Skills Test Unit 10 Test B

Name: ___________________________________________

Everyday English
1 Circle the correct answer (a–c).
1 What’s absolutely ________ is that we represent all members of society.
a bad b vital c good
2 Who would like to start us ________ ?
a of b in c off
3 If I can ________ for a moment, I think you’re missing the point.
a interrupt b interfere c intercept
4 I’d like to move ________ now to social responsibility.
a through b out c on
5 Sorry, but could you just ________ me out?
a listen b hear c speak

Mark: ___ / 5

Listening
2  Listen to a class discussion about politicians. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Simon thinks politicians should be judged by their work. ___
2 Kerry thinks politicians should expect to have little privacy when have they take on the job. ___
3 Kerry doesn’t believe that voters expect politicians to be entirely trustworthy. ___
4 Simon states that the majority of politicians don’t make good fathers and husbands. ___
5 The newspapers felt no sympathy for the politician who gambled. ___
6 Kerry agrees that gambling didn’t affect the Culture Minister’s ability to do his job. ___
7 Kerry and Simon agree that ministers who handle public money should be able to manage their
personal finances well. ___
8 According to Kerry, married politicians tend to be more dishonest. ___
9 According to Kerry, if the public realizes that politicians aren’t following their own advice, they
lose support. ___
10 Simon thinks the quality of a politician’s work is the most important issue. ___

Mark: ___ / 10

1
Reading
Nelson Mandela
On 5 December 2013, the world lost one of its greatest leaders and a respected global statesman. A
remarkable ninety-one world leaders and numerous other representatives from the world stage
attended Nelson Mandela’s state memorial service five days later. His funeral was a quieter affair the
following week, but still included a number of political figures, both past and present.
Born in Transkei, South Africa, in 1918, he was the first of his family to attend school and showed
himself to be a very able student. He gained his school-leaving junior certificate in record time. It
was there that he became known as Nelson, rather than his birth name of Rolihlahla, by one of his
school teachers.
After graduating and qualifying as a lawyer, he joined the ANC (African National Congress), which
was attempting to change the political and social situation in South Africa. They believed in ethnic
and racial equality, but the all-white National Party, who had come to power in 1948, had introduced
a policy of ‘apartheid’, a system of racial segregation. The ANC, who were supporters of equal rights
and opportunities for black and white people, fiercely opposed the National Party’s policy of race
segregation and pledged to demonstrate through peaceful resistance.
In 1952, Mandela became deputy president of the party and pursued a policy of non-violent protest.
In 1960, almost seventy demonstrators taking part in an anti-apartheid demonstration were killed by
law enforcement officers. This terrible event became known as the Sharpeville Massacre. The
National Party immediately sought to eradicate the ANC, and it was at this point that Mandela’s party
abandoned its non-violence policy and decided to bear arms and engage in violent struggle against
the government. As chief of the military wing, ‘The Spear of the Nation’, Mandela left his home
country to recruit support overseas.
As soon as he returned, he was thrown in prison for five years. In 1963, Mandela and the ANC were
accused of planning to overthrow the government through the use of force, and were put on trial. The
following year, Mandela found himself facing life imprisonment, and was held at Robben Island
where he spent the majority of his twenty-seven years behind bars.
Conditions there were appalling. Everything that could have been done to break his spirit was done,
from being allowed a visitor only once a year for thirty minutes, to having only a bucket for a toilet.
Yet the tiny cell in which he was confined did little to crush his spirit. If the opposition thought
Mandela’s cause would lose momentum, they couldn’t have been more wrong. He managed to
acquire leadership over fellow prisoners and to also impress his guards through his strength of
character and charisma. Outside the prison walls, disgusted by the government’s lack of humanity,
the world was watching. It was as if an attack on Mandela was like an attack on the whole of
humankind.
Over time, international pressure forced the South African government to release Mandela, and he
eventually regained his liberty in 1990, becoming leader of the ANC. Having been awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize along with FW de Klerk in 1993, South Africans showed their appreciation for
this great man at the polling stations in the first multi-racial election, and the country welcomed its
first ever black president.
In the late nineties, Mandela stepped down as leader of the ANC, and in 1999 his position as South
African president came to an end. A few years after this, Mandela decided to finally retire from life
in the spotlight, although he was keen to carry on with his charity work up until his death.

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3 Read the text. Circle the correct answers (a–d).
1 Initially, members of the ANC
a only believed in non-violent protest.
b were all lawyers.
c weren’t invited to Mandela’s memorial service.
d called for the separation of different races.
2 In the early 1950s,
a many police officers were murdered.
b the ANC leadership moved abroad.
c Mandela was promoted within the ANC.
d the National Party attempted an alliance with the ANC.
3 Nelson Mandela faced life imprisonment
a but only served five years of his twenty-seven year sentence.
b for acting in a violent way at his trial.
c for trying to remove the ruling party from power.
d and spent twenty-seven years at Robben Island prison.
4 While in prison, Nelson Mandela
a lost interest in the struggle for racial equality.
b gained respect from the prison community.
c was able to continue attacks on the National Party.
d was in contact with supporters from overseas.
5 Towards the end of his life, Mandela
a continued to be involved in his charitable causes voluntary work.
b remained as leader of the ANC until his death.
c continued to work in politics.
d enjoyed being in the public eye.

Mark: ___ / 10

3
Writing
4 Write a for and against essay about the statement below.
The only way to achieve significant change is by voting in elections.
Follow the plan:

• Paragraph 1: Write an introduction, including a definition if necessary, a hook and a thesis

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Challenge!
5 Complete the text with the correct words (a–d).
The history of voting
At the turn of the 19th century, the British voting system with which we are familiar today did not
exist. Few people had the right to vote in a general election in Britain. In fact, the 1________ , made
up of only three per cent of the population, was vastly unrepresentative. The idea of parliamentary
reform became a topic of debate, and the reason 2________ it didn’t lose momentum was the unrest
caused by the French Revolution. However, intended to eradicate the threat of revolution occurring
on home soil, the Reform Act of 1832, 3________ in six out of seven men being permitted to fill in
the ballot paper, actually did little for the 4________ good. In the 1860s, members of the Reform
League, 5________ had been frustrated by the lack of equal opportunities in the voting system,
decided to protest outside Parliament.
For many, the 19th century had done little to change the fact that the aristocracy and middle classes
still wore the 6________ politically. However, it had been a success in the sense that the turnout for
elections 7________ increased from about 366,000 in England and Wales in 1831 to just under
8 million in 1885. In 1872, the Ballot Act was a further step in the right direction, making secret
ballots compulsory in 8________ stations.
1 a candidates b manifesto c electorate d freeloaders
2 a when b how c for d why
3 a results b resulting c resulted d was resulting
4 a common b general c everyday d humanity
5 a whom b whose c who d what
6 a hats b gloves c shoes d trousers
7 a was b were c had d have
8 a voting b polling c local d election