Sheep can recognise faces!

Many people think sheep aren’t very intelligent creatures. But in fact, (1)
…………….. to new research, they may be cleverer than we think. For example,
sheep can actually be trained to recognise human faces from photographs!
Recognising faces is an important human social (2)…………….. . However, it seems
that sheep are also social animals that can recognise other sheep as well as (3)
…………….. humans. In experiments, researchers trained eight sheep to recognise
the faces of celebrities from photographs. Training involved getting the sheep
to (4)…………….. decisions about the photos they saw. At one end of a room, they
would see two different photographs, and would receive a (5)…………….. of food
for approaching the photograph of the celebrity; if they approached the wrong
photograph, they got nothing. Over time, they learned to (6)…………….. getting
food with the celebrity’s photograph. And after training, the sheep correctly
chose the celebrity’s face eight times out of ten!
1 A regarding B following C resulting D according
2 A skill B talent C knowledge D method
3 A ordinary B usual C familiar D frequent
4 A set B make C have D do
5 A reward B benefit C tip D goal
6 A attach B join C add D connect
Many cities have parks for people to enjoy. And it’s very (1)….... to find wonderful
sculptures in them. However, some sculptures found in Fairbanks, Alaska, aren’t
quite the same as in other cities. When the temperature (2)……….. at the end of
winter, they all disappear – because they’re made of ice!
Fairbanks has been the home of the World Ice Art Championship for over 20
years, and artists from many different countries come to create spectacular ice
sculptures. The ice is brought from a lake (3)……….. near the sculpture park. It’s
said to be so clear that visitors can read a newspaper through it – even though
the individual pieces are over one metre (4)…………..!
Visitors also have the (5)…………….. to make their own ice sculptures if they wish,
as special classes. There’s a children’s play park, too, where (6)……………..
everything is made of ice, including sculptures of favourite animals. It’s a great
place to visit!
1 A usual B general C common D familiar
2 A develops B rises C grows D builds
3 A located B arranged C contained D attached
4 A heavy B large C strong D think
5 A occasion B benefit C opportunity D ability
6 A totally B absolutely C completely D fully
Colouring books
Many people probably used to spend time adding colour to pictures in colouring
books when they were children. However, once people get older, very few of
them continue with the hobby. Instead, they (1)…………….. their crayons away in
the cupboard forever.
However, psychology researchers now thing that even for adults, (2)…………….. as
little as ten minutes a day colouring pictures in this way can bring huge (3)
…………….. For example, some people say that it improves their (4)…………….. for a
while by making them feel more cheerful and generally calmer.
One reason for this may be that other activities (5)…………….. with art, such as
drawing or painting, can actually be quite stressful, especially if you don’t feel
very successful at it. But adding colour to a picture that’s already drawn for
you (6)…………….. only a low level of skill, so you can relax rather than becoming
anxious about it!
1 A leave B set C give D put
2 A taking B completing C spending D filling
3 A benefits B interests C favours D uses
4 A character B mood C condition D mind
5 A connected B joined C compared D attached
6 A depends B calls C lacks D requires
Clever birds
The wild birds known as ravens are thought to be very clever. In fact, they can
solve some quite (1)…………….. problems, especially when they’re trying to get
food. For example, one bird was filmed taking a box of nuts from a bird table
and (2)…………….. it onto the ground, so that it would break and the bird could eat
the nuts inside!
Scientists also (3)…………….. that the birds could actually use stones as tools
to (4)…………….. out simple tasks. So in an experiment, they taught five birds to
use a tool to open a box with food inside. The birds soon became very (5)
…………….. at doing this. So for the next experiment, the birds were given a
small (6)…………….. of tools to choose from. They always picked the tool that
scientists had given them for the first task. And hours later, they could still
remember which tool they’d used!
1 A expert B complicated C heavy D confused
2 A letting B falling C dropping D leaving
3 A noticed B advised C watched D studied
4 A take B carry C make D check
5 A experienced B intelligent C correct D keen
6 A group B total C amount D number
Music can change the taste of vegetables!
Many children, and some adults too, dislike the taste of certain vegetables. The
flavours of foods such as cabbage and broccoli are generally the ones people
mention as their least (1)…………….. vegetables, as these vegetables are believed
to have an extremely (2)…………….. taste.
However, according to an Oxford psychologist, children might change their (3)
…………….. about these foods if they can hear simple music while they’re eating –
such as the sounds that come from one musical instrument, called a wind chime.
This instrument often (4)…………….. in people’s gardens, and plays sweet notes
when the wind blows through it. These notes may make the food seem to taste
sweeter than it would do normally.
However, many adults (5)…………….. that their tastes developed as they grew up,
so they now enjoy a far greater range of food. As a result, they’re much more (6)
…………….. to eat the kind of vegetables they always hated during their childhood.
