FURTHER PRACTICE TEST 02 (July 31st, 2021) I. LISTENING
Part 1. You will hear a student, Sophie Reece, giving a short talk about a conservation project. For
questions 1-9, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
The state of the planet is the result of people’s need to make 1) _____amends___________.
Sophie doesn’t want to delve into the subject of 2) ______pollution__________.
The volunteers offer the group whatever 3) ______time__________ they can spare.
The generosity of the public allows the group to take care of their 4) _____administration costs___________.
Recently the group have been working on a(n) 5) _______scheme_________ involving local businesses.
The group discovered that 6) ______minor adjustments__________ in the way companies conduct
themselves can cut down on their environmental impact.
After the group left, the publishing company were almost a(n) 7) _____paperless office___________ .
Volunteering to help the environment can help alleviate one’s 8) ________mind________.
Sophie believes everyone’s 9) _____desire___________ is to do something positive.
Part 2. You will hear a radio interview with a sports scientist talking about the effects of age on ability
to perform in endurance sports. For questions 10-14, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
10. What point is Robert upholding when he says 'the Tour de France is living proof of this'?
A Athletes should not be permitted to compete at these levels after the age of 40.
B No athlete is physiologically capable of winning once past 35.
C The vast majority of athletes reach a peak of fitness at the age of 35 and then decline.
D The average age of competitors in endurance sports is 29.
11. What was Robert's motivation for entering the Tour De France in his forties?
A so that the British Team had a competitor over 40
B to prove something to researchers C to achieve a personal goal
D to finish his cycling career on a high
12. Why do the ages for best average performance in Marathons differ between men and women?
A Female entrants are on average younger than male entrants.
B Women lose their lung and muscle capacity faster than men.
C Men demonstrate a faster average speed than women at different ages.
D Statistically, few women over 45 actually complete the Marathon.
13. How does qualitative analysis disprove the theory of age-related decline?
A It shows that decline is by no means uniform.
B It indicates that training time is a decisive factor.
C It highlights flaws in the theory of muscle loss.
D It proves that some people can halt the decline completely.
14. What conclusions does Robert draw from the research he has mentioned?
A Winning is possible at any age.
B Failure is inevitable when you don't follow the 10% rule.
C When winning is your goal you can achieve great things.
D Age should not be viewed as an obstacle to success.
Part 3. Listen to a talk and supply the blanks with the missing information. Write NO MORE 1
THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each blank.
In the earliest days of human history, humans were 15)___hunter-gatherers__________, often moving
from place to place in search of food
People could raise food, which led to the development of 16)_____semi-permanent________ for the first time in history
Steady and long term supply of food could only be guaranteed with the advent of irrigation and 17)____soil tilling_________
As trade 18)_____flourished________, so did technologies that facilitated it
One reason for the high population densities in some ancient cities was that everything had to be
19)_____within walking distance________ due to unavailable transportaion
During the Industrial Revolution, new technology 21)____deployed_________ on a mass scale allowed
cities to expand and integrate further
In the future, food production might move to 21)_____verticle farms________and skyscrapers, rooftop
gardens or 22)_____vacant lots________in city centres
The futue of cities is diverse, 23)______malleable_______ and creative. II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR
Part 1. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions. Write your answers
in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 1. Her mind was
by the death of her child and she never recovered. A. upstaged B. unhinged C. upended D. unleashed
2. The coastguard duties included patrolling paths at the top of high and sheer cliffs - not a job for the . A. faint-hearted B. weak-willed C. light-headed D. bloody-minded
3. After our twenty-mile hike, I ate a hamburger and it tasted like the best food in the world. Hunger is the best . A. dish B. seasoning C. chef D. sauce
4. Don’t let insurance companies pull the
over your eyes - ask for a list of all the hidden charges. A. silk B. mask C. ribbon D. wool
