MODEN ENGLISH TEST 2017 part 1

GENERAL ENGLISH 1

1. GRAMMAR

A. Select the answer that best complete the sentence and circle it.

1. Muralitharan is one of ……………………… cricketers in the world.

1. The most best (b) better (c) the best

2. I don’t have ……………… money, but I’ll lend you some to buy your lunch.

1. Many (b) much (c) any

3. I will wish not be able watch many television programs.……………….. I finish my exams.

1. Since (b) until (c) because

4. The teacher spoke ………………… to the students.

1. Kindly (b) kind (c) kindest

5. The librarian showed me the section ………………… the English novels are kept.

1. Where (b) which (c) that

6. People who suffer……………………. Fever should seek medical advice without delay.

1. Of (b) from (c) with

7. The zonal director …………………. As the chief guest at our school sports meet.

1. Has invited (b) been invited (c) was invited

8. Everybody in my family enjoys eating ……………………..food.

1. Spice (b) spicy (c) spices

9. If the doctor had diagnosed the illness earlier, he …………………. The patient.

1. Had saved (b) could have saved (c) will have save

(10) ………………………… it was raining hard t decided to go to school.

1. Despite (b) although (c) when

B. fill in the blanks with appropriate words. Use only one word for each blank.

All of us communicate non-verbally as well as verbally. if irritated we may tense(1)……………………..bodies, press our lips together,(2)…………………. gesture with our eyebrows. With(3)………………gaze, a glance or stare(4)……...........can communicate intimacy, submission(5) ……………………. dominance. Most of us are good (6)………………….. Reading non-verbal cues to understand (7)…………………..emotions in an old silent film. We (8)…………………… especially good at detecting non –verbal threats. (9) ………………. A crowd of faces, a single angry face(10) ……………………”pop out” faster than a single happy one.

2. READING COMPREHENSION

Read the followings passage and answer the questions given below. Yours answers should be in complete sentences.

The majority of out-of-school children are likely to be working. The international labor organization (ILO) estimates that there are 250 million children who are working full time or part time in the developing world. Work prevents many children from gaining or benefiting from education. However it is also the case that education systems fail to take into account the special circumstances of working children. Most working children want to go school. To attract out- of school children into school, education must be structured to fit the specific needs of working children.it must also take into account the needs of their families and communities. Agricultural and domestic labor must be addressed in particular because they impact disproportionately on girls.

To transform education from being part of the child labor problem into a key part of the solution will require many changes. It will involve upgrading teacher education and school materials. It will also mean introducing greater flexibility into education management and teaching methods. Civil society will also have to be involved, especially children. For example in Escola Nueva in Colombia, children are participating in planning their own school activities. Children’s councils are commonly held as part of education for citizenship.

UNICEF is co-operating with governments on a number of approaches to meet the educational needs of working children. Scholarship programs in Brazil have provided education grants to the poorest families. Such economic incentives help to reduce the dropout rate. For example, the balsa carina cicada, is a federal government programmer designed for regions of the country where child labor is prevalent.it gives grants to families and to municipal education secretariats. The funds are used to expand sports. Cultural activities and school tutoring when child workers are in school. Working children in the federal district are targeted by another program, the balsa – Escola Program. This program provides the equivalent of a minimum was (about $100 a month) to their families. This subsidy is lost when their children’s attendance falls below 90 percent during the school year. Linked with efforts to improve the quality of primary education the program has reduced dropout rates.

1. What is the passage about? Do not use more than six words for your answer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. According to paragraph 1

1. How many children are currently working?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Where are they from?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. What are the two major reasons why children cannot obtain education?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. According to the passage what factors need to be taken in to account when providing education to working children?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. (a) State whether the following statement is true or false.

“Girls are more affected by domestic and agricultural labor.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

3. Support your answer with a statement from the passage.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. List all the areas in which changes can be made to meet the educational needs of working children.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7. (a) What is the organization that is mentioned in paragraph 3?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Why is it mentioned?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

8. Fill in the box below with information about programs in brazil that help working children

Name of program	Type of aid	Given to
Balsa crania cicada		Families and municipal education secretariats
	Subsidy

9. Circle the word that closest in meaning to the word given on the left.

Specific - detailed, particular, typical, unambiguous

Transform - convert, confirm, renovate, Transfer

Incentive - inducement, incisive, reason, insensitive

Prevalent - common, necessary, customary, rare

Expand - exhort, expend, develop, exclude

10. Give a title for this passage

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. WRITING FOR FORMAL PURPOSES

Either

Write an official letter to the personnel director of a company to inquire about a job that has been advertised for school leavers. In your letter you should

1. State where you saw the advertisement.
2. State why you are interested in this job
3. Ask for more details about the job

Or

As president of the school computer society write an official letter to a computer company inquiring about their products. You have heard that they offer special discounts to schools. In your letter you should

1. State how you heard about this company.
2. State why you are interested in purchasing a computer from them.
3. Ask for any other relevant details

GENERAL ENGLISH – 2

1. VOCABULARY

Read the items given below. Find the answer which gives the closest meaning of the underline phrase or word and circle it.

