Technical English Level 3

Progress Test 4 (Units 7-8)

Answer all the questions.

Section 1: Vocabulary

1 Choose the correct option.

1 The ground station received the transmission/transmitter from the satellite.

2 If the iris scanner isn't used properly, the image may be affected by reflections/reflectors in the eye from the surrounding location.

3 The new electricity generation/generator will allow us to produce much more.

4 I need to increase the amplification/amplifier of the signals. We can't hear them very well.

5 Our company is a production/producer of body scanners.

6 The man had been using a metal detector/detection for years, before he discovered the ancient gold treasure in a nearby field.

7 Reinforcing/reinforced steel is placed within concrete in order to strengthen the concrete.

8 The magnetic field created a pulse/coil, that is, a short electric current.

9 The capacitor/capacitance is the amount of charge which can be held in the capacitor.

10 A fingerprint is a pattern of valleys and ridges/resistors.

11 The broken down vehicle was towed/secured back to the garage.

12 It was a strengthening/lengthy process to make the legs. In fact it took several months.

13 The drill collar/kelly was slipped over the drill pipe.

14 I didn't catch/repeat what you said. Can you say it again, please?

15 He didn't know the means/meaning of `swivel' so he asked me to define it.

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Section 2: Language

2 Choose the correct option (a-d).

Recently, failings in airport security (16) ________________, when a security inspector managed to carry a knife through to the departure lounge without being detected. He did this (17) ________________ that the systems in place (18) ________________ as well as they should have been. When the passenger walked through the detector, the alarm went off and he (19) ________________ to stand aside and raise his arms. However, he refused to do so and (20) ________________ the official that only the week before he (21) ________________ a metal plate fitted to his jaw. The official informed him that he (22) ________________ on his way without a further search. (23) ________________ this was happening, a security supervisor (24) ________________ and he was not happy about the official's failure to check the passenger. He stopped the passenger (25) ________________ his way into the departure lounge. The supervisor was then embarrassed when the passenger confirmed that he was in fact a security inspector. The inspector said: “ regulations (26) ________________”. This is a very serious offence.

16 a) have demonstrated b) have been demonstrated c) demonstrated d) were demonstrated

17 a) by prove b) to proving c) to prove d) in order prove

18 a) were not working b) were not worked c) have not been worked d) not been working

19 a) was instructing b) instructed c) was instructed d) has been instructed

20 a) said b) explained c) confirmed d) told

21 a) had had b) has had c) was having d) had

22 a) can continue b) continued c) could continue d) was continuing

23 a) Until b) While c) Whereas d) As soon as

24 a) has been watching b) was watched c) was watching d) has watched

25 a) by blocking b) by blocked c) to blocking d) means of blocking

26 a) have breached b) are breaching c) were breaching d) have been breached

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3 Rewrite the sentences in reported or direct speech as indicated.

27 “If you go on a training course, your job is safe”, said the official.

The official promised me________________________________________________.

28 He asked me what I had been doing when the alarm went off.

“What ________________________________________________?” he asked

29 The official ordered me to take my belt off.

“________________________________________________”, ordered the official.

30 “You must have a full body pat down,” the supervisor said.

The supervisor told him________________________________________________ .

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Section 3: Reading

4 Read the article below on airport security. In which paragraph (A-H) are the following mentioned? Some paragraphs contain more than one point.

31 Items which are still undetectable ________

32 Various uses of particular invention ________

33 Reasons for popularity ________

34 Main areas of passenger dissatisfaction ________

35 Comparison with previously stored information ________

36 Data protection measures ________

37 Data can be checked very quickly ________

38 How unchecked passengers can board a plane ________

39 How hidden items can be found easily ________

40 This system could make security checks faster ________

AIRPORT SECURITY

A Iris scanning is used to identify individuals by photographing the iris of their eye. The iris is the coloured ring around the pupil of every human being's eyes. Iris recognition technology is commonly used in security applications because it's easy to use, very accurate, and safe as it does not damage or hurt the eye at all.

