SKILLS TEST 5A UNITS 9–10
Name: _________________________________________ Score: ____________ / 25 points
READING SKILLS
1 Read the text and match headings A–G to paragraphs 1–5. There are two extra headings that you do not need.
(5 points)
A Shut the door E The future of identity theft
B Choosing your victim F Both old and new
C What exactly does it mean? G Easier than ever before
D Look after your data
Identity theft
The most valuable treasure you possess is not your jewellery,
television or your car, it is your personal information – and it is
a treasure that many people do not even think about protecting.
1
_______ 4
_______
The problem of identity theft is often talked about these days Part of the reason that identity theft is such a big problem
but is still not well understood by many people. Contrary to is that people are extraordinarily careless about their
popular belief, identity theft is not a completely new personal data. Fortunately, there are some quite simple
phenomenon. Indeed, people have pretended to be other common-sense steps that can be taken to make it more
people through the whole of recorded history. What is new, difficult for criminals to get hold of your private
however, are the techniques and possibilities that are open to information. It is a good idea not to throw out bills, official
criminals and enable them to collect personal data much letters, bank statements and so on with your normal rubbish.
more efficiently. Today, identity theft is a huge and growing Keep them separate and destroy them by shredding them in
problem, costing individuals, businesses and governments a machine or burning them on a bonfire. Make sure you
around the world tens of billions of dollars every year. inform the right organisations as soon as possible if any of
2
_______ your documents (driving licence, passport, bank or credit
Identity theft is the crime of using somebody else’s personal cards and so on) are lost or stolen and if you pay for
identifying information, including their name, address, something by credit card make sure the card is not taken
telephone number, social security details, bank details and so away where you cannot see it.
on, in order to pretend to be them and commit a crime. This 5
_______
could be stealing from the person who is being impersonated, Similarly, there are some rules that you should remember to
for example by taking money from their bank account, or it keep your personal information private in cyberspace. Your
could be using the person’s identity to hide who you really computer is like a safe which contains all your most valuable
are, such as taking out a loan from a bank in another person’s information; you would not leave your safe open or
name or attacking somebody’s reputation in secret. The crime unlocked and you should always make sure that your
is not necessarily possessing the information, which is often computer is similarly secure. The first and most important
publicly available, but rather using it to break the law. step is to make sure your computer is protected. Keep its
3
_______ system up to date and make sure you have a good anti-virus
We live in an increasingly digitised world. This means that programme. Always use a password. Shared computers are
information about us, including personal and private less secure than computers with only one user so if you share
information, is stored in databases which can be accessed your computer with others then use your own profile and
through the Internet. In the past, when paper records were always log out when you have finished. Online, the most
used to keep information, if somebody wanted to get hold of obvious thing to do is to avoid giving your personal details
your personal information then they needed to gain physical to organisations that you do not know or trust. Even if the
access to it. That meant breaking into an office or searching organisation is well-known and has a trustworthy reputation
for letters in a person’s rubbish bins and even then, even if you should still read its online privacy policy when agreeing
the criminal found something, it would be only a part of to anything and make sure you do not select any options
a person’s personal information and not everything. which allow the organisation to give your details to others.
Nowadays a criminal can hack into a database online, where In addition, you should be careful about sharing your
the information is now also kept, and have access to personal information on forums and in chatrooms, even if
everything he or she needs all at once. Worse, the criminal the information does not seem especially private. It is better
can use the information online immediately without even to use a username rather than your own name, and to not
leaving their room. Bank accounts can be opened, credit tell people your address, age and so on because once the
card details obtained, goods bought and bets placed on information is out there it is often impossible to remove it.
poker, sport or anything else. ■
70© Pearson Central Europe Sp. z o.o. My Matura Success Upper Intermediate PHOTOCOPIABLE
SKILLS TEST 5A UNITS 9–10
2 Read the text again and choose the correct answers.
(5 points)
LISTENING SKILLS
1 Identity theft 1 Track 6 Listen to a discussion between new
a is under control at the moment. flatmates about house rules. Choose the correct
b is easier for criminals today. answers. (5 points)
c is a recent phenomenon. 1 Annie
d is something most people have never a doesn’t like Simon’s idea.
heard of. b misunderstood what Simon meant.
2 Identity theft c is worried about Simon.
a always involves stealing from the person you
2 Annie
are impersonating.
a is not very good at cooking.
b usually uses information which has been
b is going to cook every second day.
kept secret.
c will cook less than Simon.
c is more than just collecting personal data.
d means possessing another person’s private 3 Annie is going to do most of the washing-up
information. a until they get a dishwasher.
3 Modern databases mean b because Simon is doing more cooking.
a there is more information to steal. c as well as most of the cooking.
b that people no longer have to work in 4 The two of them will
offices. a tidy the living room together.
c a criminal can use our money for gambling. b take turns tidying the flat.
d a criminal can get all our information from c tidy different rooms each week.
one place. 5 At the post office
4 People should a they have to spend the whole of the
a always burn their rubbish. afternoon in queues.
b report lost documents as soon as possible. b it will be less boring when they go together.
c keep their credit card with them at all times. c they can do some shopping.
d throw out documents containing personal
information separately. 2 Track 6 Listen again. Are the statements true (T)
5 It is important that people or false (F)? (5 points)
a keep their computers behind locked doors 1 Both Simon and Annie are students.
when not in use. 2 Neither of them will wash up and cook
b read any online agreements carefully.
on the same day.
c remember to remove any personal
information they give out on forums. 3 The bathroom is easier to clean than
d do not communicate with organisations that the living room.
are not well-known. 4 Annie always spends a long time at
the post office.
5 The conversation is taking place on
a Thursday.
COMMUNICATION
1 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
(5 points)
I hope you don’t stop / mind / criticise my
saying so, but I think you were wrong there.
1 I wasn’t going to mention / suggest / call it,
but I don’t think that shirt is right for work.
2 It’s none of my affair / business / job, but
maybe you should think about apologising.
3 While we’re on the subject / topic /
conversation, can you tell me why you called
him?
4 I really wish you wouldn’t put me in this kind
of place / state / position.
5 It’s roughly / nearly / about time you got
here! Where have you been?
PHOTOCOPIABLE © Pearson Central Europe Sp. z o.o. My Matura Success Upper Intermediate 71
