Bài tập đọc hiểu tiếng anh lớp 12 chọn lọc tham khảo

Tư liệu đọc hiểu ( with Answers)
Từ gợi ý (dư 4 từ) :
guess , made , give , stopped, on ,third , two , first ,other , with , lived , a , the , send
War of Words
A king sent 1 message to 2 ruler of a neighbouring country The message read:
" 3 me a blue diamond as large as a pigeon's egg or else "
The king on getting the message wrote back:
"We don't have such a diamond and if we had "
The first king got very angry and declared war 4 his neighbour. The fighting went on
for several months till a 5 king arranged a meeting between the 6 warring rulers.
So they met and the 7 king said to the 8 : "What did you mean when you
said, 'Send me a blue diamond as large as a pigeon's egg or else '?"
"Why," he replied, "I meant a blue diamond as large as a pigeon's egg or else some
other diamond. I love diamonds. But what did you mean when you said, 'We don't have
such a diamond and if we had-'?"
"It is easy to 9 my meaning," said the other man. "What I wanted to say was, if we
had such a diamond we would have gladly sent it to you."
The Kings pledged to write more clearly in future communications and embraced
and 10 peace.
Answer:
1 a 2 the 3 send 4 on 5 third 6 two 7 first 8 other 9 guess 10 made // give ,stopped ,with ,
lived

Từ gợi ý :
Definitely , distant , for, just , to , through , huge , prosperous , complained , unnecessary
A wise servant
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a 1 country. One day, he went for a trip
to some 2 areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he 3 that his
feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went 4 such a long trip, and
the road that he went 5 was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover
every road of the entire country with leather.

6 , this would need thousands of cows’ skin, and would cost a 7 amount of
money.
Then one of his wise servants dared himself to tell the king, “Why do you have to spend
that 8 amount of money? Why don’t you 9 cut a little piece of leather to cover
your feet?”
The king was surprised, but he later agreed 10 his suggestion, to make a “shoe” for
himself.
Answer:
1 prosperous 2 distant 3 complained 4 for 5 through 6 Definitely 7 huge 8 unnecessary 9 just
10 to

Điền từ gợi ý thích hợp vào chỗ trống :
whether , under , remain , to , to , just , acutely , that , made , proud of ,
Sleepless Night
There was an old man who was intensely 1 two things – his long, white
beard 2 reached down to his chest, and his ability to sleep the moment his head touched the
pillow.
One day, his 3-year-old grandson asked him how he arranged his beard when he slept: did it go under
the blanket or did it 3 above it?
The old man had never paid attention 4 this detail, and he confessed he didn’t
remember 5 his beard remained above or went under the blanket. He promised to find out.
It was very cold that night. The old man got into bed and pulled the blanket over himself. Then he
suddenly remembered his grandson’s question.
He became 6 conscious that his beard was under the blanket. He lifted it from 7 the
blanket, and placed it above it. This 8 him feel that something was not quite right. So he
tucked the beard under the blanket again. But he soon felt it would be better if it were out. In and out
went the beard; first under the blanket, then above it, then under once again. The old man spent a
sleepless night.
The next morning the first thing he did was cut his beard to chin level, 9 the great joy of his
daughter who, for several months, had been urging him to do 10 that.

Answer:
1 proud of 2 that 3 remain 4 to 5 whether 6 acutely 7 under 8 made 9 to 10 just

Điền từ gợi ý thích hợp vào chỗ trống :
Meanwhile , where , aware , Spare , door , with , usual , Suddenly , Whenever , sight ,
Change of Mind
There was a sickly young girl who always seemed to be at death’s 1 Her
neighbour was a widow, bent 2 age. 3 she caught 4 of the girl she
would shake her head sadly and say: “Oh God, why do you torment that poor child if
you want a life (mạng người) take this old woman!”
One evening a bull in the village, put its head into a large black pot to get at some grain at
the bottom, and then couldn’t get its head out. Frightened and confused, it ran hither and
thither, unable to see 5 it was going because its eyes were covered by the pot.
6 , the old woman we mentioned, was visiting her neighbour. She came out and
as 7 began shaking her head and saying that if God wanted a life he should take
hers. 8 she became 9 that a powerfully-built beast, apparently headless,
was rushing at her.
“Yama has come for me!” she thought and was filled with terror.
“Mercy, my Lord, mercy!” she screeched, falling to her knees in front of the advancing
bull. “ 10 me. There’s a sickly girl next door. Take her instead!”
Answer:
1 door 2 with 3 Whenever 4 sight 5 where 6 Meanwhile 7 usual 8 Suddenly 9 aware 10
Spare

Mother’s love in quake
When the rescuers found her, she was already dead, crushed by the collapsed house. Through all
the debris, people can see her posture : both knees down, upper body forward with hands holding
her body, like praying to the heaven. The rescuer pushed his hand in through the crevices to
confirm her death. He again shouted and knocked the loose bricks with his tool, no response from
inside.

The rescue team moved on to the next collapsed building. The team leader must feel the strange
posture of the dead lady. He went back, checked again and shouted to his team: come back,
there is a baby alive under her body!
After a hard try, they carefully cleared the debris around the dead woman. Lied under her body
was her well-wrapped baby, about three or four month old. Because of her mothers protection,
he was not hurt at all. He was still sleeping when he was taken out. His quiet sleeping face really
calmed people nearby. The doctor came over to perform the routine check and found out a cell
phone tucked under his blanket. He took a look of the screen, an already written message is there:
my loving baby, if you can survive, please remember I always love you. Even the Doctor, who
is so used to seeing life and death, cried. The cell phone was passed along, and everybody reading
the message cried.
1.What is the best title for this passage?
A. A mother’s love B.survival of a baby
C.Mother’s love in quake D.A baby is saved
2.The word “posture” means in Vietnamese.
A.cử chỉ B.hình dáng C.tư thế D.vị trí
3.Where did they find the baby ?
A.in the first collapsed building
B.outside the second collapsed building
C.inside the second collapsed building
D.in the mother’s hands
4.From the massage we can see
A.the mother’s love B.the mother’s hope
C.the mother’s belief D.the mother’s bravery

B
Light travels at a speed which is about a million times faster than the speed of sound, In one
second, light travels about 300,000 km, but sound travels only 344 m. You can get some idea of this
difference by watching the start of a race. If you stand some distance away from the starter, you can
see smoke come from his gun before the sound reaches your ears.

