Use of English · Test 33

Working parents

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer ( A, B, C or D ) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning ( 0 ).

Example:

Reliable studies have shown that children of parents who both go out to work have no more problems than children with one parent staying at home. My personal 0 _____ is that both parents should go out to work if they wish.

Some parents invest so much in a career that they cannot 1 (1) ____ to give it up. Others have to work because of economic 2 (2) ____. There are several options when it 3 (3) ____ to choosing childcare from child minders to the kind neighbour 4 (4) ____ the street. No 5 (5) ____ how good the childcare may be, some children protest if their parents aren’t around. Babies become dependent on parents and close family 6 (6) ____, so parents should make sure they allow 7 (7) ____ time to help their child settle in with their new career.

Remember: if parents want to 8 (8) ____ the best for their children, it’s not the quantity of time they spend with them, it’s the quality that matters.

Daniela: Skateboard champion

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning ( 0 ). In the exam, write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.

Example: BEEN

I’ve always 0 _____ an outdoors kind of girl, and 9 9 a kid, I’d get up to all sorts of stuff with my friends – climbing trees and messing about in the woods. As we got older, my friends started doing other things 10 10 shopping and listening to music, but I still loved being outside and needed a new challenge.

11 11 was my brother who first got me 12 12 skateboarding. I’d seen him practising on his board hour after hour, and to 13 13 honest, I used to think it was uncool. But when he showed me some amazing tricks he could do one day, I had to give it a go.

I’ve got a competitive streak, so I watched loads of skateboarding clips online and got out on my board whenever I could – even 14 14 it was dark – in order to compete 15 15 my brother. It obviously paid 16 16 because I beat him in a competition last month!

The London Eye, the giant 0 _____ wheel, is one of the most popular attractions in London. The wheel is one of the tallest of its kind, at a 17 17 of 135 metres. 1,700 tons of steel were used for its 18 18. People make special journeys to see the 19 19 wheel. Fifteen thousand visitors can ride on the Eye every day. The architects, Julia Barfield and her husband David Marks, won the competition to design a Millennium landmark. Their design was the most 20 20 of all the projects and the first 21 21 of the wheel were made on their kitchen table in 1993. Julia found the 22 22 site by drawing a circle and finding its centre. Not 23 23, it took about three years to get the wheel built. In 24 24 of their work, the couple were awarded the MBE, a special honour that is given in the UK to someone who has achieved something special. 0.OBSERVE