June 2012
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
LEVEL THREE SECTION A : READING
2 Parts (20 marks)
SECTION B : WRITING
2 Parts (20 marks)
SECTION C : ENGLISH USAGE
2 Parts (20 marks)
90 MINUTES 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 Three 2012
Page 1
SECTION A: READING Part 1 10 marks
DONKEYS ON THE BEACH The seaside town of Blackpool, in England, is a very popular place with British holidaymakers. Every year, thousands of people visit its long, golden, sandy beach and eat ice cream and fish and chips. Many of them also enjoy a ride on one of Blackpool’s famous donkeys. The donkeys started giving people rides in 1890 and, in the early days, their lives were very hard. Luckily, things are different now. During the summer months, the donkeys work between ten o’clock in the morning and seven o’clock in the evening. They have a full hour’s break for lunch and every Friday is a day of rest. Vets also check them to make sure that they are happy and healthy. A donkey ride in Blackpool costs £2.00 and every summer thousands of children spend some of their pocket money on this. To ride on the donkeys, you must weigh less than fifty kilograms, so no adults are allowed to sit on them. Blackpool donkeys can live to be sixty, which is very old for this type of animal. In fact, most donkeys live until they are about forty. The owner of Blackpool’s donkeys says, “We love our donkeys in Blackpool and we hope that children will continue to enjoy riding on them for many more years.”
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 2
Decide if these sentences are TRUE or FALSE, according to the text. The first two are examples. TRUE
0
Blackpool is in England.
00
Blackpool is in Cyprus.
1
Blackpool is by the sea.
2
Thousands of holidaymakers Blackpool every year.
3
Blackpool does not have a beach.
4
Blackpool’s donkeys are famous.
5
In 1890, the donkeys had an easy life.
6
In the winter, the donkeys start work at 10 o’clock and finish at 7 o’clock.
7
In the summer, the donkeys break for one hour at lunchtime.
8
Vets check the donkeys’ health.
9
You must weigh over 50 kilograms to ride on a Blackpool donkey.
visit
10 Donkeys usually live until they are about 40 years old.
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FALSE
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 3
SECTION A: READING Part 2 10 marks
ETON COLLEGE Eton College is the most famous school in the United Kingdom. It is in the village of Eton, near the town of Windsor, which is not far from the capital city, London. Eton College was opened in 1440 by King Henry the Sixth to give a free education to seventy boys from poor families. Today, the school has over 1,300 boys aged between thirteen and eighteen. When they leave Eton College, almost all of the boys go to university and about one third study at Oxford or Cambridge. The boys wear a traditional school uniform known as ‘Eton dress,’ which is a long, black jacket, a white tie and a pair of grey, striped trousers. Even the teachers have to wear a uniform in class. This is usually a black or grey suit, a tie and a long, black piece of clothing called a gown. In recent years, the school has become popular with the British Royal Family and both Prince William and Prince Harry are ‘Old Etonians.’ In fact, many famous British men have studied at Eton, including the present Prime Minister, David Cameron. The Good Schools Guide calls Eton College ‘the number one boys’ school in the world.’ However, those wishing to study there must pay about £30,000 per year.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 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 a school. B. The text is about the British Royal Family. C. The text is about Oxford and Cambridge.
√
1. Which of the following statements is correct? A. Eton College is in England’s capital city. B. Eton College is close to England’s capital city. C. Eton College is far from England’s capital city. 2. Which of the following statements is correct? A. Nearly all of the boys go on to Oxford or Cambridge University. B. 1,300 boys go on to study at Oxford or Cambridge University. C. Nearly all of the boys study at university after Eton. 3. Which of the following statements is correct? A. Eton teachers have to wear gowns. B. Eton teachers can wear what they like. C. Eton teachers have to wear ‘Eton dress.’ 4. Which of the following statements is correct? A. A few well-known British men have studied at Eton. B. Many well-known British men have studied at Eton. C. The British Royal Family does not like Eton College. 5. Which of the following statements is correct? A. It costs around thirty thousand pounds a year to study at Eton. B. It costs thirty thousand pounds to study at Eton for several years. C. The Good Schools Guide pays Eton College £30,000 per year. ANSWERS:
0 A
1
2
3
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4
5
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 5
SECTION B: WRITING Part 1 10 marks Last week, you went on a school trip with your class. Write an email (80-100 words) to your British keypal telling him/her about your day. Use the pictures to help you (you do not have to use all of the pictures and you can use your own ideas).
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Hi Jo! I’m emailing to tell you about……
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Page 6
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
SECTION B: WRITING Part 2 10 marks Look at the picture and write about 60 words.
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Page 7
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 8
SECTION C: ENGLISH USAGE Part 1 10 marks Choose the BEST answer to complete each sentence. Put your answers in the box on the next page. The first one is an example.
0. Is this book A. theres
? B. theirs
C. their
countries in the world.
1. Somalia is one of A. poorest
B. most poor
2. We A. studied
D. they’res
C. the poorest
English when the fire alarm rang. B. study
C. studying
D. were studying
3. When my mother was younger, she A. could
B. might
4. My cousins A. were being
6. I A. don’t start
dance very well. C. can
D. may
to Australia. B. have been
5. She has A. lots
D. poor
C. been
D. has been
Facebook friends. B. lots of
C. lot of
D. a lots of
my homework now because it’s late. B. am not start
C. not start
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D. won’t start
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 9 .
7. Don’t eat those chips, John! They aren’t A. hers
B. theirs
8. He A. fell
B. fallen
C. falling
D. fall
rain tomorrow. B. isn’t
C. couldn’t
10. Tony A. haven’t taken
D. his
over while he was playing basketball.
9. It A. can
C. yours
D. might
his medicine yet. B. wasn’t taken
C. hasn’t taken
ANSWERS:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B
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D. isn’t taken
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Three 2012
Page 10
SECTION C: ENGLISH USAGE Part 2 10 marks
Write an opposite word(s) for each word(s) in the box. The first one is an example. 0
HOT
1
Clean
2
Oldest
3
Stand up
4
Boring
5
Faster
6
Push
7
Expensive
8
Get on
9
Lightest
10
Narrower
COLD
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(BLANK PAGE)
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