This great speed of light produces some strange facts. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach us.
If you look at the light of the moon tonight, remember that the light rays left the moon 1.3 seconds
before they reached you. The nearest star is so far away that the light which you can see from it
tonight started to travel towards you 4 years ago at a speed of nearly 20 million km per minute. In
some cases, the light from one of tonight’s stars started on its journey to you before you were born.
Thus, if we want to be honest, we cannot say, "The stars are shining tonight." We
have to say, "The stars look pretty. They were shining four years ago but their light has
only just reached the earth."
1. If you stand 200 meters away from a man who is firing a gun to start a race, you will find out that__
A. you can hear the sound of the gun before you see the smoke
B. sound does not travel as fast as light
C. the sound of the gun will reach you before the race begins
D. the sound travels about a million times faster than the smoke
2. It is obvious that sunlight than the light of the moon.
A. has to travel a greater distance B. moves less quickly
C. travels much more quickly D. less powerful
3. The scientific way of saying "The stars are shining tonight" should be__
A. the stars have been shining all the time
B. the stars seen tonight will be shining four years later
C. the stars were shining long ago but are seen tonight
D. the starlight seen today could be seen four years ago
4. The distance between the moon and the earth is kilometers.
A. less than 380,000 B. just 380,000
C. as long as 380,000 D. more than 380,000
1B 2A 3C 4D

C
Milan, the second largest city of Italy, has won an undesirable world record. Of the 54 big cities
studied by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, Milan is
considered to have the worst air pollution. According to these two 10 year studies, the

level of air pollution in Milan is twice as high as the levels in Paris and Beijing and three
times those in Tokyo and London, and four times that in New York. The reason for Milan's
bad pollution, to some experts, is that the city lies in a valley that holds back the poisonous
gases. Though Milan has taken some measures to lower the level of pollution, the situation
is still worrying. People joke to each other, "If you are traveling to Milan, be sure to bring
your gas mask." In order to reduce the use of private cars, in 1979, the government in Milan began an
interesting experiment: passengers in the city buses did not have to pay for their tickets.
1. Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the text?
A. Milan's air is considered to be worst polluted in Europe.
B. Experts think that the air in Milan is badly polluted.
C. The reason for the air pollution in Milan.
D. Measures have been taken by Milan to reduce the air pollution.
2. Which of the following cities keeps the lowest level of air pollution?
A. London. B. Tokyo. C. New York. D. Paris.
3. Why is the air pollution in Milan so serious?
A. Because too many cars are being driven in the city every day.
B. Because the city lies in a place where there are some mountains near it.
C. Because Milan has taken some measures to encourage people to buy private cars.
D. Because the city lies in a place where it is difficult for polluted air to move away.
4.According to the text, Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Milan has taken some measures and the air pollution is being reduced.
B. Milan has taken some action, but the air pollution is still troublesome.
C. Milan has made no effort so far to lower the level of pollution.
D. Milan has taken every step to reduce the air pollution.
1A 2C 3D 4B

D
During the 19
th
century scientists found that when certain parts of the brain of a man were injured,

he would lose the power to do something. And so people thought that each part of the brain did a
different job. But modern research has found out that this is not so, for it is not easy to say exactly
what each part of the brain does.
In the past fifty years, there has been a great increase in the amount of research done on the brain.
Chemists and biologists have discovered that the way the brain works is not so simple as people in
general may think. Chemists tell us that 1,000,000 chemical changes take place in the brain every
second. Some recent researches also suggest that we can remember everything that happens to us. We
may not be able to recall the things we've heard and seen, but it is still kept there in the storehouse of
the mind.
Earlier scientists thought that the power of one's brain got weaker and weaker as one grew older.
But it is now thought that it is not true. As long as the brain is given plenty of exercise it keeps its
power. It has been proved that an old person who has always been active in the mind has a quicker
mind than a young man who has done some physical work without using much of the brain. The more
work we give our brains, the more work they are able to do.
1. At present, the scientists have found out that __.
A. a certain part of a marls brain does a certain job
B. if a man's brain is injured, he can't do anything
C. it's difficult to conclude what each part of a man’s brain does
D. the brain is more powerful than any other part of a man’s body
2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A. Few researches have been done on the brain in the past fifty years.
B. Most people think that the way the brain works is simple.
C. 1,000,000 chemical changes take place in the brain every other second.
D. We can’t recall all that we’ve heard and seen because what we can remember islimited.
3. The main idea of the last paragraph is__
A. One's mind becomes quicker as he keeps active in thinking
B. One's brain gets weaker and weaker as he grows older
C. One's brain gets stronger as he grows older
D. Doing physical work is not good for our mental health
4. The purpose of writing this text is to___

A. tell us some new findings about man
B. remind the scientists of the great discoveries in the 19th century
C. encourage further study in the brain
D. correct some misunderstanding about the brain
1C2B3A4D

A
If there is a building which symbolizes a country－such as the Eiffel Tower for France and Sydney
Opera House for Australia－then it has to be the Taj Mahal for India.
It was set up by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. From the
time they got married, they wouldn’t be separated. She followed him to wars, advised him on affairs
of state, and was loved by his people for her good work. But she died in 1631 during childbirth. The
emperor was heartbroken and had the Taj Mahal built as a sign of his love.
It took more than 20years for the Taj to be built. Workers were brought in, not only from all over
India, but from central Asia too. A total of 20,000 people worked on the building.
In 1657, Shah Jahan fell ill and in 1658 his son, Aurangzeb, imprisoned his father and seized
power. Shah Jahan stayed in prison until his death in 1666. He was finally buried there with his wife
he could never forget.
The Taj is definitely worth more than a single visit. As it is built with white marble stones, its
character changes in different lights. It looks more beautiful at sunrise and sunset. At sunset, for
example, the color of the Taj changes from white to yellow, then to pink. As the moon rises, it turns a
silvery white.
To show respect to the Taj, tourists are asked to take off their shoes during their visit.
1．Which of the following about the Taj Mahal is not true?
A．The Taj Mahal was built with white marble stones.
B．It book over 20 years to set up the Taj Mahal.
C．All workers building the Tai Mahal came from central Asia.
D．As is told, it is a symbol of India.
2．Why did Emperpor Shah Jahan build the Taj Mahal?
A．To make more world wonders. B．To memorize his wife.

