is being taken very seriously. The Environment Agency, which is responsible for looking after the country’s forests, woods, lakes, rivers and coastline, has identified several dangerous foreign plants and animals and is watching them very carefully. One of these is a water plant called Creeping Water Primrose. It grows and spreads very quickly, killing British water plants. In fact, it can cover a pond or lake extremely quickly. There are currently thirteen places in the country that are trying to stop it from spreading. At the University of Hull, in North-East England, Dr Darren Evans is researching another foreign creature. The Signal Crayfish arrived from North America thirty years ago and is responsible for killing and eating many other river animals. It has few natural enemies and Dr Evans claims that in some areas there may be up to twenty Signal Crayfish per square metre. One of the most well-known animals in the UK is the Grey Squirrel. It came from North America one hundred and fifty years ago. Even though they look very cute and playful, Grey Squirrels are responsible for the almost complete disappearance of the much smaller British Red Squirrel. Dr Evans says that it is not just scientists and the Environment Agency who should be aware of what is happening to the original wildlife of the UK. He suggests that everybody should be responsible for controlling foreign plants and animals. www.thamesenglish.com
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 4
Choose the best answer (A, B or C), according to the text. Then put your answers in the box below. The first one is an example.
0. Which of the following statements is correct? A. The text is about dangerous scientists. B. The text is about dangerous people. C. The text is about dangerous plants and animals.
√
1. Which of the following statements is correct? A. People in the UK are being attacked by foreign plants and animals. B. Plants and animals in the UK are being attacked by foreign ones. C. People in the UK have been attacking foreign plants and animals. 2. Which of the following statements is correct? A. 2,000 foreign plants and animals have entered the UK. B. There are 2,000 dangerous foreign plants and animals in the UK. C. There are no dangerous foreign plants in the UK. 3. Which of the following statements is correct? A. British water plants kill foreign ones. B. 30 places in the UK are trying to control Creeping Water Primrose. C. Creeping Water Primrose destroys British water plants. 4. Which of the following statements is correct? A. The Signal Crayfish is from North-East England. B. The Signal Crayfish eats plants. C. The Signal Crayfish is a river creature. 5. Which of the following statements is correct? A. Red Squirrels are originally from the UK. B. Red Squirrels are larger than Grey Squirrels. C. Red Squirrels came to the UK from North America.
0 C
1
2
3
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 5
SECTION B: WRITING Part 1 10 marks Choose ONE of the composition titles below and write about 200 words. 1. You have decided to enter a short story competition organised by an international young people’s magazine. The competition rules say that your story must begin or end with the following words:
It was the last time that I ever saw that person.
2. Your class has recently had a discussion on whether the teaching of sport in school is necessary. Your teacher has now asked you to write a composition giving reasons for and against this subject being part of the school programme.
3. At school, you have recently studied life in Cyprus in the past and present. Write an article for an international student website in which you discuss some of the similarities and differences between people’s lives in the past and present in Cyprus.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Write the number of your composition here:
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 8
SECTION B: WRITING Part 2 10 marks You see this advert in an English language magazine for young people:
WIN £100,000 TO SPEND ON A NEW PLAY AREA FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS IN YOUR TOWN / VILLAGE!
We are giving away two prizes of £100,000. Send a letter of about 150 words to the address below, in which you introduce yourself and outline your plans for building a new play area for children and teenagers in your town / village. The Editor English International PO Box 100 London WC1A 4WW United Kingdom
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 11
SECTION C: ENGLISH USAGE Part 1 10 marks Complete each sentence, using the words given, so that it has the same meaning as the original one. The first one is an example.
0. Although he is clever, he finds exams difficult. In spite of being clever, he finds exams difficult. 1. I went to bed too late last night. I wish
2. As soon as we landed in Hong Kong, it started to rain. No sooner
3. I packed a torch in my suitcase, but I never used it. I needn’t
4. The garage at the end of the street repaired our car. We had
5. “I’m sorry I took your credit card without asking, Dad.” Tom apologised
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Six 2012
Page 12
SECTION C: ENGLISH USAGE Part 2 10 marks Complete the text using the correct form of the word in brackets. Write your answers in the box below. The first one is an example.
LADY GAGA – FASHION ICON Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also (0) was born on 28th March 1986 in New York City.
(know) as Lady Gaga,
(America) singer-songwriter, who is (2) (fame) She is an (1) (surprise) one for her flamboyant stage costumes. The most (3) (probable) the meat dress, which she wore to the MTV Music was (4) Video Awards ceremony in Los Angeles in 2010. The dress angered animal rights groups and (5) (confuse) among fashion experts. deal of (6)
(cause) a great
(serious). She has her own stylist Lady Gaga takes fashion very (7) and understands that she has to keep updating her image. She was once an (study) at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, art (8) (certain) influenced her fashion sense. which almost (9) (heavy) influenced by David Bowie, Lady Gaga has also been (10) Michael Jackson, Madonna and Queen. During her career, she has sold 23 million albums and 64 million singles worldwide. Answers:
0 1 2 3 4 5
known 6 7 8 9 10 www.thamesenglish.com
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