5. After wasting almost a month, we by working from dusk till dawn to meet the deadline.
A. ran ourselves into the ground B. played hard ball
C. rub shoulders with each other
D. kept our body and soul together 6. The general has
his refusal to compromise with invaders and called for the soldiers’ loyalty. A. unveiled B. ushered C. proposed D. reiterated
7. The man worked all his life and died with his
on when he had a heart attack at the factory. A. hat B. boots C. shirt D. tie
8. In many developing countries, education is still the of the rich while the
governments show incompetency in changing that. A. benefit B. priority C. dispensation D. prerogative
9. The weasel words "if any" leave me with some concern that when push comes to
, the council may pull away from difficult issues. A. pull B. shove C. end D. strike
10. Until this day, vegans are still dismissed as
in many society despite their
efforts to spread their ideals. A. ecclesiastical B. preposterous C. cranks D. cults 11. The children
when their teacher said they were going to plan a class excursion. A. flared up B. patched up C. perked up D. pepped up
12. The China garden is a green
in the heart of modern Singapore, attracting
millions of tourists and visitors every year. A. refuge B. façade C. virtuoso D. oasis 2
13. You have been driving for a while, do you want me to you? A. support B. supplant C. succor D. spell
14. I love the weather in spring when it is , not too hot nor too cold. A. torrid B. clement C. frigid D. sultry 15. This is
software, and you have no right to copy it without a license from the owner. A. propitious B. propriety C. propitiatory D. proprietary
Part 2. Write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space provided. 1. While ri
verine flood damage can be eliminated by moving away from rivers, people have
traditionally lived by water bodies. (RIVER)
2. Some experiences in life have
effects on an individual. (ERADICATE)
3. It is ludicrous of him to require absolute perfection from the products without considering the natural of humankind. (FAIL)
4. Even if new regulations will not make a(n)
difference to most people, any
small changes are still better than nothing. (APPRECIATE) 5. A
ppraisee should summarize the main facts about their performance based on the staff
evaluation criteria of the company. (APPRAISE) III. READING
Part 1. Fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. The Badger
The Badger's legs are so short, that its belly seems to touch the ground ; this, however, is but a deceitful
appearance, as it is caused by the length of the hair, which is very long all (1) ... the body, and makes it
seem much more bulky than it really is. It is a solitary, stupid animal, that finds refuge remote (2) ... man,
and digs itself a deep hole with great assiduity. It seems to avoid the light, and seldom quits its retreat by
day, only stealing (3)... at night to find subsistence.
It burrows in the ground very easily, its legs (4) ... short and strong, and its claws stiff and horny. As it
continues to bury itself, it throws the earth behind it, to a great distance, and thus forms to itself a winding
hole, at the bottom of (5) ... it remains in safety. As the fox is not (6) ... expert at digging into the earth, it
often (7) ... possession of that which has been quitted by the badger, and some say, forces it from its
retreat, by laying its excrements (8) ... the mouth of the badger's hole. Your answers 1. over 2. from 3. out 4. being 5. which 6. so 7. takes 8. at
Part 2. Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow. The Loch Ness Monster
A. In the Scottish Highlands there, is believed to be a monster Jiving in the waters of Loch Ness. The
waters of Loch Ness are one mile wide and 24 miles long, the largest body of freshwater in the United
Kingdom. To many sceptics, this monster is only a modem day myth, but to others who claim they have
seen it, the monster exists and still lurks in the waters of Loch Ness today.
B. Throughout Scotland, research has been done at several lakes but Loch Ness Is the icon for monsters –
Nessie, as the monster is affectionately named, is the most popular of them all. Both professionals and
amateurs flock to this lake with their cameras in the hope of capturing a brief glimpse of Nessie and
possibly solving the mystery of the Loch Ness monster. 3
C. The very first sighting of Nessie was as far back as 565 AD. It is believed that she ate a local farmer
and then dived back into the waters, with no accounts of being seen again for over 100 years. However,
since the turn of the 20th century, several other people have claimed to see her. Some people believe that
old Scottish myths about water creatures such as Kelpies and water horses have contributed to the idea of
tills wondrous monster lurking beneath.
