Cumulative Skills Test Units 1–5 Test A

Name: ___________________________________________

Everyday English
1 Complete the sentences with the missing words. Use one word in each sentence.
1 I see __________ you’re coming from. It’s just that I don’t share your opinion.
2 It’s important to __________ attention to the conditions faced by those in poor housing. Let’s
start a media campaign to raise awareness.
3 I don’t think we’re going to see __________ on what colour to paint this room.
4 There’s no __________ in my mind that this is the right decision.
5 Let’s __________ on it and decide tomorrow.

Mark: ___ / 5

Listening
2  Listen to a radio host talking to Tom Monkton about his new television series. Are the
sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Tom talks about his own problems in his new series. ___
2 The man in the first programme started eating more after a sad event in his life. ___
3 The professionals who work on the show are encouraging the man not to quit. ___
4 The radio host thinks the man could struggle to maintain his new lifestyle. ___
5 People in the show often reject suggestions that are made to them. ___
6 Filming people taking on challenges makes it harder for them to quit. ___
7 The woman’s house was so full that there was no room for her relatives. ___
8 The only area which wasn’t full of rubbish was her garden. ___
9 Hoarding can originate from wanting to do the right thing all the time. ___
10 On the show, they focus solely on the people’s problems. ___

Mark: ___ / 10

1
Reading
Climbing Annapurna 1
Most people have heard of Everest. Not so many people have heard of Annapurna 1. Situated in the
Himalayas in Nepal, this mountain is 8,091 metres high and ranks as the tenth highest peak in the
world. The base camp for climbers is more or less half way up the mountain and it boasts some of the
most striking scenery in the world. Any trek to Annapurna is likely to start at Pokhara, the second
largest city in Nepal. The south of the city stands at an altitude of over 827 metres and rises to 1,740
metres in the north, which borders the Annapurna mountain range.
If you’re keen to become one of the 70,000 visitors who take on the challenge to reach the base camp
every year, make sure you’re prepared for what you’re getting into. We weren’t.
A friend and I decided that we would hire a porter to carry our bags, as we didn’t want the added
hindrance of shifting our stuff for ourselves on an already physically demanding trip. Binning stuff
we didn’t need before we went was purely out of compassion for the poor guy who would have to
carry it. We set off, optimistic that we would manage to get to the base camp without too many
problems.
The first thing that struck me on our eight-day trek was not so much the unclear paths, but rather how
much we went downhill only to have to go uphill again. This became a major psychological obstacle
that we would just have to overcome. This was far from my first mountaineering challenge, but I was
naïve to think that this one would be all uphill.
The second problem was altitude sickness. The guest houses along the way were a thriving oasis of
international travellers looking for a bed and a good meal in an otherwise remote and unforgiving
environment. What I didn’t know was that I wouldn’t actually be hungry. This is coming from a
person who never skips a meal. Gradually, food became more and more unappealing, and I didn’t
know why. I mean, we were walking for about eight hours a day, and all I was managing to eat was a
bowl of soup. In little over a week, I was to lose around 7 kg.
The most serious issue was the ever-present danger. You are a delicate creature in this huge mountain
range, especially as you get higher. A few times, we heard the crack of an avalanche, but thankfully
they were never close enough to cause a threat to our safety. They were often the result of snow
accumulating above us and then melting under the midday sun. Obviously, our guides ensured that
we set off early in the morning to minimize the risk, and didn’t burden us with any scary stories en
route.
Another more predictable problem was the cold. Our night spent at the base camp was in a wooden
hut, and the temperature was ˗15°C, which was fairly typical for that time of year. That wasn’t my
main concern though. My sleeping bag barely covered half my body as a result of it getting wet at the
bottom earlier in our journey. I don’t recommend that to anyone.
We dug our heels in for the final stretch. I must admit that, although we’d enjoyed it, it was a weight
off our shoulders when we succeeded in reaching our destination. Days and even months later, I felt
enormously empowered as a result of our achievement. When you’re surrounded by views of 8,000
metre peaks, you feel like you are on top of the world … Well, you actually almost are!

2
3 Read the text. Circle the correct answer (a–d).
1 Before starting their walk, the writer and her friend
a decided they wouldn’t need a porter.
b were already tired from a previous climb.
c got rid of any stuff they didn’t need to take.
d were nervous about reaching their destination.
2 The trek was hard psychologically because
a the tracks weren’t obvious.
b the writer was inexperienced.
c it would take them over a week.
d there was a lot of downhill walking.
3 The thing that scared the writer most was
a the danger posed by the heat of the sun.
b stories she had heard about the trek.
c heavy snowfall on the higher ground.
d the close proximity of the avalanches.
4 The writer advises others to
a go in a warmer season.
b get a better sleeping bag.
c not let things get wet.
d stay in a hotel.
5 On the last part of the trek, the climbers
a had aching feet.
b had a very heavy rucksack.
c had to be very determined.
d realized they hadn’t enjoyed the trek.

Mark: ___ / 10

3
Writing
4 Choose ONE of the following tasks.
A

A website called ‘A Novel Idea’ wants to include five new short stories on its website to
celebrate its tenth anniversary. They are offering a prize for the best entry. Write a short story
on any topic for the competition.
B
Write a formal letter to a young people’s magazine, expressing your views on how all of the
photographs in the magazine show the models looking perfect. Describe how this makes
ordinary young people feel about themselves and suggest a solution to this problem.

Mark: ___ / 15
TOTAL MARKS: ___ / 40

4
Speaking
5 Think about what there is for tourists to see and do in your country. Prepare to answer the
questions below. Then work with a partner. Take turns to interview each other.
1 What do you recommend doing in your capital city? What types of accommodation are there?
What is the best way to travel around?
2 What do you recommend doing outside the capital city? What types of accommodation are
there? What is the best way to travel around?

Challenge!
6 Complete the text with the correct words (a–d).
The challenges of living abroad
Most people can see the 1________ of living abroad. There’s the opportunity to learn 2________
foreign language and to find out about the culture of the place you are living in, for a start. However,
the harsh reality is often a different story. If you go somewhere with a different language, you’ll need
to acquire a grasp of it, which might not be so easy. There’s the problem of which 3________ you
should take with you, and the issue of sorting through the clutter you have 4________ to amass when
you eventually return home after a few years.
When I lived in Japan, I experienced culture shock, which can be overwhelming when it strikes.
I 5________ get stressed about things that were different and I used to wish it could be more like my
own country. Thankfully, this feeling was short-lived, but if I’d been more 6________ about the
lifestyle before I went, I might not have felt so tense.
I’m not trying to dissuade anyone from taking the opportunity to live abroad. In fact, I’d 7________
them on enthusiastically. It’s just that if you are able to prepare well and are aware of the obstacles
you might have to 8________ , it will ensure a smoother transition from one country to another.
1 a plus b benefits c responsibility d respect
2 a the b it c a d –
3 a possessions b junk c stacks d products
4 a could b able c succeeded d managed
5 a used b use to c would d usually
6 a knowledgeable b well-known c ideal d recognizable
7 a encourage b urge c take d support
8 a benefit b penalize c overcome d commit