C．To show his great power. D．To give his wife great honour.
3．What does the underlined word “definitely” here probably mean?
A．một cách xác định B．một cách rõ ràng C.một cách khó hiểu D.một cách không xác định
4．Which of the following sentences is TURE?
A．Shah Jahan lived a hard life in his last years.
B．Shah Jahan treated his son badly when he was young.
C．Shah Jahan lost his life just because of old age.
D．Shah Jahan was not popular with his people at that time.
5．Which of the following is true about the writer of the passage?
A．He thinks the Taj Mahal is the most grand building in the world.
B．He doesn’t think the Taj Mahal worth a visit.
C．He has never visited the Taj Mahal.
D．He thinks highly of the Taj mahal.
1 C 2B 3A 4A 5D

C
It’s great to go on vacation, but it’s also nice to come home. Migrating birds seem to feel the
same way. Birds such as black-tailed godwits , a migrating bird that can be found in Europe, Asia,
north Africa and north Australia, fly south every winter. Then, they return home to spend the summer
months with their life long partners.
Now, scientists have found, pairs of godwits often return to their summer breeding grounds
within three days of each other, even though they spend the entire winter apart. It’s as if they arranged
the date that they would meet up again.
Researchers in England, put colored leg bands on the birds. Then, they asked bird watchers
around Europe to report by email when and where they saw the birds during the winter.
The simplest way for birds to return at the same time would be to spend the winter together.
After all, if they’re in different places, they can’t call each other on the phone and talk about when
they’ll meet again.
But, the survey found that couples usually spent their winters in different countries up to 1,000
kilometers apart. One male, for example, spent the winter on the coast of Ireland while his mate was in

France.
There findings are important for protecting the birds, scientists say. Black-tailed godwits live for
up to 25 years. They spend their summers in Iceland, where they mate, but they spread all over other
parts of Europe in winter. Once a pair mates, there’s a 90% chance that they’ll return to mate with
each other again the next year. So, protection of their wide web of holiday destinations is very
important.
How do the birds arrange their date of return? Unless scientists find their feathered cell phones,
that question will remain a mystery.
1．We can find godwits in quite a lot of places except ___________.
A．America B．Europe C．Africa D．Asia
2．What did the scientists discover about godwits?
A．Godwits are a kind migrating bird.
B．Godwits spend the entire winter apart.
C．Godwits arrange the date that they will meet up again.
D．Pairs of godwits return to their breeding grounds within three days of each other.
3．How did the researchers in England do the research?
A．By serving as bird watchers around Europe.
B．By putting coloured leg bands on the birds.
C．By tracking the birds all the way.
D．By colouring the birds feather.
4．Why are the findings of the survey important?
A．To help people observe them.
B．To help godwits find their mates.
C．To help them to find their destination.
D．To help people protect their habitats.
5．What does the underlined sentence “Unless scientists find their feathered cell phones, that question
will remain a mystery.” mean?
A．It is still unknown what kind of feathered cell phone godwits have.
B．Scientists have known how the birds arrange their date of return.
C．It remains unknown how the birds arrange their date of return.

D．It is amazing that godwits have feathered cell phones.
1 A 2D 3B 4D 5C

A
The first newspapers were written by hand and put up on walls in public place. The
earliest daily newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700’s the world’s first
printed newspaper was published. Europe didn’t have a regularly published newspaper
until 1609, when one was started in Germany.
The first regularly published newspaper in the English language was printed in
Amsterdam in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was
published once a week. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant . It
came out in March 1702.
In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But not long
after it was first published, the government stopped the paper. In 1704, John Campbell
started The Boston Newsletter , the first newspaper published in the American colonies.
By 1760, the colonies had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1,800
daily papers in the United States.
Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation in the
world. But the largest circulation for a newspaper is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi
Dhimbun . It sells more than eleven million copies every day.
1. The first daily newspaper came out in _____.
A. 59 BC B. 700’s C. 1609 D. 1620
2. The first regular published newspaper in Europe was printed in _____.
A. England B. Germany C. France D. Sweden
3. The first printed newspaper in America came out in _____.
A. Washington B. New York C. Boston D. New Orleans
4. Today there are about _____ daily newspaper printed in the United States.
A. 1621 B. 1704 C. 1760 D. 1800
1 A 2B 3C 4D

C
I’m seventeen. I had worked as a box boy at a supermarket in Los Angeles. People came
to the counter and you put things in their bags for them. And carried things to their cars.
It was hard work.
While working, you wear a plate with your name on it. I once met someone I knew years
ago. I remembered his name and said,“Mr Castle, how are you?”We talked about this and
that. As he left, he said,“I t was nice talking to you, Brett.”I felt great, he remembered
me. Then I looked down at my name plate. Oh no. He didn’t remember me at all, he just
read the name plate. I wish I had put“Irving”down on my name plate. If he’d have
said,“Oh yes, Irving, how could I forget you?”I’d have been ready for him. There’s
nothing personal here.
The manager and everyone else who were a step above the box boys often shouted
orders. One of these was：you couldn’t accept tips .Okay, I’m outside and I put the bags
in the car. For a lot of people, the natural reaction is to take a quarter and give it me. I’d
say,“I’m sorry, I can’t”They’d get angry. When you give someone a tip, you’re sort of
being polite. You take a quarter and you put it in their hand and you expect them to
say,“Oh, thanks a lot.”When you say,“I’m sorry, I can’t”they feel a little put down. They
say,“No one will know.”And they put it in your pocket. You say,“I really can’t”It gets to
a point where you almost have to hurt a person physically to prevent him from tipping
you. It was not in agreement with the story’s belief in being friendly. Accepting tips was
a friendly thing and made the customer feel good. I just couldn’t understand the
strangeness of some people’s ideas. One lady actually put it in my pocket, got in the car,
and drove away. I would have had to throw the quarter at her or eaten it or something.
I had decided that one year was enough. Some people needed the job to stay alive and
fed. I guess I had the means and could afford to hate it and give it up.
1．What can be the best title for this text?
A．How Hard Life is for Box Boys B．Getting along with Customers
C．Why I Gave up My Job D．The Art of Taking Tips
2．Form the second paragraph, we can infer that________.
A．the writer didn’t like the impersonal part of his job