D. 2007 brought about the most recent sighting of Nessie. A tourist named Gordon Holmes from
Yorkshire visited the Loch Ness waters and claims lie not only saw her but has captured her on video. He
claimed she was jet black, about 15 metres long and travelling in a very straight line at about 6 miles per
hour. Despite this supposed evidence, controversy still reigns and opinion clearly divided about its
existence. The video footage has been discredited amid accusations of tampering, whilst others claim mat
the image caught by Holmes could be nothing more than a tree trunk or even one of the otters that inhabit the loch.
E. Some scientists believe that the Loch Ness monster could a mirage or a psychological phenomenon in
as much as sometimes we see what we want to see. Of course, those who have seen her beg to differ, but
many experiments have been conducted to arrive at theories to explain what it is that people could be
witnessing. It has been suggested that Nessie could be related to a prehistoric animal known as a
Plesiosaur, an animal that measured up to ten metres in length and is otherwise thought to be extinct,
although this theory is unsupported by any data, One scientist, in particular, has been researching the lake
itself to find out more about its history, It seems that for such a large animal to Jive in this lake it would
require a vast food source, but for such an amount of fish to survive there would need to be plenty of
microscopic animals called zooplankton. The only way to find out how much of this there is in the water
is to measure the number of algae. Algae needs light to survive so by measuring just how deep the
daylight can penetrate the lake scientists can then start to work out what kind of population can be
sustained. Despite results that suggest that the fish population was too small, the conclusions drawn were inconclusive.
F. In the 1900s, a ten-year observational study was carried out, recording an average of 20 sightings of
Nessie per year, The phenomenon exploded in the second half of the century when photos were publicly
released of a ‘flipper’, Submarines were sent into dying Loch Ness to try to discover more about this
creature (and now are actually run as tourist attractions). Another theory behind why Nessie rose to the
top of the waters where she was more likely to be seen, was that disruption from nearby road works in the
1930s forced her to move to higher levels due to the amount of vibration fell in the water. Another
argument centres on the geographical placement of the Loch, which sits on the Great Glen fault line
formed over 400 million years ago. Some scientists have claimed that resulting seismic activity in the lake
could cause disturbances on its surface and people could be mistaking this for Nessie.
G. Up until today, there is no convincing proof to suggest that the monster is real, which, given the
preponderance of digital cameras, webcams trained on the loch and other technological advances in
recording equipment, suggests that the myth of Nessie maybe just that – a myth. Nonetheless,
accommodation all over the Scottish Highlands offers tours of the lake itself so tourists can try to catch
their own glimpse of Nessie, In 2007, it was estimated that related tourism brought in an estimated £6
million to the region, thanks in a pan to the attention of the film industry.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet write
TRUE, if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE, if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN, if there is no information on this
1. The first reported sighting of the Loch Ness monster was in 1962. F
2. It is believed the idea for the Loch Ness monster may have been inspired by other stories of sea creatures. T
3. The last person who claims to have seen the Loch Ness monster has video footage. T
4. There is evidence to suggest that the Loch Ness monster is related to the plesiosaur. F
5. Testing of algae in the loch proved that the food source was insufficient to sustain Nessie. F 4
6. Movement along a fault line could have caused Nessie to rise to the surface. F Questions 7-13
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet.
7. When was the first recorded sighting of Nessie?.....565 A.D.........
8. What was Cordon Holmes suspected of doing to the video footage?........Tampering.........
9. What common animal may have been caught on camera and mistaken as proof of Nessie?........Otter........
10. Images of what caused an increase in the number of Nessie enthusiasts?....A flipper........
11. What can visitors hope to see Nessie travel in?......A submarine........
12. Disturbances caused by what could have caused the creature to surface?....Road works..........
13. What has promoted tourism in the Loch Ness area in recent years?......The movie industry.........
Part 3. In the article below, six paragraphs have been removed. Read the article and choose from the
paragraphs A - H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need to use.
