Matura Solutions Upper-Intermediate Tests

Photocopiable

© Oxford University Press

A

Reading

Read the text.

2

Are the sentences true or false?

1 The Doomsday Vault is featured in a movie. T / F
2 Food will be stored there in case it is needed in

a catastrophe.

T / F

3 It will eventually contain items we don’t yet

know about.

T / F

4 The people in Svalbard are not

very friendly.

T / F

5 This is the first vault to have been built

to store seeds for the future.

T / F

Mark

/10

Seeds for the future

How can an enormous chamber 200 metres below the
surface in one of the coldest places on the planet possibly
help the survival of our planet? Read on and find out!

On 25th February 2008, what is known as ‘The Doomsday
Vault’ started operating officially. It may sound like
something from a spy film but is in fact a giant fridge in
which the seeds from every known variety of plant and
crop on the planet will eventually be deep frozen. They
could remain in this state for up to 1,000 years.
The Doomsday Vault is like an insurance policy for the
Earth and its construction was prompted by concerns
about global warming and extreme climate change. The
idea behind it is that should climate change or natural
catastrophe one day devastate the planet, it will be
possible to use the seeds stored here to reestablish crops
and plants that have been lost. It already contains over
250,000 seed samples and has space for up to four and a
half million – way beyond the species we can identify at
present.
The remote area of Svalbard, Norway was chosen for
siting the vault because of its location. It is deep within
the Arctic circle and only 620 miles from the North
Pole itself. It used to be important for mining but now
houses very few people and is visited mainly by tourists
and scientists. It is remote, isolated and has an extremely
inhospitable climate, all of which made it an ideal place
to construct the vault. It is so cold in the vault that the
contents would never defrost even if the refrigeration unit
should fail.
As well as being very cold, the vault is also very strong.
It has been constructed from concrete and steel and will

stand up to whatever nature or man could attack it with.
It has already survived the biggest earthquake Norway
has ever experienced.
The Doomsday Vault cost six million euros to build
but scientists believe it was well worth the money. They
have seen some existing seed vaults in other countries
destroyed during conflict or natural disasters. Unique
samples of seeds have been lost from these vaults which
means that there are some varieties of plants that we
shall never see again. Learning from these experiences the
scientists behind the Doomsday Vault have done their
utmost to ensure that the samples stored there, and with
them the possible future of our planet, will be safe.

Vocabulary

3

Choose the correct answers.

1 Our dog has cut his

on some glass.

A claw B whiskers C paw

2 You shouldn’t

that everyone feels the

same way you do.

A agree B accept C assume

3 Do you have any

about his ability?

A problems B regrets C doubts

4 To my

, it’s not a big problem at all.

A view B mind C opinion

5 I’m disappointed they

my proposal.

A rejected B refused C called off

6 The farmer moved his

of cows to the

field by the river.

A pack B herd C litter

7 I’ll go

with the majority opinion.

A out B along C away

8 When is the next

of the TV series?

A episode B view C sequence

9 The

have improved since they moved

the programme to Saturday evenings.

A viewers B ratings C numbers

10 If you

on too much work, your health

might suffer.

A make B put C take

Mark

/10

Test 6–10

cumulative test

B

Matura Solutions Upper-Intermediate Tests

2

Photocopiable

© Oxford University Press

A

4

Complete the sentences with the correct words.

1 Millions of people in the UK are

paid and have very little to live on.

2 To deal with climate change we need to use

sources of

energy.

3 I’m going to

in my notice

tomorrow because I’ve got a new job.

4 I have to

off the meeting on

Friday. I’ve just found out the boss is away then.

5 Some people can’t cope with the rat

and have to change jobs.

Mark

/5

Grammar

5

Complete the sentences with the correct form of
the verbs in brackets.

1 What

(you cook) if he had been vegetarian?

2

(your

mum work) at the university? I’m sure I
recognise her from my student days.

3 Could you tell me where

(be the bank)?

4 You

(not need) hurry

home. We’ve got plenty of time.

5 I

(not be) here now if

Sam hadn’t given me a lift.

6 We

(leave) at 10.30

but there was a problem on the plane.

7 Jackie

(must have)

some bad news. She looks really upset.

8 Who

(you ask) to

come in early today? Was it the boss?

Mark

/8

6

Complete the sentences with the correct words.

1 I can’t remember

I wanted to

ask you.

2 I

have managed to finish all

the work without your help. Thank you.

3 Every Christmas Dad

dress up

as Santa Claus.

4 I haven’t been

to use my

computer since it crashed last week.

5 Do I

to use a special password

to get onto the site?

6 I was

to start the engine when I

noticed a smell of petrol.

7 Remember to get some money from the cash

point,

you?

Mark

/7

Listening

7

≤

4.12

Listen to part of a radio interview about

unpaid overtime. Are the sentences true or false?

1 Workers in the UK spend longer at work on

average than those in the rest of Europe.

T / F

2 Many people assume that working long hours

is normal for their job.

T / F

3 Some professions are demanding to be paid

for the hours they work overtime.

T / F

4 Mike thinks workers should only ever work the

hours stated in their contracts.

T / F

5 February 22nd is the official start to the year

for many professions.

T / F

Mark

/10

Writing

8

Write a for and against essay with the title:
Technology has caused a decline in traditional
communication skills. Use the writing guide to
help you.
Paragraph 1:

Explain the meaning of the

statement.

Paragraph 2:

Give points in favour of the statement.

Paragraph 3:

Give points against.

Paragraph 4:

Summarise and give your own

viewpoint.

Mark

/10

Total

/60

Test 6–10

cumulative test

B