B．with a name plate, people can easily start talking
C．Mr Castle mistook Irving for Brett
D．Irving was the writer’s real name
3．The box boy refused to accept tips because_______.
A．customers only gave small tips
B．some customers had strange ideas about tipping
C．the store forbade the box boys to take tips
D．he didn’t want to fight with the customers
4．The underlined phrase“put down”in the third paragraph probably means_______.
A．misunderstood B．defeated C．hateful D．hurt
1C 2A 3C 4B

A
Mother Teresa was born in Yugoslavia ,on August 27,1910.She attended the government
school near her home until she was eighteen. At that time, some doctors and nurses from
Yugoslavia were working in India, and they often wrote to the school about their work.
She decided to join them one day.
When she left school, she went first to Britain. Then a year later she went to India,
where she began to train to be a teacher. After training, she was sent to Calcutta ,where
she taught geography
at a school and soon after became headmistress .
However, although she loved teaching, in 1946 Mother Teresa left the school and went
to work in the poor parts of Calcutta. Later she trained to become a nurse in Patna, and
then began her work helping the poor and comforting the dying in the streets of the city.
Slowly, others came to help her, and her work spread to other parts of India.
Mother Teresa is now a well-known person. many photos have been taken of her, as she
travels the world to open new schools and hospitals in poor countries. In 1979,she was
given the Nobel Peace Prize for the lifetime of love and service she has given to the poor.
1. Where did Mother Teresa receive her education?
A. In Yugoslavia and India. B. In Yugoslavia and Britain.

C. In Britain and India. D. In Yugoslavia, Britain and India.
2. What first made Mother Teresa work in India?
A. Her visit to the poor parts of Calcutta.
B. Her visit to Britain after she finished school.
C. The medical workers' letters to her school.
D. The work of the nurse in the city of Patna.
3. In which order did Mother Teresa do the following things?
a. Trained to be a nurse b. Went to India
c. Helped the dying d. Studied to be a teacher
e. Went to Britain f. Worked as a headmistress
A. b,a,c,e,d,f B. b,f,a,d,e,c C. e,b,d,f,a,c D. e,a,b,c,d,f
4. Mother Teresa gave up teaching because she wanted __________.
A. to look after the poor B. to travel to poor countries
C. to build hospitals for the poor D. to train nurses to care for the poor
5. Mother Teresa is now a famous person because she has _________.
A. saved many poor people in India
B. helped to bring about world peace
C. helped to make India a more peaceful place
D. taken care of many poor people in the world
1A 2C 3C 4A 5D

D
The United States is well-known for its network of major highways designed to help a driver
get from one place to another in the shortest possible time. Although these wide modern roads are
generally smooth and well maintained, with few sharp curves and many straight sections, a direct
route is not always the most enjoyable one. Large highways often pass by scenic areas and interesting
small towns. Furthermore, these highways generally connect large urban centers which means that
they become crowded with traffic during rush hours, when the “fast, direct” way becomes a very slow
route. However, there is almost always another route to take if you are not in a hurry. Not far from the
relatively new “super highways” there are often older, less heavily traveled roads which go through

the countryside. Some of these are good lane roads. Others are uneven roads curving through the
country. These secondary routes may go up steep slopes, along hilly cliffs or down frightening
hillsides to towns lying in deep valleys. Though these are less direct routes, longer and slower, they
generally go to places where the air is clean and the scenery is beautiful, and the driver may have a
chance to get a fresh, clean view of the world.
1. The passage is mainly about ______
A. the scenic of country
B. the traffic in the city
C. the network of major highways in the US
D. the difference between the highways and country routes
2. Why isn't a direct route always the most enjoyable one?
A. Because it is well maintained.
B. Because it has few sharp curves.
C. Because it often passes an interesting small town.
D. Because it connects large urban centers with heavy traffic during rush hours.
3. If you are not in a hurry, you can choose ____________
A. large highways B. the “fast, direct” way
C. the secondary routes D. curving road
4. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The United States is famous for its network of major highways,
B. The drivers may get a fresh, clean view of the world when they drive through the highway.
C. Not far from the relatively new “super highways” there are often older less heavily traveled
roads.
D. The air is clean and the scenery is beautiful when you take the secondary routes.
1D 2D 3C 4B

Sunshine may prevent cancer
Scientists have told us for many years that the sun can harm our
health. Researchers have produced many studies that link exposure to
the sun to cancer. Doctors continually warn us about the dangers of

ultraviolet (UV) rays. Well, all of this might now change. Doctors and
scientists may soon be telling us the opposite. New research suggests
that sunshine is necessary for our bodies. Our skin absorbs the UV
rays and produces vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”.
Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University says that vitamin D
contains many anti-cancer benefits. He believes vitamin D might help
prevent 30 more deaths than those caused by skin cancer. It might
now be time to put the sunscreen away. Doctors may soon
recommend we spend fifteen minutes a day in direct sunlight. They
say this will allow our skin to produce the vitamin D we need.
Researchers highlight the fact that there are fewer people with cancer
in sunnier parts of the world.
1. Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T)
or false (F):
a. Scientists have told us for many years that sunshine is healthy.
b. Researchers say there is a link between studying and cancer.
c. Doctors and scientists have changed their minds about UV rays.
d. Vitamin C is called the “sunshine vitamin”.
e. Vitamin D may prevent 30 deaths for each one caused by skin cancer.
f. Sunscreen might not be so necessary now.
g. Our bodies need five hours a day in direct sunlight.
h. There is less cancer in sunnier parts of the world.
Answer
a. F b. F c. T d. F e. T f. T g. F h. T