1 A pleasant B delicious C special D favourite
2 A bitter B hard C heavy D raw
3 A senses B minds C moods D reasons
4 A drops B connects C attaches D hangs
5 A complain B advise C admit D warn
6 A likely B possible C reasonable D sure
A brief history of apples
Do you always have a piece of fruit for your lunch? If you do, it’s probably an
apple! This is true particularly in places like western Europe, where apples have
grown for hundreds of years. So it would be easy to (1)…………….. that’s where
they came from originally.
In fact, though, the fruit we know today has been on an extraordinary (2)
…………….. over the centuries. Research suggests modern apples originally came
all the way from Kazakhstan in Asia, and (3)…………….. up in Europe partly
because of people carrying goods along the famous Silk Road, from western
Europe all the way to China in the east. This helped to spread apples in both (4)
…………….. . People (5)…………….. down their apples after they’d finished eating
them, and the seeds entered the ground and produced new types of apple trees.
Farmers were then able to start developing a much (6)…………….. range of apples.
1 A consider B wonder C imagine D expect
2 A distance B travel C course D journey
3 A reached B ended C set D kept
4 A routes B ways C directions D paths
5 A threw B dropped C fell D let
6 A longer B deeper C higher D broader
Surfing
Surfing grew throughout the 20th century to (1)…………….. a popular sport all
over the world, but surfers have been around for many years. The explorer James
Cook saw surfing in action in 1778 during an (2)…………….. to the Pacific. In fact,
surfing took (3)…………….. in the same areas then that have since become popular
surfing resorts now, such as Hawaii and Tahiti. Surfing wasn’t encouraged by
local officials (4)…………….. the 19th century but young Hawaiians took up the
activity again in the early 1900s. Following the invention of lighter surfboards,
surfing attracted people around the world. The 1960s saw a huge increase in
the (5)…………….. of surfers as the activity was promoted through the media and
popular music. The hobby quickly became the professional sport it is now,
and (6)…………….. and national organisations were created that organised
competitions and raised money to hold events.
1 A create B turn C become D play
2 A expedition B travel C drive D move
3 A part B place C point D position
4 A while B along C for D during
5 A group B total C number D sum
6 A near B close C next D local
The Black Mamba
A bite from the Black Mamba is (1)…………….. ‘the kiss of death’ in South Africa
and it is (2)…………….. a very dangerous snake.
The venom can kill a person within 30 minutes to a few hours (3)……………..
medical help. It is one of the world’s fastest snakes as well and can travel at up to
16 kilometres an hour, though it uses this speed to (4)…………….. danger rather
than to attack. In fact, the Black Mamba is a rather (5)…………….. creature and will
avoid people if possible. It can measure anywhere between two and four metres
long and, (6)…………….. on the area where it lives, can be a different colour, from
brown to green to grey. It gets its name from the inside of its mouth, which is ink
black.
1 A said B made C called D titled
2 A certainly B exactly C just D fairly
3 A outside B besides C away D without
4 A break B escape C lose D run
5 A shy B brave C afraid D soft
6 A relying B choosing C depending D taking

The Penny Black

In 1840, The Penny Black became the (1)…………….. sticky postage stamp in the
world. Before this the (2)…………….. of posting something in the UK was very
expensive. This depended on distance and how many sheets of paper were being
sent and was paid by the person receiving the post. The idea of paying in advance
was (3)…………….. to parliament and in 1839 this became law. A (4)…………….. was
held to find the best way of sending post. The first suggestion attempted was a
special envelope or ‘lettersheet’ with a stamp attached, but this wasn’t (5)
…………….. and in the end the stamp itself was used with a picture of Queen
Victoria and the price – one penny. However, the colour was a problem as it was
difficult to cancel the stamp after it had been (6)…………….. This was eventually
changed to red and black ink was used to cancel it.
1 A basic B first C beginning D start
2 A money B amount C cost D payment
3 A recommended B said C played D ordered
4 A match B prize C competition D race
5 A dear B popular C famous D common
6 A near B worn C passed D used
Fear of Flying
A fear of flying, also known as aerophobia, is said to affect almost 10% of the (1)
…………….., although some experts (2)…………….. it is much higher than this. Those
suffering from this will often avoid flying completely, which has a negative effect
on their quality of life. Those who face their fears can end (3)…………….. feeling
seriously anxious before and during the flight.
There are generally two different causes. Some people worry about whether they
will (4)…………….. silly in front of other passengers. The thought of being sick or
losing control can be quite frightening. Some people fear the flight itself. The
most (5)…………….. things people worry about are bad weather conditions, the
possibility that the plane will develop a problem or even that the pilot will
become ill. The most worrying time of all is often when (6)…………….. off and
landing, points in the flight when most people will experience a little fear.
