MyEnglishTutorHK.com Level 6 Mock Paper 23 (Answers) Name: Time allowed: Class: Date: Total number of pages: Section 1 Comprehension I Read the following article and answer the questions in complete sentences. The Fastest Man in the World In 2008, the world watched in amazement as the world record for the 100m sprint was shattered at the Beijing Olympic Games by Usain Bolt. Not only was his shoelace untied, but he actually slowed down before he reached the finish line in order to celebrate because he was so far ahead of the other runners. In that moment, everyone knew that a new sporting superstar had arrived on the world stage. How did Bolt arrive at this incredible moment? The sprinter was born in Jamaica on 21st August 1986. He spent much more time playing football and cricket than doing his schoolwork. His talent was spotted early on, and he was coached by former Olympic sprinter Pablo McNeil. Although Bolt’s playful personality was occasionally frustrating to McNeil, the two worked well together. By the time of the World Junior Championships in 2002, Bolt was fifteen years old and nearly two metres tall. He won the 200m race and soon started to become a celebrity in his native Jamaica. However, fame had a price. Bolt began to neglect his training, deciding instead to eat, drink and party. His natural talent kept him going, but he was not reaching his potential. In 2005, however, a new coach, Glen Mills, helped to get Bolt on the road to success. Mills worked hard to make his student more disciplined and committed to the sport, as well as to improve his technique, and sure enough Bolt began to do better than ever before. After years of steady improvement, Bolt first broke the 100m world record in New York in May 2008, helped slightly by a tail wind. It seemed like things could not get any better, but just a few months later, at the Beijing Olympics, Bolt did it again, completing the race in 9.69 seconds with no tail wind at all and instantly becoming an international celebrity superstar. Since the 2008 Olympics, Bolt has gone on to break more records, but it will be this performance in Beijing that will go down in history as the most crucial moment of his career. He remains the fastest man in the world, and is perhaps the most characterful person ever to hold this title. 1. In what TWO ways does the first paragraph suggest that Bolt’s success at the Beijing Olympic Games was surprising? It was surprising because his shoelace was untied and he slowed down before he reached the finish line. 2. What does the word “shattered” in line 1 mean? a. lost b. broken c. measured d. won MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印 3. Did Bolt work hard at his academic studies? Give one reason to support your answer. No, he didn’t work hard at his academic studies. This is because he spent more time playing football and cricket. 4. What does “the two” in line 9 refer to? “The two” in line 9 refers to Usain Bolt and Pablo McNeil. 5. Which phrase suggests that there was a negative side to Bolt’s celebrity status? “However, fame had a price.” 6. Give TWO consequences of Bolt hiring Glen Mills as his coach. He made Bolt become more committed to the sport and improved his technique. (more disciplined / began to do better than ever before.) 7. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Usain Bolt was always deeply committed to his sport. b. Bolt achieved fame in his homeland and then around the world. c. Glen Mills was coaching Bolt at the height of his success. d. Bolt broke a world record twice in 2008. MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印 Section 2 Comprehension II Confession by Bruce Lansky I have a brief confession that I would like to make. If I don’t get it off my chest I’m sure my heart will break. I didn’t do my reading. I watched TV instead— while munching cookies, cakes, and chips and cinnamon raisin bread. I didn’t wash the dishes. I didn’t clean the mess. Now there are roaches eating crumbs— a million, more or less. I didn’t turn the TV off. I didn’t shut off the light. Just think of all the energy I wasted through the night. I feel so very guilty. I did a lousy job. I hope my students don’t find out that I am such a slob. Give short answers to the following questions. 1. Why has the speaker chosen to 'confess'? He feels guilty. 2. Name three things that the speaker confesses to. Not doing his reading, not doing the dishes and leaving the light on. 3. True or false: each stanza is the same length in lines. True. 4. What is surprising about the end of the poem? We find out it’s a teacher speaking 5. 'I feel so very guilty' means: He feels bad for what has done. MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印 6. Section 3 Prepositions Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition. (10%) Life is dangerous (1) an astronaut, but Nick had dreamed about 1. for going into space ever since he was little. At school, he loved the lessons about space, and he used to point (2) all the different 2. out stars to his parents. One day, someone mentioned (3) him that 3. to he should go to astronaut school, and so he took the entrance test and passed! All (4) his childhood he had always wanted to 4. through sit (5) the pilot’s seat on a spaceship, to slip the space helmet 5. in (6) his head, and now he had a chance. He even felt that being an astronaut was the key (7) his happiness. He put (8) his best 6. over clothes for the first day at the school, and when he arrived he 7. to was greeted by Stephen, the man in charge, who provided him 8. on (9) an ID card. 9. with Section 4 Tenses Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the given verbs. (10%) First of all, Nick (1. lead) into the main hall by the man in 1. was led charge, whose name was Stephen. There, he (2. sit) with all the other new recruits. Earlier, Nick (3. give) a leaflet, so he read it 2. sat while he waited. It was full of information about space, and 3. had been given how people (4. use to think) that it was impossible to get into space, but now it happened all the time! Apparently, Nick read, 4. need to think soon tourists (5. go) into space on special aircraft. Nick felt 5. would go disappointed that he wasn’t a tourist, but also glad that he (6. train) as a pilot for many years. ‘Now I (7. to fly) through 6. had been trained space!’ Nick said to himself. The man next to him turned round 7. will fly and (8. ask) Nick ‘Are you new too?’ The man (9. shake) 8. asked Nick’s hand and said he (10. call) Henry. 9. shook 10. was called MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印 Section 5 Suffixes Change the words in brackets by adding a suffix to the base of the word. (8%) From the moment they met, Nick knew that he was going to 1. lovable like Henry. He was a very (1. love) man, and always friendly. Nick and Henry found the first weeks of astronaut school very 2. flammable difficult. They had to do safety exercises with (2. flame) 3. scientists material – if something caught fire in space it would be fatal! They also had to go to lots of classes with (3. people who do 4. engineers science) to understand chemicals, and with (4. people who do 5. commander engineering) to understand the spacecraft. They also listened to a talk by the (5. person who commands) of a space ship who 6. valuable had been in space before. Nick was excited to ask him 7. enjoyable questions, and the man had lots of (6. value) advice about living 8. sensible in space. Although it was hard, Nick and Henry found it (7. enjoy). They knew that they would do well at astronaut school as long as they were (8. sense). Section 6 Vocabulary Write the correct word from the definition given in the text. (8%) After the first few weeks, Nick knew his way around the whole 1. wander school. It was quite a big building. He liked to (1) through the corridors, walking aimlessly until he found someone to talk to. 2. pianist Usually, he walked with Henry, who was his best friend. Henry 3. orchestra said that he never thought about becoming an astronaut until recently, he had always wanted to be a (2), because he was 4. conductor talented at the piano. He had been part of an (3) once, playing 5. musician along with all the other instruments, but the (4), the person who directed all the musicians, wasn’t a nice man and Henry thought 6. enjoyable he was too strict because he made him play the piano for hours. 7. furniture Nick thought he would be a good (5), but he didn’t know what 8. visible instrument he would play. Besides, going into space sounded much more (6), a really fun activity. He told Henry how all the (7) on space ships, the tables and chairs, had to be secured to the floor, or they might float away! Every day, he saw the space ship that was (8) from the window, you could see it from the school.