B Iris recognition technology combines computer vision, pattern recognition, and optics. A special black-and-white video camera records a sharp image of the iris which is illuminated by low-level infrared light. The picture can then be stored in a security database. One advantage of iris recognition technology is that is can record the image from some distance away, so no physical contact is necessary. The person's identity can then be confirmed within seconds by taking another picture of their iris and comparing it to the database.

C Applications for this technology include passport control, aviation security and controlling access to restricted areas at airports, database access and computer login, security at hospitals and other official buildings. Some airports have been using iris scanners for passport control for some time but now newer systems can track passengers as they are on the move through an airport.

D In trials at Manchester airport, passengers who agree to take part will have their iris scanned at check-in and it will then be used to identify them as they enter the security search area when it is scanned again. In this way airports hope to stop criminals from swapping boarding cards between arriving at the airport and getting on a plane as the technology scans the person, not the ticket. It should allow international transfer passengers who have new chipped passports, to mix with domestic travellers in the departure lounge because they could be securely identified before re-boarding. Airport bosses claim that the new system should also speed up security check-in.

E However some new technology has not been welcomed by many passengers, such as the full body scanners at security gates. There have been complaints about the amount of radiation and the lack of privacy as the x-ray scanners see right through your clothing. There are two different types currently in use: millimeter-wave and backscatter X-ray. The low level radiation emitted from these two types of machines is supposed to be non-harmful as it penetrates into your clothing.

F The `Backscatter' body scanners use low-level X-rays to produce a two-dimensional image of the body. They can detect items which are bounced back from (backscattered) a body, or display objects on your body towards the machine. They are very good at picking up organic material such as drugs or explosives, and can detect concealed packets of drugs, liquid bombs, or ceramic knives, which may have otherwise got through metal detectors. This makes the backscatter images incredibly accurate.

G The `Millimeter-wave' (MMW) body scanner works by bouncing microwaves off passengers and producing a detailed outline of what lies beneath their clothes. It produces a detailed “radar” image and constructs a 3-dimensional image of their bodies on computer, within a few seconds. Metallic or non-metallic devices and objects are displayed, including weapons, explosives and other items that a passenger is carrying on his/her person. The images are viewed by a security officer in a remote location. Authorities promise that to ensure privacy, the system does not have a storage capability and images will not be printed stored or transmitted.

H Both of the above systems blur the facial features of the person being scanned, to add even more privacy, but some people would still prefer to be patted down by an official. And there is one major problem with them - they can't detect items with a low density, such as powder, many liquids or thin plastics - in fact anything with the same or lower density than clothing cannot be detected.

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Section 4: Writing

5 Rewrite these notes about the Perdido Spar as a news article. There are two marks per item.

41/42 Perdido Spar/deepest/world/45,000 tonnes = 10,000 motor vehicles.

43/44 last year/spar/secured/seabed/9 polyester mooring lines/average length 3Km+

45/46 then topside (drilling platform + accommodation block)/attached/spar/calm seas

47/48 first oil well/ already completed/2500m below seabed

49/50 300Km/pipeline network/just laid/under spar/

41/42 _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

43/44 _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

45/46 _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

47/48 _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

49/50 ___________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

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Section 5: Listening

Track 4

6 Listen to the recording twice and decide if the statements, are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).

51 Bob has been investigating some security systems. ________

52 Bob isn't happy with his research so far. ________

53 Bob has decided that using pin numbers isn't a good idea. ________

54 Adam didn't know about the types of fingerprint scanners. ________

55 Bob has used the optical scanning system. ________

56 Bob believes that it is easy to deceive optical scanners. ________

57 Bob is currently researching capacitive scanners. ________

58 Bob thinks that capacitive scanning is less secure. ________

59 Adam thinks that iris scanning is the best option. ________

60 Bob has finished his research into iris scanning. ________

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PHOTOCOPIABLE © 2011 Pearson Longman ELT

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