Zadania 1–9 — 60 punktów / 90 minut
Read the text below. Six sentences have been removed. Choose from options A–H the one which best fits each gap. Two options are distractors and do not fit any gap.
The Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928 saw a number of important milestones. To begin with, women competed in the athletics and gymnastics competitions for the first time. Then, there was a first appearance of the Olympic flame in the modern era. This magnificent structure provided the organisers with a few problems. The biggest one was how to deal with the increased traffic around the venue. Like other cities around Europe in the late 1920s, the streets of Amsterdam were fast filling up with cars. Thus, the organisers were forced to rack their brains in search of a solution.
The allotted parking area in the city had room for a maximum of 2,000 vehicles. In response, Amsterdam City Council provided a number of other sites that increased parking capacity significantly. Nobody knew how drivers and cyclists were supposed to find their way to the new car parks. An answer was found soon. It came in the shape of small blue panels with a white capital “P” in the middle. This was how the international traffic sign for parking was born.
Over the 30 days of the Games a total of 26,028 cars were parked. To prevent them from being sold on illegally, they were valid for three or four days at a time. They also featured a “P” inside a circle.
Much conferring was necessary with the police department of the municipality. Invaluable assistance was rendered by the Commissioner, the Superintendent of the division in which the Stadium was located, and the Chief Inspector of the Traffic Police. They maintained order in the Stadium, regulated the traffic and made up the parking arrangements for foreigners. It proved so useful that it has remained in use ever since, helping drivers all over the world find a place to park their vehicles.
Read the text below. For questions 2.1–2.4, decide if each statement is True, False, or if there is No Information given in the text (4 pts). For questions 2.5–2.7, find the word in the text that matches the definition (3 pts).
In January 2021, after a few attempts on previous days, Tony Hawk landed a 720 – a skateboarding trick involving two full rotations mid-air. Hawk is widely understood to have invented the 720, a move he has performed many times during his career. But this time he wrote on Twitter, “It was a battle. I can’t imagine doing it anymore.” At 53, it is not that he is physically incapable of performing the trick again, but he admits that the risk – a broken pelvis and teeth knocked out – versus the reward will not be worth it in years to come.
In the 1990s he was the most famous name in skateboarding. He invented 89 vertical tricks, won more than 70 contests, licensed a video game series named after him and even guest-starred as himself on The Simpsons.
Growing up in San Diego in the 1970s, Hawk was destined to get on a board. His older brother, Steve, was an outstanding surfer who skated frequently and kept boards around the house. Out of curiosity, Tony tried his luck, eventually using skateboarding as a means of transportation to and from school. But it was photos of skaters from a magazine that set him on a new path. “I was flabbergasted by what I saw and I wanted to get to that level”, he says.
At the time, learning unique tricks was not the norm as skating was more focused on style and how high one could go. But Hawk enjoyed manoeuvring his body and board in new ways, setting him apart from his friends. He was also learning to play the violin, which involved extracurricular concerts on the weekends: “At some point I informed my music teacher that I skated and competed on the weekends, and he flat out told me that I had to choose violin or skateboarding.” He picked the latter.
After a couple of years of moving up the ranks in competitions, Hawk went pro at 14. Now, almost four decades later, he is engaged in numerous projects that prioritize the intersection of skateboarding and community. He likes to think of himself as a skateboarding advocate, and someone who just helped it along. He states, “I’m happy if whatever I’ve done has raised the profile of skating and has changed the stigma that skating is for outcasts, losers and whatnot. With more facilities and skate parks popping up left and right, coupled with major fashion collaborations like Louis Vuitton’s first skate shoes, skateboarding is more embedded in popular culture than ever before. Everyone skates now, or has some attachment to it or has some interest in it.”
Tony Hawk made a 720 for the first time in January 2021.
Hawk’s way of skating differed from that of his friends.
It was a hard decision for Hawk to choose between skateboarding and violin.
Hawk hopes that he has contributed to the positive image of skaters.
Find the word in the text that matches each definition.
in a direct or simple way, without trying to make something sound more pleasant or more polite
extremely surprised and/or shocked
to appear very quickly or suddenly
Uzupełnij poniższe wypowiedzi (3.1.–3.6.), wybierając spośród podanych możliwości. Zakreśl literę A, B albo C.
X: What time is the final match on?
Y: It will be _______ live on the sports channel at 6.00.
X: I think that we lost because of Jerry.
Y: That’s right. This season he is the weakest _______ in our team.
X: Did she take part in the competition?
Y: In fact, she came _______ to participate in it.
X: This has been our fourth victory in _______.
Y: I hope next Saturday we’ll win again.
X: I thought I wouldn’t manage it!
Y: Congrats! It was _______ but you did it!
X: Basketball is my thing!
Y: Great! Why don’t we _______?
Read the text below. Complete each gap (4.1.–4.10.) with one word to create a coherent and grammatically correct text.
The origins of tug of war, a sport with two opposing teams in 4.1. _______ each team tries to drag the other towards them, are lost in the mists of time. It was an Olympic sport 4.2. _______ five occasions – in 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and finally 1920, in Antwerp. The rules are simple: two teams of eight athletes all hold tight to the two ends of a long rope. Two lines are drawn on the ground, around four or five metres apart. The aim is 4.3. _______ drag the opposing team over the line on their side, or 4.4. _______ them fall over. There are two pulls in each round.
