READING AND USE OF ENGLISH - Part 5 Multiple choice

EXAM TASK -

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The beauty of pauses
Machines work well at a constant speed - and the you say ''Action!" and it changes everything.' It became
faster the better. They are designed and built for clear to me that a pause is not so much an absence of
it. Whether they are spinning cotton or crunching thought or action, but an integral part of it.
numbers, regular, repetitive actions are what they excel
at. Increasingly, our world is designed by machines, I started to notice where pauses show up. For example,
for machines. Digital technology brings them ever I realised that when writing, a short walk was a more.
more intimately into our lives. We hold our phones in effective way to break a creative block than concentrating
the palm of our hand, but it is they that have us in their harder. When people came to visit me at my rural
grasp. We adapt to machines and hold ourselves to Spanish home, I saw how powerful brief periods of
their standards: people are judged by the speed with disconnection could be. As one friend commented,
which they respond, not the quality of their response. 'After a day here, I found myself solving problems I
We find ourselves in a state of 'continuous partial didn't know I had.' Time can have a profound effect,
attention' - rarely stopping, never fully present. when it's allowed to.
Such ideas are being woven into our culture.
Some people were distinctly unsettled when I told them
Most of us are busy most of the time these days, if not I was working on a book about pauses. There was one
with work then with family, domestic tasks or our social who immediately and indignantly declared, 'But there
networks - real and virtual. When I ask people how is always a cost to pausing.' The very idea created a
they are, they almost always answer 'busy' or some kind of panic for her. There was an awkward silence.
variation of it. 'Always on' has become something to A pause, in fact. After a minute or so her husband
aspire to. The moral high ground belongs to those who added, 'Perhaps .. . but there is always a cost to not
get on with things, not those who delay. We feel we pausing as well.' This illustrates the dilemma we are
are being 'sensible', 'logical', 'responsible', 'practical'. caught in. If time is money, then pausing will cost you.
Ticking things off the 'to-do' list becomes a means of But what about the cost of not pausing? What about
defining, or escaping ourselves. Faced with this, we try the opportunities you miss, the perspective you lose,
to keep calm by carrying on, but what are we missing the connections you don't make, the enjoyment
out on? you forsake? It's clear which option we've become
conditioned to choose.
A few years ago I became very interested in what it
means to pause. I realised that this isn't as simple as it There is more to life than getting things done. Time isn't
might seem. A pause could be a moment of silence or a commodity, scarce or otherwise. Our experience of
a year's sabbatical. I sought out people who pay it varies wildly. A minute eating ice cream doesn't feel
attention to pauses: from actors and artists to the same as a minute doing press-ups. Even time itself
musicians and film-makers. I asked them about the isn't a uniform raw material, as the physics of Einstein
value of gaps and spaces, about how they create them shows. Letting go of the idea that time is linear, regular
and what they get as a result. I realised that a pause is and objective, and thinking of it in the same way we
not nothing. It acts as a kind of switch or opening. experience it - as elastic, variable and layered - can
As Helene Simonsen, a classical musician, says, only be a good thing. Instead of setting work and life
'Whatever you are doing, if you want something else to against each other, pauses can be used to lighten our
happen, you need to pause.' A film director spoke of experience. They are like the yeast that makes bread
how he used a tiny delay to grab the crew's attention rise: you don't need much, but it is a vital ingredient.
on set: 'Pause for the space of a breath or two, before

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You are going to read an article about the importance of pauses. For questions 1-6,
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

1 In the first paragraph, the writer refers to mobile phones in order to

A make an observation about the efficiency of machines.
B point out an irony in people's use and appreciation of machines.
C show how machines have negatively impacted on human relationships.
D draw a comparison between machine and human behaviour.
2 In the second paragraph, the writer suggests that people's motivation for staying
busy is driven by
A a deep sense of commitment.
B an increased need to be organised.
C a response to technological change.
D a desire to feel superior to others.
3 In the third paragraph, the writer is
A outlining how he benefits from pausing in daily life.
B summarising others' definitions of what pauses are.
'c describing how his understanding of pauses has shifted.
D illustrating contrasting views on the importance of pausing.

4 In the fourth paragraph, what is the writer emphasising in the sentence 'Time can
have a profound effect, when it's allowed to'?
A Certain contexts offer more opportunities to pause.
B Different activities appear to pass at different rates.
C Travelling can alter people's perception of time.
D The effects of pausing are stronger when with other people.
5 What does the writer suggest in the fifth paragraph?
A There are several unexpected drawbacks to pausing.
B The need to pause is generally misunderstood.
C Certain people gain more from pausing than others.
D The majority of people value the material over the spiritual.
6 In the final paragraph, the writer puts forward the view that people should
A attempt to alter their attitude towards time.
B spend more time engaging in agreeable activities.
C resist the temptation to overanalyse how we experience time.
D endeavour to plan their time more carefully.