Russian breaks time-in-space record
Veteran Russian spaceman Sergei Krikalev, 46, has set a new record
for the longest time spent in space. Krikalev recorded his 748th day in
orbit on August 16. He will celebrate his record-breaking achievement
by going on a six-hour space walk to do routine maintenance and

upgrades. His first journey into space was in November 1988 on a visit
to the Mir space station. In 1994, he was the first Russian to ride on
the space shuttle. He was also on the first mission to assemble the
International Space Station in 1998.
Krikalev said his profession was a “challenge”. He explained his
reasons for choosing to spend so much time in space: “Why do people
climb mountains? — It’s cold, it’s windy, it’s difficult to haul up all of
the equipment, but then it’s exciting. You overcome some difficulties.
You see some new sights. You do things that other people cannot.” He
said living in the heavens was the perfect job. His lengthy periods of
time in space have also provided precious scientific data on the
physical and psychological stresses on the body.
1.Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T)
or false (F):
a. A cosmonaut broke the record for the longest time spent in space.
b. A Russian has spent 748 days in space.
c. He will celebrate with a champagne party on the space station.
d. His biggest dream is to ride on NASA’s space shuttle.
e. He said his profession wasn’t such a challenge.
f. He talked about the difficulties of hauling equipment into space.
g. He said living in the heavens was the perfect job.
h. He has provided scientists with lots of data about stress on the body.
Answer
a. T b. T c. F d. F e. F f. F g. T h. T

Eating fish is good for the brain
Eating fish every week may keep our brain more active during our
older years. This is the conclusion of research conducted by the Rush
University Medical Center in Chicago. The study found that older
people who eat fish regularly have quicker and better memories. Over

a lifetime of eating fish, people could be three to four years mentally
younger in age. Lead researcher Martha Clare Morris said: “We found
that people who ate one fish meal a week had a 10 percent slower
annual decline in thinking.…People who rarely eat fish have a…faster
decline in their thinking ability over time.”
Morris’s team collected information on the diets and memory loss of
6,158 people aged 65 and older. She concluded: “Eating fish may help
to slow people’s decline in thinking ability as they age.” She thinks
several fatty acids contained in fish may help the brain’s development.
Eating fish has previously been associated with a lower risk of
developing Alzheimer’s disease or having a stroke. Oily fish, like
salmon and tuna, are a rich source of the acids. The report on the
benefits of consuming fish appears in the October 10 online issue of
the Archives of Neurology*.
1. Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T)
or false (F):

a. Eating fish may make us better at passing examinations.
b. Old people who eat fish regularly may remember things better.
c. Eating fish may keep us four years mentally younger.
d. People who do not eat fish spend less time thinking.
e. A study looked at the eating habits of more than 6,000 old people.
f. Our body fat is important for the brain’s development.
g. Salmon and tuna do not help the brain.
h. The study appears in the latest issue of the “Fish and Brain” journal.
Answer
a. F b. T c. T d. F e. T f. F g. F h. F

Madonna enters Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame
Singing superstar and pop icon Madonna entered the U.S. Rock and

Roll Hall of Fame on March 12th. The 49-year-old is now officially a
rock legend. To enter the Hall of Fame, a singer or band must wait
until 25 years after their first hit. Madonna received her honour at New
York’s grand Waldorf Astoria Hotel. She was part of a star-studded
cast who were getting awards. The singer Justin Timberlake presented
Madonna with her prize and made a very saucy speech. He joked
about his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears, saying: "The world is full of
Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple. But there is
truly only one Madonna." Timberlake, who produced Madonna’s last
album, told the audience: “People always ask if she is the control freak
people say she is.” His answer was, “Hell, yeah.” He also
complimented Madonna for “looking…damn fine".
Madonna was extremely honoured to accept her award. She thanked
all of the people who told her she would never be successful. “The
ones that said I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing,
that I was a one-hit wonder. They inspired me because they made me
question myself repeatedly and pushed me to be better,” she said to
great applause. The songstress talked about her varied and super-
successful career and said music was her love: "I have gone on to do
so many things in my life, from writing children's books, to designing
clothes, to directing a film. But for me, it always does, and it always
will, come back to the music, so thank you." She also thanked the
angels who she said looked down on her and protected her. Madonna,
the queen of pop, and now rock and roll, has sold over 200 million
albums worldwide.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. A wax model of Madonna has been put in a famous music museum. T / F
b. Madonna’s first hit song was twenty years ago. T / F
c. A singer said the world was full of Madonna wannabes. T / F

d. The singer said Madonna was a control freak. T / F
e. Madonna thanked people who told her she’d never be successful. T / F
f. People who doubted Madonna’s talents inspired her to be better. T / F
g. Madonna said she preferred designing clothes to singing. T / F
h. Madonna has sold over two billion albums worldwide. T / F
CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.
Singing superstar and (1) ____ icon Madonna entered the U.S. Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame on March 12th. The 49-year-old is now (2) ____ a rock legend. To
enter the Hall of Fame, a singer or band must wait until 25 years after their first
hit. Madonna received her honour at New York’s grand Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
She was part of a star-(3) ____ cast who were getting awards. The singer Justin
Timberlake presented Madonna with her prize and made a very (4) ____ speech.
He joked about his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears, saying: "The world is full of
Madonna (5) ____. I might have even dated a couple. But there is truly only one
Madonna." Timberlake, who produced Madonna’s last album, told the audience:
“People always ask if she is the control (6) ____ people say she is.” His answer
was, “Hell, yeah.” He also complimented Madonna for “looking…damn fine".
Madonna was extremely honoured to (7) ____ her award. She thanked all of the
people who told her she would never be successful. “The ones that said I was
talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing, that I was a one-hit wonder.
They inspired me because they made me question myself (8) ____ and pushed
me to be better,” she said (9) ____ great applause. The songstress talked about
her varied and super-successful career and said music was her love: "I have
gone (10) ____ to do so many things in my life, from writing children's books, to
designing clothes, to directing a film. But for me, it always (11) ____, and it
always will, come back to the music, so thank you." She also thanked the angels
who she said looked down on her and protected her. Madonna, the queen of pop,
and now rock and roll, has sold over 200 million albums (12) ____.
1. (a) pup (b) pep (c) pip (d) pop
2. (a) officially (b) official (c) officialdom (d) officer

3. (a) study (b) studded (c) studs (d) studio
4. (a) gravy (b) creamy (c) saucy (d) watery
5. (a) bumble bees (b) wallabies (c) wannabes (d) frisbees
6. (a) freckle (b) freak (c) frock (d) freakish
7. (a) accent (b) reject (c) except (d) accept
8. (a) repeatedly (b) repeating (c) repeat (d) repeater
9. (a) of (b) to (c) for (d) as
10. (a) with (b) by (c) in (d) on
11. (a) done (b) do (c) does (d) doer
12. (a) worldwide (b) worldly (c) worldliness (d) worlds
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. F c. T d. T e. T f. T g. F h. F
1 - d 2 - a 3 - b 4 - c 5 - c 6 - b 7 - d 8 - a 9 - b 10- d 11- c 12- a