GIVING HOPE TO THE HOPELESS
As Mrs Pep Atkins approached Lilian Baylis School with her 11-year-old son Glyn, her heart sank.
Disappointed by interviews at most of the other secondary schools in the run-down inner-city borough of
Lambeth, she already had half a mind to send Glyn to her native Ghana for his education. She saw
nothing to lift her spirits in this South London mixed comprehensive, its sprawling, vandalized buildings defaced by graffiti. 1. F
Her belief was justified. Today, after five years at Lilian Baylis School (named after the determined
woman who brought Shakespeare to the Old Vic music hall half a mile away), Glyn is working at a
college of further education for A levels in Business Studies, Sociology and Law. He aims to be a
barrister. Within a decade Hazel Hardy, now 57, with her deputy heads Daya Moodley and Cliff Stubbs,
has turned a blighted, unhappy school, plagued by disruptive pupils, into an exciting educational
adventure, universally admired as a showcase of what good teaching can achieve. 2. A
My own position has changed radically between my first and second children. The first taught herself to
read at the age of four. Thereafter she secreted books around her bed like contraband, and had to be
physically praised from them at the dinner table. When her younger sister started school last year, I expected a repeat performance. 3. H
Should I be vacuuming away her words, and pumping in someone else’s? Should I have been coercing her
to try to read when she was plainly unwilling? I can coerce for England, but the thought of becoming her
personal politburo in the matter of when she learned to read seemed so awful that I became a convert refusenik instead. 4. E
Elsewhere there’s no shortage of horror stories, like the parents of four-year-olds, who formerly wouldn’t
have even been in school, paying for coaching to help them keep up with the fast readers. The mother of a
four-and-a-half-year-old was told that her son had to apply himself to reading because the school didn’t 5
want him to end up at the bottom of the pile. This from excellent teacher, herself under pressure to
produce results: by their Sats shall we judge them. Einstein may have learnt to read only at 10, but today
he’d be stigmatized and in remedial reading. 5. G
Learning to read is rather like potty training. The parents of kids who do it young proclaim it abroad, yet
most people get there in the end. How they do so is paramount for future pleasure, the result of an
unpredictable, serendipitous combination of factors different for each of us. But we’ve a government
which has confused standards with standardization. You can, just about, drill children into learning, but
you can’t compel them to enjoy it. In a culture increasingly in thrall to what is measurable, what a pity
reading pleasure can’t be tested. 6. C
I think my own now almost-six-year-old would have preferred this approach. However, something has
recently clicked in the reading part of her brain, and she is on the way to becoming a voracious reader. It’s
probably sheer coincidence that this transformation was over exactly the same period that she started learning the violin. Missing paragraphs:
A. Printed big on Hazel’s office wall is the motto, “Not failure, but low aim is sin.” And behind friendly
manner lies a steely determination to aim high in order to give her pupils a chance in life. Most live in
decaying high-rise flats, hemmed in by streets too full of menace to be the playgrounds they once were.
“These kids are deprived of too much,” she says. “A good education is their only way out, and we’re
determined that at Lillian Baylis they’ll get fair share.”
B. Today’s volunteers-former antique dealer Martin Nash, local vicar Andrew Grant and PC Mark Perou,
one of several policemen who do a pre-duty stint-listen, encourage and help with the harder words. Over
by the wall, two 12-year-old boys sit with backs to the room; one, a good reader, has come in early to help
his friend to catch up. Hazel Hardy, not one to ask others to do what she won’t do herself, can be seen
through the open door of the big, untidy office she calls “Paddington Station,” already discussing the
day’s problems with colleagues.
C. One recent Saturday, in room after room I saw parents squeezed into desks beside young children.
Some were learning what kind of English teaching their children could expect I secondary school, others
brushing up simple Maths skills or doing pottery and art. Says Glyn Atkins, “The best thing about the
Family Programme is that you really have fun while you’re working with your parents. What the school
tries to create is on big, happy family.”