1 A population B people C crowd D society
2 A choose B make C believe D decide
3 A at B in C of D up
4 A see B work C show D look
5 A high B common C normal D real
6 A taking B going C moving D lifting

The Great White Shark

The great white shark is thought of as a killer, but this is not really (1)……………..
True, one look is enough to confirm how frightening these creatures are. They
can be anywhere between four and five metres long and have around 300
teeth (2)…………….. in rows. They can travel through the water at up to 24
kilometres an hour, speeding up when they attack. However, of the 100 or so
shark attacks on humans that are (3)…………….. each year, only around a half of
these are made by the great white and most of these attacks do not lead to the
person losing their life. Research has shown that the shark will often carry (4)
…………….. a test bite, and in many cases it has been shown they will release a
human. Unfortunately, (5)…………….. to the size of the creature’s mouth this can
still lead to the person being (6)…………….. injured.
1 A gained B won C fair D corrected
2 A put B done C made D arranged
3 A reported B said C told D placed
4 A in B up C out D on
5 A due B since C as D for
6 A mainly B importantly C seriously D strictly
Drawing
Drawing is one of the earliest forms of communication and goes back much (1)
…………….. than the written word. However, despite its long history, it has not
always been (2)…………….. of as a form of art.
When paper became easily (3)…………….. in the 14th century, the use of drawing
in the arts increased. Some of the great artists of the Renaissance produced
drawings of the highest (4)…………….. and presented the human body in a more
realistic way than ever before. However, it was often practised (5)……………..
order to plan a larger painting and wasn’t taken very seriously as a form of art.
Today, drawing is regarded as a (6)…………….. skill and no less important than oil
painting or other creative works.
1 A wider B further C bigger D greater
2 A taken B seen C thought D made
3 A free B open C around D available
4 A quality B type C kind D sort
5 A for B in C on D with
6 A valuable B correct C dear D likely
The First Chess Champion of the World
Most chess historians agree that the first chess world championship (1)
…………….. place in 1886 in the United States. On one side was an Austrian chess
champion Wilhelm Steinitz, who for many years was (2)…………….. to be one of
the best in the world. Playing against him was Johannes Zukertort from Poland,
living in the UK, and another player who many believed at the time was one of
the world’s greats. According (3)…………….. the contract, the match would be for
the championship of the world and would (4)…………….. of 20 games played in
three different cities: New York, St Louis and New Orleans. Steinitz won 10-5 and
was world champion until 1894. Steinitz was (5)…………….. in how the game
should be played and many of his ideas had a big influence (6)…………….. the
modern game.
1 A took B went C laid D set
2 A held B thought C placed D looked
3 A for B in C with D to
4 A contain B consist C make D include
5 A interested B excited C keen D attracted
6 A to B in C on D at
Light Pollution
We are all familiar with air pollution, (1)…………….. if we live in busy cities and
suffer with pollution from factories and heavy traffic. But many of us don’t take
light pollution (2)…………….. Compared to the skies of our grandparents, the night
isn’t (2)…………….. as dark as it used to be because the use of artificial lighting has
increased. As a result, this can create problems for migrating birds, which are not
able to use the moon and stars to (4)…………….. their journey. In addition, light
from our neighbourhood, whether that is street lighting, (5)…………….. lights or
passing cars, can also (6)…………….. our own sleep patterns. And of course, the
night sky is harder for us to see unless we go to parts of the world free of
artificial lighting.
1 A really B especially C because D when
2 A seriously B real C mainly D important
3 A just B quite C equal D same
4 A fly B leave C set D complete
5 A danger B security C guard D guarantee
6 A make B create C influence D do
Teenage Teachers
People may think teenagers are too young to be in charge of a class when they’re
still students themselves, but that’s not true. Sixteen-year-olds are (1)……………..
teaching lessons to primary school children in a new government scheme which
allows school leavers to (2)…………….. as teaching assistants in primary schools.
New rules were recently introduced which have allowed all primary school
teachers to have more time during the school day for (3)…………….. lessons, but
this sometimes means that teachers have less time for teaching. Now teenagers
fill the gap. They take a two-year course, starting when they’re 14. When they
enter the classroom as teachers (4)…………….. than students, they have to quickly
put into practice the skills they learned (5)…………….. they were studying.
The government believes that about 18,000 teenagers could get jobs in this (6)
…………….. . However, many people believe that young teenagers will not make
suitable teachers.
1 A currently B newly C previously D recently
2 A be Bfeel C learn D work
3 A practising B preparing C reading D thinking
4 A even B instead C rather D sooner
5 A except B however C throughout D while
6 A kind B style C type D way
Fashion Show Success
Last Saturday, the fashion department at Mansion College held a fashion show.
The students created special designs (1)…………….. were modelled by other
students. Parents and shopkeepers were (2)…………….. to the event and 200
tickets were sold.