An Australian fisherman has been hailed a national hero after he swam
for 10 hours in shark-infested waters to help his colleagues. Michael
Williams, 39, amazed rescue workers and emergency services after his
marathon 12-kilometre swim off the coast of New South Wales. His
shrimp trawler hit a coral reef and sank very quickly. There was no
time to radio for help so Williams and the two other fishermen on the
boat had no choice but to jump into the sea. The three men became
separated in the dark and Williams decided to swim to the shore. His
feat of endurance amazed rescue workers and the fishing community.
His efforts meant he was able to save one of his two crew mates. A
rescue helicopter pulled John Jarrett, 41, from the ocean soon after
Williams raised the alarm.
Emergency services called off the search for the third man, the
boat’s captain, Charlie Picton. Police said evidence suggested he had
drowned. Police officers described the survival of Williams and Jarrett

as nothing short of “miraculous”. A search and rescue specialist, Steve
Willis, said very few people could survive such an ordeal. He told
reporters: "The expected survival time for most people in those
conditions would be a few hours.” Williams is making a full recovery in
hospital, suffering from cuts and bruises, exhaustion and sunburn.
Jarrett is also doing well after being severely dehydrated. He never
doubted his survival, telling the media: "I've got a determination like
no other person…I wasn't going to die out there, no way." He did add
that he would never go to sea again.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. An Australian fisherman has broken a marathon swimming record. T / F
b. The fisherman’s boat sank in shark-infested waters. T / F
c. The fisherman radioed for help before he jumped into the sea. T / F
d. The fisherman’s heroism saved the life of one of his colleagues. T / F
e. The police described the fisherman’s survival as being a miracle. T / F
f. The fisherman is not making such a speedy recovery in hospital. T / F
g. Another fisherman was suffering from a lack of water. T / F
h. The other fisherman is looking forward to going to sea again. T / F
CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.
An Australian fisherman has been (1) ____ a national hero after he swam for 10
hours in shark-(2) ____ waters to help his colleagues. Michael Williams, 39,
amazed rescue workers and emergency services after his marathon 12-kilometre
swim (3) ____ the coast of New South Wales. His shrimp trawler hit a coral reef
and sank very quickly. There was no time to radio for help (4) ____ Williams
and the two other fishermen on the boat had no choice but to jump into the sea.
The three men became separated in the dark and Williams decided to swim to
the shore. His (5) ____ of endurance amazed rescue workers and the fishing
community. His efforts meant he was able to save one of his two crew mates. A
rescue helicopter pulled John Jarrett, 41, from the ocean soon after Williams (6)

____ the alarm.
Emergency services called (7) ____ the search for the third man, the boat’s
captain, Charlie Picton. Police said evidence suggested he had drowned. Police
officers described the survival of Williams and Jarrett as nothing (8) ____ of
“miraculous”. A search and rescue specialist, Steve Willis said very few people
could survive such an ordeal. He told reporters: "The expected survival time for
most people in (9) ____ conditions would be a few hours.” Williams is making a
full recovery in hospital, suffering from (10) ____ and bruises, exhaustion
and sunburn. Jarrett is also doing well after being severely dehydrated. He never
(11) ____ his survival, telling the media: "I've got a determination like no other
person…I wasn't going to die out there, no way." He did (12) ____ that he would
never go to sea again.
1. (a) healed (b) holed (c) hauled (d) hailed
2. (a) infest (b) infested (c) infests (d) infestation
3. (a) off (b) in (c) on (d) next
4. (a) although (b) but (c) so (d) however
5. (a) foot (b) feet (c) feat (d) fate
6. (a) increased (b) raised (c) upped (d) lifted
7. (a) off (b) up (c) on (d) out
8. (a) shortening (b) shortest (c) shorten (d) short
9. (a) that (b) those (c) then (d) their
10. (a) wounds (b) stitches (c) scars (d) cuts
11. (a) doubtless (b) doubt (c) doubted (d) doubtable
12. (a) add (b) plus (c) join (d) total
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. T c. F d. T e. T f. T g. T h. T
1 - d 2 - b 3 - a 4 - c 5 - c 6 - b 7 - a 8 - d 9 - b 10- d 11- c 12- a


A new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) shows how fish

populations are in serious danger from global warming. The report
“Are we putting our fish in hot water?” describes how climate change is
increasing the water temperature in rivers, lakes and seas. This means
there is less food and oxygen available for fish. It also means the fish
may not grow fully and may have fewer offspring. Some fish cannot
reproduce if winter temperatures are not cold enough. Warmer water
means fish could mass migrate to cooler areas. Some species will
become extinct if temperatures rise even by one or two degrees.
WWF director Andrew Lee said climate change increases the pressure
on fish populations that are already being cut by over-fishing. He said:
We must act urgently to reduce both carbon dioxide emissions and
fishing…to protect fish populations.” He added fish “are one of the
world’s most valuable biological, nutritional and economic assets.”
Forty percent of people in the world rely on fish for their main source
of protein. Dr. Richard Dixon of WWF Scotland said: “If we fail to
secure deeper reductions in greenhouse gas emissions we will increase
the pressures on fish and the billions of people that depend on them.”
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. A new report says global warming will kill all fish within ten years. T / F
b. A WWF report recommends putting fish in hot water. T / F
c. Some fish cannot reproduce if the water is too warm. T / F
d. A two-degree rise in temperature will make some species extinct. T / F
e. A WWF director said over-fishing is not a problem. T / F
f. The director said fish are valuable economic investments. T / F
g. Nearly 14 percent of people depend on fish for basic food. T / F
h. Billions of people will suffer if greater pressure is put on fish. T / F
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. F c. T d. T e. F f. F g. F h. T