4.5. _______ 17th and 18th August 1920, five teams 4.6. _______ competing: from Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA. The British team 4.7. _______ mainly of members of the London police force, and they easily won. The silver medal 4.8. _______ to the Netherlands, the winners of the second round; with Belgium taking 4.9. _______ bronze by beating the USA in the final of the third round.
After the 1920 Games, tug of war was removed 4.10. _______ the Olympic programme along with 33 other sports.
Complete each sentence with one word. The number of dashes corresponds to the number of missing letters. Some letters are already given.
She was _ _ _ _ t _ _ _ _ _ after running up eight flights of stairs.
We were at a horseback riding camp last year where we spent about seven hours in the _ _ d _ _ _ every day.
In the final ten minutes of the game, the fans _ _ _ _ r _ _ on their teams, hoping for a win.
He’s an _ _ _ t _ _ _ football player, but he hopes to play for a Premier League club, one day.
To his disappointment, he came in _ o _ _ _ _ in the F1 race and just missed the podium.
After the climb, both men were physically _ _ _ a _ _ _ _ _.
Read the text. Complete each gap (6.1.–6.8.) with one word by transforming the words given in the box. Two words are extra.
Summer is a great time for hiking. With the kids out of school, people on vacation, and days 6.1. _______ longer, more and more people are hitting the trails. So here are some tips to avoid 6.2. _______ dangerous situations and make your hiking season enjoyable.
Whenever possible, hike with other people. However, if you have 6.3. _______ to hike alone, inform your relatives or host about the planned destination of your trip.
Set off early and include extra time, to return before nightfall.
Choose a steady and regular walking pace. Always show consideration for weaker members of the group. Allow the 6.4. _______ person to set the pace, especially if kids have come along.
Make sure your hiking shoes or boots fit 6.5. _______ and are comfortable. Dress in layers.
Weather in the mountains can be 6.6. _______. Be ready for anything – cold, 6.7. _______, wind, rain, or snow, no matter the season.
Drink water! Consuming too little water will not only make you thirsty, but also susceptible to hypothermia and altitude 6.8. _______.
6.1. LAST → lasting (verb -> present participle: 'days lasting longer’)
6.2. POTENTIAL → potentially (adjective -> adverb: 'potentially dangerous’)
6.3. CHOICE → chosen (noun -> past participle of the verb: 'have chosen to hike’)
6.4. SLOW → slowest (adjective -> superlative: 'the slowest person’)
6.5. PROPER → properly (adjective -> adverb: 'fit properly’)
6.6. PREDICT → unpredictable (verb -> negative adjective: 'can be unpredictable’)
6.7. HOT → heat (adjective -> noun: 'cold, heat, wind, rain’)
6.8. SICK → sickness (adjective -> noun: 'altitude sickness’)
Distractors (not used): CARE, CLIMB
Using the word given in CAPITALS, complete each sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the original. Do not change the form of the given word. You may write a maximum of five words, including the word given.
This is the strangest music I have ever heard at the stadium after a scored goal.
Key word: STRANGE
I have ________ at the stadium after a scored goal.
Our coach always criticises our gym clothes.
Key word: TENDENCY
Our coach ________ our gym clothes.
The fitness instructor said he was sorry he was late for the abs class.
Key word: APOLOGISED
The fitness instructor ________ for the abs class.
Bill is normally very talkative at post-match news conferences, so it is surprising he was so quiet.
Key word: LIKE
It is ________ so quiet at post-match news conferences.
Did you discover who invented the rubber-faced table tennis bat?
Key word: FIND
Did you ________ of the rubber-faced table tennis bat was?
If I were you, I would not work out too hard in the gym.
Key word: BETTER
You ________ too hard in the gym.
I wanted to buy some badminton shuttlecocks, but the store did not have any in stock.
Key word: RUN
The store ________ some badminton shuttlecocks, so I couldn’t buy them.
They tried very hard to come first in the race.
Key word: DID
They ________ first in the race.
Did the basketball team play any better last year?
Key word: IMPROVEMENT
Was there any ________ the basketball team played last year?
The members of the team should eat less junk food from now on.
Key word: DOWN
The members of the team ________ junk food from now on.
Match each sportsperson (8.1.–8.6.) to one option (A–H). Two options are extra and match none of the sportspeople.
| Sportsperson | Answer |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | |
| Lennox Lewis | |
| Ryan Giggs | |
| Nick Faldo | |
| Paula Radcliffe | |
| Chris Hoy |
| Sportsperson | Answer |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | D |
| Lennox Lewis | F |
| Ryan Giggs | H |
| Nick Faldo | C |
| Paula Radcliffe | A |
| Chris Hoy | E |
Answer each question in English. Write short, precise answers.
What is the traditional dessert served at the Wimbledon championships?
What is the name of the motor racing circuit in England where the British Grand Prix (Formula 1) takes place?
In which year did England win their first and only football World Cup?
What is the name of the Gaelic outdoor team sport where players use wooden sticks to hit a ball between the opposing team’s goalposts?
How many times has London hosted the Olympic Games? Give an example of one year when they did.