(3)…………….. of the designs were really original and the evening was a great
success. The most popular items at the show were T-shirts designed by student
Maria Daniella. A local clothes shop has already asked Maria to (4)……………..
them with 20 T-shirts. Maria is very pleased by her success.
(5)…………….. the fashion show finished late, many people stayed longer to listen
to the college rock band. There was food and drink on sale and the event
finally (6)…………….. at midnight.
The money made from the sale of the tickets went to a well-known children’s
charity.
1 A when B which C who D whose
2 A called B requested C demanded D invited
3 A Many B Lot C Much D Each
4 A produce B design C give D provide
5 A Even B So C Although D But
6 A left B ended C done D completed
Healthy snacks on the run
In today’s busy lives we often have little time for healthy eating, so we do the
easy thing and eat snacks like crips or sweets instead. (1)…………….., it’s possible
to eat quickly and healthily. All you (2)…………….. to do is to follow a few simple
rules.
First of all, read what it (3)…………….. on the packet before you buy a snack. This
is important because people often think that they’re buying healthy snacks, but
sugar may be the (4)…………….. ingredient.
Try to look for healthier options – instead of eating ice cream, try frozen fruit
juices and, most importantly, eat at (5)…………….. times of the day. Learn when
your body needs food so (6)…………….. you don’t suddenly feel the need to eat a
lot of unhealthy snack food.
1 A Ago B Alike C However D Whenever
2 A can B must C need D should
3 A puts B says C talks D writes
4 A big B great C large D main
5 A common B equal C even D regular
6 A that B what C when D which
Karakamia wildlife sanctuary
The Karakamia reserve is located not (1)…………… from Perth in Western
Australia. Suburban is not usually a word that you (2)…………… with a wildlife
paradise, but Karakamia is actually part of the township of Chidlow. The land
was purchased by the Australian government in 1991 with the (3)…………… of
protecting threatened species of indigenous wildlife. That’s why there is a nine-
kilometre fence around it, designed to (4)…………… out species introduced by
European settlers, (5)…………… foxes, cats and rabbits.
The sanctuary (6)…………… its name from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘home of
the red-tailed black cockatoos’, and at dusk the air is (7)…………… with the calls of
these birds. This is when the sanctuary is at its most magical. A guided walk by
spotlight is the perfect way to experience it. Many of the animals are quite tame,
which means you can (8)…………… them at close quarters and get an idea of what
Australia was like (9)…………… to European colonization.
1 A far B long C distant D remote
2 A refer B accompany C regard D associate
3 A proposal B aim C target D plan
4 A catch B send C keep D hold
5 A including B intending C involving D indicating
6 A bears B finds C gains D takes
7 A crowded B filled C completed D packed
8 A observe B notice C realise D glance
9 A advance B former C ahead D prior
The Benefits of Travel
Going away, even for a short time, is very important for everybody. Whether it’s
for work, study or fun, travel gives you the opportunity to relax. Even if it’s a
short (1)…………….., it allows you time to think about something else. It provides
you with a break from your daily (2)…………….. .
If you’re (3)…………….. the chance to go on a work trip, you should always take it.
If you’re going away for fun, you (4)…………….. choose the right person to travel
with. Make sure it’s (5)…………….. you get on with.
Sometimes it’s a good idea to go alone because then you’ll be (6)…………….. to do
what you want. Whatever you decide, there’s no doubt you’ll come home feeling
happy and with many new stories about the places you’ve visited on the way.
1 A trip B destination C plan D route
2 A practice B routine C habit D custom
3 A advised B offered C recommended D suggested
4 A ought B need C must D could
5 A somebody B everyone C something D everything
6 A open B free C empty D clear
Planes can make it rain
Living next to an airport has always meant having to (1)…………… the noise of
planes landing and taking off. Now it seems that (2)…………… residents also have
bad weather, according to a (3)…………… published study.
The scientists looked at satellite (4)…………… of clouds above airports, and also
studied computer models of the way clouds behave. What they found was that as
a plane flies through a very cold cloud, the air behind it expands and then
cools (5)…………… rapidly. This sudden drop in temperature, (6)…………… with
the hole formed in the cloud where the plane has passed through, can increase
the (7)…………… of rain or snow on the ground.
In the case of major airports, with hundreds of flights every day, this can have a
significant (8)…………… on weather patterns up to 100 kilometres away. The
researchers point out, however, that aircraft passing through clouds are (9)
…………… to affect the global climate.
1 A keep out of B put up with C miss out on D stand up for
2 A neighbouring B close C local D surrounded
3 A lately B recently C lastly D freshly
4 A images B figures C aspects D portraits
5 A totally B extremely C entirely D perfectly
6 A joined B attached C composed D combined
7 A forecasts B certainties C chances D opportunities
8 A result B influence C consequence D impression
9 A doubtful B unsure C unlikely D improbable