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READING AND USE OF ENGLISH - Part 6 Cross-text multiple matching
EXAM TASK

You are going to read four reviews of a book about the media. For questions 1-4,
choose from the reviews A-O. The reviews may be chosen more than once.
Which reviewer

has a different opinion from the other reviewers about how

confidently Grahame discusses the media? 1

shares reviewer B's opinion about how original Grahame's

ideas are? 2

shares a view with reviewer D regarding Grahame's concerns

about the political influence of newspapers? 3

has a similar view to reviewer B about Grahame's predictions

regarding online media? 4

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 The power of the media
Four reviews of The Media Machine by Alexander Grahame
A C
The Media Machine attempts to unpick the complex The main emotion I was left with after reading
relationships between business, media and politics 'Alexander Grahame's The Media Machine was
in the western world. Author Alexander Grahame's concern. He paints a believably bleak picture of
25 years in the news industry enable him to analyse what humanity has in store thanks to the seemingly
the topic with authority and in great detail. Despite endless number of news feeds available to us on
his intimate knowledge of the media's inner workings, our devices, and the effect that this may have on
however, I didn't come away from the book feeling social integrity. Grahame comments so perceptively
that I had been party to any great revelations. Without on this and many other contentious issues that
doubt, the main points are eloquently stated, but have I had never even considered that I eventually lost
all largely been made before in other such studies. count. My sense of unease is caused in part by how
His main focus is on how each news title, whether persuasively the claims made within the book are put
broadsheet or tabloid, subtly manipulates its readers across. The conviction with which Grahame writes is
towards a certain opinion. The media's ability to do impressive. One small irritation is that too much space
this gives them great influence over those in power, is given to how much power traditional news titles have
but hasn't that always been the case? Social media's over their readers, and hence who they want to win in
involvement, however, adds a new dimension, and the an election. This has clearly been the case for many
author's conviction that its algorithms will create even decades, if not centuries, yet to my knowledge no
greater societal divisions are frighteningly plausible. society ever fell apart because its media expressed a
B variety of opinions.
The printed media's ability to seek to control the D
thoughts, minds and supposedly democratic decisions Interesting though it is, Alexander Grahame's new
of their readership, asserts Alexander Grahame in book will probably seem to most readers more like
The Media Machine, has never had such dangerous a revision aid for a media studies degree than a
consequences as it does today. Few sane people ground-breaking vision of the media, politics and
would disagree. According to Grahame, what has power. Its principal attempt to be ahead of the times
complicated this issue beyond recognition is the relates to its focus on the internet-age interference
internet. Astonishingly complex coding now provides with citizens' thinking through various social platforms.
each user with news based on what they've previously Whilst this practice undoubtedly occurs, Grahame's
clicked on and read. His assumption that this will ponclusion that it has pushed whole societies to the
create ever deeper and more heated disagreements edge of conflict is hard to have faith in. What had me
within populations, however, is not backed up with nodding in agreement, however, was his frightening
any convincing evidence. Despite this, Grahame's analysis of the sheer number of votes that can be
arguments throughout the book are put forward with changed when one of the big national news titles
the degree of assurance you'd expect from such a decides to change their political allegiance. This was
well-respected journalist. Although the idea of press the only section of the book in which I felt Grahams
exploitation of people's attitudes and beliefs has been had a thorough grasp of the issue he was dealing with.
written about on many occasions before, the other Elsewhere, it was unclear whether he actually believed
countless fresh insights included in the pages of in his own arguments.
The Media Machine make it well worth reading.

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READING AND USE OF ENGLISH - Part 8 Multiple matching
EXAM TASK

You are going to read an article in which five writers give advice about getting
a book published. For questions 1-1 0, choose from the writers (A-E).The writer�
may be chosen more than once.

Which writer makes the following statements?

It's important that the story develops quickly. 1

Being rejected happens to all first-time novelists. 2

An effective main character must have certain characteristics. 3

I considered having the book printed myself but eventually

decided not to. [i I=_]
You should send your book to certain publishers first. [i_CJ
I got some essential advice at a chance meeting. l I I
6

I'd recommend avoiding imitating other authors' styles. [Y7

A book must have at least one memorable element. la: I
I found the perfect person to comment on my book as it was
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being written.

Some publishers are more concerned about risk than others.

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 Getting your first novel published
Are you a writer hoping to get your first novel published?
We've asked five experienced writers to give some tips on how to go about it.