Traffic pollution damages kids’ lungs
Road pollution is a serious danger to children’s health. That’s the
worrying conclusion of the longest and largest study* ever undertaken
into the effects of traffic fumes on child development. Researchers
from the University of Southern California spent 13 years studying
children who lived within 500 meters of busy highways. They found
that most of the 3,600 children in the study had significantly
weakened lungs. Researchers said this meant the children could have
breathing problems for the rest of their lives. The main author of the
study W. James Gauderman said: "Someone suffering a pollution-
related deficit in lung function as a child will probably have less than
healthy lungs all of his or her life.” He added: "If you live in a high-
pollution area and live near a busy road, you get a doubling of the
damage.”
Gauderman and his team conducted their research on youngsters who
lived near busy roads. Once a year, the team measured the children's
lung power. It checked how much air the children could release in one
breath and how quickly it could be released. The team found that by
their 18th birthday, children who lived within 500 meters of a highway
exhaled three per cent less air compared with children who lived one-
and-a-half kilometers away. Further, the highway children’s lung
power was seven per cent weaker in the rate at which they could
exhale. Gauderman said that: "Even if you are in a relatively low
regional pollution area, living near a road produces lung problems."
About a third of the children moved away from busy roads during the
study but stayed near the same community. Their lungs developed
more healthily.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. A study into pollution and children’s lungs was the largest ever. T / F

b. Researchers monitored different children for 30 years. T / F
c. The survey found almost half of children studied had lung damage. T / F
d. Living near a busy road doubles the chances of lung damage. T / F
e. Researchers tested the children’s lungs on a monthly basis. T / F
f. Kids living 500 meters from busy roads had 30% less lung power. T / F
g. Living near a road is still bad even if it’s in a low pollution area. T / F
h. Children who moved away from roads still suffered lung problems. T / F
Traffic pollution damages kids’ lungs
Road pollution is a (1) ____ danger to children’s health. That’s the
worrying conclusion of the longest and largest study* ever (2) ____
into the effects of traffic (3) ____ on child development. Researchers
from the University of Southern California spent 13 years studying
children who lived within 500 meters of busy highways. They found
that most of the 3,600 children in the study had (4) ____ weakened
lungs. Researchers said this meant the children could have breathing
problems for the rest of their lives. The main author of the study W.
James Gauderman said: "Someone suffering a pollution-related (5)
____ in lung function as a child will probably have less than healthy
lungs all of his or her life.” He added: "If you live in a high-pollution
area and live near a busy road, you get a (6) ____ of the damage.”
Gauderman and his team conducted their research on (7) ____ who
lived near busy roads. Once a year, the team measured the children's
lung power. It checked how much air the children could release in one
(8) ____ and how quickly it could be released. The team found that by
their 18th birthday, children who lived within 500 meters of a highway
(9) ____ three per cent less air compared with children who lived one-
and-a-half kilometers away. Further, the highway children’s lung
power was seven per cent weaker in the (10) ____ at which they could
exhale. Gauderman said that: "Even if you are in a (11) ____ low
regional pollution area, living near a road produces lung problems."

About a third of the children moved away from busy roads during the
study but stayed near the same community. Their lungs developed
more (12) ____.
1. (a) series (b) seriousness (c) seriously (d) serious
2. (a) undertaker (b) undertaken (c) overtaken (d) partaken
3. (a) fuming (b) fumigate (c) fume (d) fumes
4. (a) significantly(b) signifying (c) signify (d) significant
5. (a) deficits (b) deficient (c) deficit (d) surplus
6. (a) double (b) double park(c) doubling (d) doubting
7. (a) youngish (b) youngsters (c) young (d) youth
8. (a) breath (b) breathe (c) breathing (d) breathless
9. (a) exhaled (b) inhaled (c) impaled (d) polluted
10. (a) ratings (b) ration (c) pro rata (d) rate
11. (a) relate (b) relatively (c) relatives (d) relativity
12. (a) healthily (b) healthy (c) healthful (d) health
check
TRUE / FALSE:
a. T b. F c. F d. T e. F f. F g. T h. F
1 - d 2 - b 3 - d 4 - a 5 - c 6 - c 7 - b 8 - a 9 - a 10- d 11- b 12– a


A United Nations committee on climate change has said we can control
global warming. The panel, made up of representatives from over 120
countries, believes we can limit the harm greenhouse gases do to the
atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon painted
by many scientists will not happen if we use technology and have the
right strategies to protect the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri,
chairman of the panel, told reporters in Bangkok that the study was a
“remarkable step forward”. The panel indicated that we can keep our
Earth safe by changing the way we use energy around the world. Most

important is to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles and household
goods. For this to happen, individuals need to change their lifestyles
and spending patterns.
Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We can go a long way to
addressing this problem at relatively low costs with a range of
options.” He calculated that it would cost less than three percent of
world economic output by 2030. He added: “We've got a big problem
on our hands [but] this report provides governments with a way out."
The “big problem” is the damage rising temperatures are doing to the
Earth. Increased floods, droughts, rising sea levels, more violent and
destructive storms and extinctions of species are just a few things
threatening the life of our planet. The report stressed the urgent need
for introducing a wide variety of clean technologies. Harlan Watson,
head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are
doing, then we are in deep trouble.”
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. The UN said global warming and climate change are not problems. T / F
b. Over 120 nations met to discuss how to limit greenhouse gases. T / F
c. The UN’s report said Armageddon may still happen. T / F
d. People will have to buy cars and refrigerators that use less energy. T / F
e. Tackling climate change will cost 10% of world economic output. T / F
f. The UN’s report doesn’t provide governments with any answers. T / F
g. Rising temperatures are not such a big problem now. T / F
h. The report stressed the need for a wide range of clean technology.
A United Nations committee (1) ____ climate change has said we can control
global warming. The panel, made (2) ____ of representatives from over 120
countries, believes we can limit the harm greenhouse gases do to the
atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon (3) ____ by many
scientists will not happen if we use technology and have the right strategies to