1. This is getting on my nerves. It is so loud that I cannot study.

1. Making me nervous (c) making me sad
2. making me angry (d) making me anxious

2. The wedding was a bitter sweet occasion for the pererahs. Their only child got married and left for England with her husband.

1. A sad and joyful occasion
2. More a sad occasion that was neither sad nor happy
3. More a happy occasion than a sad one
4. An occasion that was neither sad nor happy

3. The board of directors decided to look for new blood because they found it

Difficult to change the attitude of the current employees.

1. Young recruits (c) qualified recruits
2. Fresh recruits (d) experienced recruits

4. Despite all the problems that came his way he managed to keep a cool

(a) To be careful (c) To remain calm

(b) To keep himself cool (d) To be tolerant

5. The project manager is an old hand. He knows all the procedures.

(a) Is an experienced person (c) Is a known person

(b) Is a qualified person (d) Is an old person

6. “Why is she in two minds? She can definitely enter the university.” “I think she wants to find a job.”

(a) She wants to do both. (c) She is undecided

(b) She cannot think properly (d) she has made the wrong Decision

7. The junior team will get into hot water. They did not come for cricket practices this afternoon.

(a) Will be punished (c) will be late

(b) Will get into a fight (d) will get into trouble

8. At the Inter – school drama competition I met my childhood friends Sunila. I got so carried away that I nearly forgot to go in for the first play.

(a) Walked away with Sunila

(b) Lost my way and couldn’t participate in the drama

(c) Ran away when I saw Sunila

(d) I did not pay attention to the time and went on talking to Sunila.

9. In modern society one of the most efficient ways of persuading customers to buy something is to advertise in the electronic media.

(a) Profitable (b) effective (c) satisfactory (d) practical

10. The data provided by the department of demography on infant mortality is reliable.

(a) Accurate (b) consistent (c) trustworthy (d) honest

11. I have been studying physics for over two years and I am now sick of it.

(a) I fell ill after studying physics (c) I am bored

(b) I dislike physics (d) I felt tired

12. If the cost of living comes down everybody will benefit.

(a) Approve (b) gain (c) respond (d) applaud

13. After a long and fruitful life dedicated to serving god, mother Theresa passed away.

(a) A happy life (c) A busy life (b) A comfortable life (d) A rewarding life

14. I have to attend so many tuition classes that I have little time for sports.

(a) Some time (b) no time (c) a little time (d) a lot of time

15. Sarath enrolled for a course in computers to upgrade his skills as she intended to go abroad soon.

(a) Improve (b) assess (c) promote (d)advance

2. DIALOGUE

Imagine that you have finished you’re A/L exam and want to follow a computer course. Complete the telephone conversation that you would have to make to find out more details about the course.

A: (1) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: Good morning to you too. Yes, this is the new world computer academy,

How Can I help you?

A: (2) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

B: Yes, we have computer courses for school leavers.

A: (3) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

B: The duration of the computer course is one year.

A: (4) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: The course will cost about five thousand seven hundred rupees.

A: (5) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: No, I am sorry, but you have to pay the full amount when you register for the

Course.

A: (6) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: Yes, we have branches outside Colombo as well. You can also do the same

Course in Kandy, Negombo or Kegalle.

A: (7) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: We will be starting the course for the new batch of students in September. If

You come on the 30^th of September you can register and attend the first

Class.

A: (8) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: Yes, you must have at least a pass in Mathematics and English at the GCE

O’ Level Examination to register for the course.

A: (9) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: No, we don’t have classes during the weekends for the school leavers’ course

All the classes will be on weekdays, from nine thirty to four thirty.

B: Thank you for calling our academy. Is there anything else you would like To

Know?

A: (10) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. COMPOSITION

Answer both sections A and B.

1. Either

Write a speech welcoming the National Basketball Champions who are currently visiting your school to play a match.

In your speech you should

1. Welcome the team.
2. Say something about the team.
3. Wish them an enjoyable game.

Or

Your school has invited a guest speaker as part of the activities for your school’s “Environmental Awareness Week”. Write the vote of thanks you would give as the Head Prefect.

In your speech you should

1. Thank the speaker and the principal.
2. Say how useful the speech was.
3. Say something about the environmental activities in the school

.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Choose one of the following newspaper headlines and write a news story (in about 150 words) to match it.

• Bus plunges into river
• Women strike for equal pay
• Villager attacked by wild elephant

.……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………