Writer A including a covering letter with the manuscript, which

Getting your first novel published is always hard. I'd consistently failed to do. The next publisher I sent the
Publishers these days have to be absolutely convinced book to snapped it up, so it clearly worked. What I was
that a book will make money before they take it on, most proud of in my first and subsequent novels was
especially if they haven't got a best-selling author the pace of the action. I'd heard that one of the main
contracted to them or published a series based on the reasons publishers turn books down is that things move
same popular hero, and therefore have little spare cash at too pedestrian a pace. I must admit that as a reader
to play with. Most writers have spent at least a year I soon lose interest in novels like that, so I go along with
putting a book together, almost always while holding using this among their criteria for selection.
down another job at the same time in order to pay the
Writer D
bills. It's honestly worth investing an extra couple of
months in editing it yourself and getting it to as good a I prefer reading and writing the kind of novel that
state as you possibly can. It's staggering the number of develops gradually and subtly, so found it hard to accept
improvements you'll find, and anything that helps to win when publishers said in their rejection letters that readers
over a difficult-to-please publisher will be time well spent. would only go for a fast-moving thriller, and not for a
And prepare yourself to be disappointed many times novel such as mine. I eventually found a publisher who
over; it's an inevitable part of the process for everyone. shared my way of thinking and my debut novel was
published lqst year. It's crucial to be true to your own
Writer B way of writing rather than adapting it to appear like
When my first novel was finally accepted for someone else's simply to get into print. I'd heard that a
publication, I'd already sent it to at least twenty lot of people were self-publishing work, so thought about
publishers. Knowing whether it'll be accepted by heading down that path for a while. Not knowing anyone
the first or the fiftieth, or not at all, is an impossibility. whose novel had become successful that way was what
What you need to ensure is that at least one aspect of put me off in the end. I'm pleased now that I decided to
your novel - plot, characters (especially the main ones), stick with the traditional route.
context, style - provides something totally original.
Writer E
If so, it will stick in the mind of the publisher far more
than something that's relatively formulaic. They have I almost fell off my chair in shock when the third
very little time to read the work that's submitted to publisher I'd sent my novel to said yes. I'd heard
them, because they receive a lot and you can't so many horror stories of authors working their way
generally read a novel in a few hours. It's also worth through every single publisher in the country and getting
being aware that different publishing houses are known nothing but refusals from them all. Most of these poor
to focus on particular genres of fiction, so carefully writers ended up publishing it themselves via printing
research who is most likely to publish the type of book companies they'd found online. The key to my success
you've written and prioritise them. was having someone read and critically appraise my
work as I wrote it. It's essential that this isn't someone
WriterC you're particularly close to, as that way they won't be
I was convinced my first novel was worthy of publication too careful about hurting your feelings. What I'd also
and was perplexed as to why I wasn't getting any recommend is that the central figure in the novel has to
response from publishers. Then, out of the blue, I got create their own destiny and not be someone who just
talking to someone at a party who acts as an agent goes along with events and things that happen to them.
for authors and she pointed out the necessity of Every great story has this at its core.

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 TIP: Use formal words, phrases and
structures in an essay, and avoid informal I­
Read the task and write your essay. You should explain which way is more V)
language including contractions. w
important. giving reasons in support of your answer. I-
Impersonal sentences Write your answer in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
In an essay, it's better to avoid using /, me, we
and us. Use impersonal sentences instead, and Your class has attended a panel discussion on improving people's
health nationally. You have made the notes below:

e
talk about people and topics in general.

Complete the impersonal ways of

expressing ideas with the phrases in Way_� to imQrove Q80Qle's health thrQughout th� �ountry:
the box. • additional gyms and sports centres
considered to be • ban on advertising unhealthy food
is a fairly widespread phenomenon • school lessons
is one proposal Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
on healthy living
others have been 'People often join gyms but give up going after
the majority of people a couple of weeks.'
'There are so many adverts for food which
1 Like many others, I find that having a clear
isn't good for you.'
aim really motivates me.
Of course, 'Parents, not schools, should be teaching
find that having
a clear aim is a great motivation. children about healthy living.'
2 I really think that top sports stars are
generally great role models for young
people.
Top sports stars are generally
great role models for
young people.
3 I would consider limiting car ownership to
one per family.
Limiting car ownership to one per family
that is worth considering.
4 I've done well in a capitalist society but
many people haven't been so lucky.
Capitalist societies allow
certain citizens to flourish but
_ _ _ _ _ less fortunate.
5 I don't personally think I spend ..·
too much time on social
media but many people my ·
age do. · ·
Overuse of social media