(4) ____ the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the panel, told
reporters in Bangkok that the study was a “remarkable step forward”. The panel
indicated that we can keep our Earth safe by changing the (5) ____ we use
energy around the world. Most important is to introduce more fuel-efficient
vehicles and household (6) ____. For this to happen, individuals need to change
their lifestyles and spending patterns.
Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We can (7) ____ a long way to addressing
this problem at relatively low costs with a range of (8) ____.” He calculated that
it would cost less than three percent of world economic output by 2030. He
added: “We've got a big problem on our hands [but] this report provides
governments with a way (9) ____." The “big problem” is the damage rising
temperatures are doing to the Earth. Increased floods, droughts, rising sea
levels, more (10) ____ and destructive storms and extinctions of species are just
a (11) ____ things threatening the life of our planet. The report stressed the
urgent need for introducing a wide variety of clean technologies. Harlan Watson,
head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are doing, then
we are in (12) ____ trouble.”
1. (a) on (b) in (c) an (d) of
2. (a) out (b) in (c) up (d) down
3. (a) paints (b) painter (c) painting (d) painted
4. (a) protective (b) protect (c) protection (d) protects
5. (a) path (b) hour (c) way (d) will
6. (a) goods (b) good (c) goodness (d) goodies
7. (a) head (b) go (c) visit (d) come
8. (a) optics (b) opinions (c) option (d) options
9. (a) over (b) in (c) out (d) under
10. (a) violent (b) violence (c) violently (d) violate
11. (a) three (b) some (c) few (d) all
12. (a) depths (b) deep (c) depth (d) deeply
TRUE / FALSE:

a. F b. T c. F d. T e. F f. F g. F h. T
1 - a 2 - c 3 - d 4 -b 5 - c 6 -a 7 - b 8 -d 9 -c 10- a 11-c 12- b

!
London may soon be changing the habits of shoppers in the city and
helping the environment by banning the use of the ubiquitous plastic
shopping bag. Estimates are that Londoners and tourists use 1.6 billion
plastic bags each year, many of which are thrown away after just one
use. Shoppers may soon have to buy reusable bags in an attempt to
reduce the strain on landfill sites, where the bags take 400 years to
break down. Local authorities have asked the British government to
ban retailers from giving away free plastic bags. A spokesman said
stores should sell reusable bags and pass the money raised on to
environmental projects. “As a society, we need to do far more to
reduce the amount of waste we are sending to landfill and London as a
city is determined to take an ambitious lead on this issue,” he said.
Retailers are up in arms at the idea and have promised to fight the
government to stop the ban from going ahead. The British Retail
Consortium said there was no need for the ban as it would simply
cause inconvenience to shoppers. A spokesman told reporters: “We
think it’s excessive and misguided [because] retailers are already
committed to reducing the environmental impact of bags by 25 per
cent by the end of next year.” He was worried the ban would affect
sales, saying: “If somebody is going to go into a supermarket or
convenience store, it's hard to see in practical terms, unless they have
brought a bag with them, how they will be able to buy more than a
few items." A recent survey found 92 percent of Londoners supported
a total ban on plastic bags or a tax on them.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a. London has banned all stores from giving plastic bags to shoppers. T / F
b. People use around 1.6 billion plastic bags in London every year. T / F
c. It takes around 4,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. T / F
d. London has no ambitions to set an example with a plastic bag ban. T / F
e. London stores are totally behind the idea of banning plastic bags. T / F
f. Retailers do not yet have a target to reduce the number of bags. T / F
g. Stores are worried people would buy fewer products with no bags. T / F
h. 19.2 percent of Londoners agreed with the plastic bag ban. T / F
CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.
London may soon be changing the (1) ____ of shoppers in the city and helping
the environment by banning the (2) ____ of the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag.
Estimates are that Londoners and tourists use 1.6 billion plastic bags each year,
many of (3) ____ are thrown away after just one use. Shoppers may soon have
to buy reusable bags in an attempt to reduce the strain on landfill sites, where
the bags take 400 years to break (4) ____. Local authorities have asked the
British government to ban retailers from giving away free plastic bags. A
spokesman said stores should sell reusable bags and pass the money (5) ____
on to environmental projects. “As a society, we need to do far more to reduce
the amount of waste we are sending to landfill and London as a city is
determined to take an ambitious (6) ____ on this issue,” he said.
Retailers are up in (7) ____ at the idea and have promised to fight the
government to stop the ban from going ahead. The British Retail Consortium said
there was no need for the ban as it would (8) ____ cause inconvenience to
shoppers. A spokesman told reporters: “We think it’s excessive and misguided
[because] retailers are (9) ____ committed to reducing the environmental
impact of bags (10) ____ 25 per cent by the end of next year.” He was worried
the ban would affect sales, saying: “If somebody is going to go into a
supermarket or convenience store, it's (11) ____ to see in practical terms,
unless they have brought a bag with them, how they will be able to buy more
than a few items.” A recent survey (12) ____ 92 percent of Londoners supported

a total ban on plastic bags or a tax on them.
1. (a) habitation (b) habit (c) habits (d) habitat
2. (a) useful (b) use (c) using (d) user
3. (a) which (b) whom (c) that (d) who
4. (a) away (b) out (c) in (d) down
5. (a) heightened (b) upped (c) increased (d) raised
6. (a) leading (b) leader (c) lead (d) leads
7. (a) legs (b) arms (c) head (d) feet
8. (a) simply (b) simple (c) simpler (d) simplest
9. (a) yet (b) already (c) as (d) by
10. (a) at (b) with (c) for (d) by
11. (a) hard (b) hardly (c) harden (d) hardness
12. (a) findings (b) finding (c) found (d) find
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. T c. F d. F e. F f. F g. T h. F
1 – c 2 - b 3 - a 4 - d 5 - d 6 - c 7 - b 8 - a 9 - b 10- d 11- a 12 - c

"#!
A new report into obesity shows that being overweight could be
catching. Scientists have discovered an obesity virus that might be as
easy to catch as a cold. American researchers say that washing your
hands could be one way to kill the virus and avoid becoming
overweight. Basic hygiene could improve the lives of millions of people
around the world. Dr. Leah Whigham of the University of Wisconsin did
research on a human virus that caused obesity in chickens. She
believes it could also make humans fat. She also believes the virus
exists in most countries around the world.
Scientists have discussed the idea that a virus could lead to obesity for
many years. Dr. Whigham is positive that other factors make people
overweight, not just a poor diet or lack of exercise. She said testing is

still in the early stages and more research is needed to prove her
theory. However, research into the virus causing obesity is difficult.
Dr. Whigham said: “You cannot ethically do experiments…that infect
humans and see if they get fat”. She concluded: “The role of viruses in
the worldwide epidemic of obesity is [an important] question that
demands additional research.”
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these
sentences are true (T) or false (F):
a. Scientists say obesity can be caught from a virus. T / F
b. Washing your hands could be one way to stay thin. T / F
c. Eating chicken can lead to obesity. T / F
d. Obesity exists in most countries. T / F
e. The idea that a virus might cause obesity is a very new one. T / F