D. Each day in assembly Hazel read the riot act to pupils from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds –
Britain, Africa, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, China and Vietnam. No result. Then one morning,
desperate, she flung out an angry warning: “Anybody who misbehaves today can expect a visit from me at
home tonight.” Once the threat was made there was no drawing back.
E. Hazel and Daya got the Family Programme under was by systematically calling on parents of first-
year pupils with good news of their children’s achievements. They encouraged parents to make a corner
for study, to listen to their reading, supervise writing and spelling practice, and keep a home diary with space for parents’ comments.
F. Then she heard laughter. Inside, instead of a formal interview with forbidding head teacher, she found
a group of parents chatting animatedly. “There was tea and biscuits. And so much laughter.” A bouncy
blonde woman came toward to introduce herself as Mrs Hazel Hardy, the head. And it’s like she’s known 6
me all my life,” says Pep Atkins. “With that wonderful welcome and the happy, lively atmosphere, I knew
this was the school for my son.”
G. Weekend courses attract droves of parents eager to learn what they can to help with their children’s
studies. Before last Christmas, children who were promised computers brought along parents for a
Saturday lesson from science teacher Rob Bellini on computers that would educate and simply play
games. National supermarket chain Sainsbury’s. and engineering and construction firm Costain are two
big companies which offer courses, work visits and talks for parents and children.
H. But they underrated the parents. In home after home in Lambeth’s densely populated tower blocks, the
teachers were invited in, offered food and drink. Parents, aware that life had dealt them a poor hand, were
eager to set their children on the road to educational success. As Hazel felt her way down the dark
stairway of one block, she said to Daya: “If that’s the response we get from bringing bad news about their
children, just think what would happen if we brought good news.
Part 4. You are going to read an article about surveillance. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text. FREEDOM VS SECURITY
In much-vaunted rhetoric, the eleventh of September 2001 has gone down in history books as 'the
day the world changed forever'. This was seen as a positive change, with the majority of nations
supporting a clamp-down on terrorism on an international basis, and calling for more co-operation
between intelligence agencies and police forces.
Unfortunately, a more sinister force was unleashed, and democratic countries that formerly valued
the freedom of the individual suddenly became the targets of criticism for non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) such as Amnesty International and civil liberties campaigners like Statewatch, an
independent group which monitors threats to privacy and civil liberties in the European Union.
In some countries, civil liberties had already been compromised. Many Europeans had been living with
closed circuit television cameras in public places for many years, for example, and accepted their
existence as a necessary evil which would reduce the risk of street crimes, thus assuring the safety of the
majority. However, after the September 11th attacks, governments hastily dusted off and revived ancient
statutes or drafted sweeping new acts which were aimed at giving themselves and the police considerably
more powers with a view to cracking down on terrorists, wherever they were to be found.
In the decade prior to 2001, government policies were put in place which aimed to provide citizens
with access to information. People were empowered to check their personal data to ensure its accuracy
wherever the data was held (ie — in banks, local government offices, etc). Now, though, draconian
measures were suddenly proposed, which included the storing of personal communications, including all
e-mails and phone calls, for at least one year, with all telecommunications firms having to keep records of
the names and addresses of their clients as well as the numbers and addresses of calls and e-mails sent by
them. Governments argued, quite convincingly, that such measures were necessary to combat terrorism,
and other benefits were also played up, such as improved ability to track child abductors. While balking at
the idea of telephone-tapping and uncontrolled information-swapping among government agencies, the
public, by and large, have been receptive to other such measures, but they may yet live to regret their compliance.
An independent study of 50 countries published in 2002 criticised Britain, in particular, over a
series of measures which, its authors say, have undermined civil liberties, especially since the September
11th attacks. They accuse the government of having placed substantial limitations on numerous rights,
including freedom of assembly, privacy, freedom of movement, the right to silence and freedom of
speech. The implementation of tough new measures severely limiting the number of immigrants accepted
by Western countries has also raised concerns among civil rights groups, who point out that laws aimed at
reducing global terrorism have penalised many legitimate refugees fleeing war-torn countries or
repressive regimes. Furthermore, these measures have had far-reaching effects. Repressive regimes
around the world have seized upon the precedent being set by the West to legitimise their own previously
questionable human rights practices, with only NGOs like Amnesty International left to cry foul.
Individuals have unwittingly contributed to the erosion of their own personal freedom by adopting new 7
technologies that offer more convenience and security (eg — extensive use of credit cards, smart cards,
customer loyalty cards, etc), while compromising their freedom. It is easier to trace a person's movements
when such cards are used. Willingness to give up privacy in exchange for security will remain a strong
force, and some companies have jumped on the bandwagon, offering "personal location" devices aimed at
parents who fear for their children's safety. Whilst this may seem reasonable, consider the following: at
what age does a rebellious teenager have the right to remove such a tracking chip?
It seems a strange concept that, in the twenty-first century, the very peoples who have fought for
their freedom of expression and movement and freedom of the press are now allowing their governments
to have access to personal and confidential information which would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
For countries like Britain to be found to have acted unlawfully by discriminating against foreign nationals
would also have been unthinkable once, given Britain's strong legislation against racial discrimination and
the existence of a commission whose sole purpose is to investigate charges of such acts. There used to be
a distinction between countries which had poor records of human rights abuses and more liberal countries,
but the dividing line has become a trifle blurred.
George Orwell predicted that the age of surveillance would be 1984; he was 17 years out in his
calculations, but Orwell would have been horrified to discover that convenience and security have
become more important to the majority than basic human rights
1. In the second paragraph, the writer implies that
A certain NGOs are having to resort to undemocratic action.
B state repression is much more commonplace in countries that used to guard against it.
C civil liberties activists are endangering privacy.
D certain European Union countries lack respect for individual freedoms.
2. The writer indicates that before September 2001
A terrorism wasn't considered a threat in countries that now act against it.
B the police in some countries didn't have enough resources to fight terrorism.
C the police in some countries had been demanding more powers.
D some countries had dispensed with laws that had given the police more powers.
3. What does the writer feel about government attitudes to the individual in the 1990s?
A There was a move towards building public confidence with regard to the subject of personal information.
B No careful thought had been given to using personal communications to combat crime.
C. Information about phonecalls and e-mails wasn't kept long enough.
D. Government policies unwittingly encouraged child abductions.
4. What is the general attitude of citizens to the question of the right to privacy?
A. People see this as their inalienable right.
B. They are prepared to surrender their liberty to some extent.
C. People have been placated with jargon about reducing crime.
D. People are not convinced that their rights are under threat.
5. What point is made about tracing people's movements or activities through financial transactions?
A. It makes people feel more secure.
B. People have willingly exchanged privacy for convenience.
C. It could help parents who fear for their children's safety.
D. People who rely on "plastic" money facilitate such surveillance.
6. What does the writer suggest about some of the new legislation in the second-last paragraph?
A. Most people in the countries concerned find it unacceptable.
B. People had to struggle to achieve this.
C. It is contrary to the spirit of other existing legislation.
D. It is mainly relevant to foreigners.
7. What point does the writer make about George Orwell and his predictions?
A. Orwell would have been dismayed at the reasons underlying the current situation.
B. If he were alive, he would say that he had been right.
C. The prediction was fairly inaccurate. 8
D. Orwell would have been horrified by the importance of security.
Part 5. You are going to read about items from science fiction that became real. For questions 1-10,
choose from the sections of the article (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once.
We’ve seen it all before!
Just how many of the technological advances we take for granted today were actually predicted in
science fiction years ago? Karen Smith checks out four influential works. A R.U.R
Originally a word that appeared solely in science fiction, the term ‘robot’ has now become commonplace
as developments in technology have allowed scientists to design ever more complex machines that can
perform tasks to assist us at work or home. But how did the word originate and when? To answer this, we
have to go back nearly 100 years to a play written in 1920 by a Czech playwright, Karel Capek, called R.
U. R — Rossum’s Universal Robots. The word is a derivation from the Czech robota, meaning ‘forced
labour’, or rab, meaning ‘slave’. Capek’s robots are biological machines which are uncannily similar to
what we today refer to as ‘clones’ or ‘androids’ but are assembled from various parts rather than being
genetically ‘grown.’ The play eerily predicts problems that concern people today regarding machines that
can think independently. Rossum’s robots plan a rebellion against their creator, a man who in his own
words, wants to ‘play God’. The famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was unimpressed by the
literary value of Capek’s play but believed it had enormous significance because it introduced the
word robot to the world. В Ralph 124C41+
If you’re a science fiction aficionado, you’ll definitely have heard of Hugo Gernsback. Considered by
many to be the founding father of science fiction back in 1926 with the publication of his magazine
Amazing Stories, his name has been immortalised in the annual science fiction awards, the ‘Hugos’.
However, the quality of his writing is questionable and his stories are more highly regarded for their
content rather than plot or character development. Gernsback was deeply interested in the world of
electronics and, believing that science-fiction should inspire future scientists, he filled his stories with
ideas for numerous new gadgets and electronic devices. An extraordinary number of his predictions have
actually come true. Today we have television, televised phone calls, sliding doors and remote controls, to
name only a few, and the precursors of many of these can be found in just one novel: Ralph 124C41+.The
mystifying title is itself a prediction of language used in text talk today: ‘one to foresee for all (1+)’!
Gernsback’s prophetic stories included other predictions which currently remain unfulfilled, such as
complete weather control, thought records and aircabs. Watch this space! C
From the London Town of 1904
Mark Twain is a familiar name to most of us as the author of magnificent books such as Huckleberry
Finn and Tom Sawyer . He is less well-known, however, for his science fiction but to avid readers of that
genre, he is considered one of the best writers of all time. It is also quite possible that he predicted one of
the most influential scientific inventions the world has ever seen — something that we all use and rely on
every day: the Internet! It is in a little-known short story called From the London Town of 1904 that a
character invents a device called a ‘telectroscope’. This is a machine that uses telephone line links across
the world to enable him to see and hear what is going on in any place on the globe at a given time. How
familiar does that sound? The character, while on death row for a murder that he did not commit, uses his
machine to ‘call up’ different places in the world and the narrator of the story comments that although in a
prison cell, the man is ‘almost as free as the birds.’ D Star Trek
These days mobile phones have become such an integral part of our daily lives that we would be lost
without them but there was a time when we had to communicate using landlines or — horror of horrors 9
— by writing letters! Viewers watching the birth of a new TV science fiction series in the 1960s would
have been amazed at the thought that the ‘communicator’ used by Star Trek’s Captain Kirk would one
day become an everyday form of communication available to us all. Kirk’s ‘communicator’ was a small
device he used to flip open and, in retrospect, it seems surprisingly similar to a mobile phone that became
popular in the late 90s. The long-running series also featured several other devices that have since moved
from fiction to the real world. However, the famous Star Trek ‘Transporter’, through which people can
immediately materialise in different places, still remains the Holy Grail for many in the world of science.
Now, that really would make a difference to our lives. ‘Beam us up, Scottie,’ please?
Which science fiction work …
1. had a purpose other than pure entertainment? B
2. presented a concept that is familiar today but through a different process? A
3. was written by an author who has more famous fictional creations? C
4. features machines that threaten to cause the downfall of man? A
5. shows us a device that would have enormous significance for us if it really existed? D
6. was created by a writer whose name will never be forgotten? B
7. was given a title that might be better understood by people today than when it was written? B
8. revolves around a character who uses a particular device to escape from the reality of a situation? C
9. delighted people over a period of many years? D
10. foresaw something that is controversial today? A 10
Document Outline

• Part 1. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
• Part 2. Write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space provided.
• Part 1. Fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
  • The Badger
• Your answers
• Part 2. Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
  • The Loch Ness Monster
    • Questions 7-13
    • We’ve seen it all before!